The Chevy Colorado has been around since 2004, when it replaced the S-10.  The S-10 had been produced since the early 1980′s, when the US Big Three automakers saw Toyota and Datsun carving out a very nice niche by making pickups a little smaller than what was the norm, and decided to pay more attention to the midsize pickup market segment.

Midsize pickups are like Pugs.  They look small but they act big.  That makes them perfect for someone who likes driving a truck, but doesn’t really have any heavy-duty uses for one.  They are great for transporting Grandma’s “new” couch from a thrift store, but wouldn’t really hold up well filled with refrigerators.The Chevy Colorado 1LT is a compact to mid-size pickup, and is the second of two trim levels.  The regular cab is the smallest of three cab configurations.  The 1LT has a 2.4 liter, inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 185 horsepower and 190 foot-pounds of torque.  It has 16-inch alloy wheels, rear-wheel drive, and a 4-speed automatic transmission.  It is rated at 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.  It will tow up to 4,000 pounds, and has a 6.1 foot bed that holds up to 1,429 pounds.

The Colorado 1LT comes with a leather-covered, tilt-adjustable steering wheel, 40/60 split bench front seat, cruise control, air conditioning, full-power accessories, a 12-volt front power outlet, automatic headlights, and foglights.  The audio system has AM/FM/satellite radio, a CD/MP3 player, and Bluetooth. It also comes with side front airbags, side curtain airbags, antilock brakes, stability control, traction control, and the GM OnStar emergency communication system.  No safety test scores are available for a regular cab 2012 Colorado as of this writing, but side-impact could be an issue, as the Crew Cab Colorado got a worst score of poor in testing from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and second-best of acceptable in front offset tests.

Conclusions and Driver Feedback.

Remember how we mentioned the 1980′s and how the Colorado replaced the S-10?  The Colorado is still a lot like the S-10.  Unfortunately, the competition has all moved on.  The interior is big enough, but the materials are retro hard plastic pickup, and the design is sparse.  The upside is that the cabin is so simple that there are no confusing, modern control stacks.  Everything is right there in a  “what you see is what you get” array.Sadly, the seats are old-school pickup, too.  That means they are not all that comfortable and are lacking in modern features like lumbar support.   The outdated aspects continue in the 4-speed automatic transmission.  It makes for inferior fuel economy and detracts from performance compared to the 5 and 6-speed transmissions of this era.
The engine is small, and barely adequate for a small pickup.  There is enough power for tepid acceleration and a torque/horsepower ratio that is more appropriate for a sedan, but not enough power to really keep up with the competition. The handling and ride are also retro.  There is plenty of steering lag and body roll, and the suspension gives a stiff ride, and can be a bit jumpy with an empty cargo bed.  There is also quite a bit of cabin noise.  Basically, this is an old-school truck for old-school drivers.  It would have been great in the 80′s, but it is a quaint artifact at this point in time.  We are also concerned that any truck could manage to get a score of “poor” from the IIHS.

The verdict: if your CD collection is full of 80′s hair bands, you might like this truck.  Otherwise, you might want to check out the competition.

Options, other trims, and miscellaneous caveats.

The other trim in the regular cab model is the Work Truck.  It is the same as the 1LT, but it is more industrial.  The there is no CD player or satellite radio, and the wheels are steel instead of alloy.  This is an improvement over previous years’ “work truck” models from Chevy. Each trim comes in a Crew Cab and Extended Cab, too.  Crew Cabs have four doors and a smaller (5 feet) cargo bed.  They combine the interior space of a car with the cargo space and towing capacity of a truck.  Extended cabs have two doors and a rear seat, like a coupe.  The rear seat of the extended cab is too small for normal-sized adults for anything but short commutes. There is also a 2LT trim and a 3LT trim that are subtrims of the LT.  The 2LT adds front bucket seats, chrome exterior trim, a sliding rear window, and off-road suspension.  The 3LT adds a V8 engine and sport suspension. There is also a 4-wheel drive option for every Chevy Colorado, and you can get a 5-speed manual transmission that will perform a bit better than the automatic.

All in all, we heartily recommend looking at the competition here.  Check out a few other models and compare.  US automakers are still the best at making heavy-duty trucks, but the Japanese automakers seem to be better at making small trucks.  Some of them are even made in the US, such as some Toyota Tacomas (Texas) and some Nissan Frontiers (Tennessee).
The Colorado is in severe need of an update.  It doesn’t need a total rebuild, but it could use a bit more steel support in the body, better seats, and more creature comforts in the cab.  We would also like to see some nicer materials and a better visual effort from Chevy with this truck.   The upside to this is that you should be able to haggle some nice prices on this model.

MSRP:  $31,850

The Chevy Camaro has been around since 1966.  It is an industry icon in the US, and one of the most recognizable vehicles ever built.  The Camaro took a hiatus from 2002 to 2010, but it is back and better than ever.  Lately, the US has had what can be called a “Muscle Car Renaissance.”

Muscle cars and pony cars are back, and are enjoying a surge in popularity.  While they won’t ever surpass pickup trucks, family sedans and crossover SUV’s, they are once again carving out a very nice niche among auto enthusiasts.

The 2012 Chevy Camaro 1SS is a coupe that seats four.  It is the third of three (later to be four) trim levels, with each trim level split into two sub-trims.  It has a 6.2 liter V8 engine that produces 426 horsepower and 420 foot-pounds of torque.  It has 20-inch painted alloy wheels, rear-wheel drive, and a 6-speed manual transmission.  It is rated at 16 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway, and goes from zero to sixty in 5.0 seconds.

The Camaro 1SS comes with a leather-covered, tilt-telescope steering wheel that houses the audio and cruise controls, 8-way power front sport seats with height adjustment, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, premium cloth upholstery, full-power accessories, keyless entry, air conditioning, a rear spoiler, a rear defogger, a rear limited-slip differential, automatic headlights, foglights, and a trip computer.  The audio system has 6 speakers, AM/FM/satellite radio, a CD/MP3 player, an audio jack, and Bluetooth.

The Camaro also comes with stability control, traction control, side front airbags, side curtain airbags, and antilock brakes.  It hasn’t yet been tested, but the 2011 model got 4 stars out of 5 for side impact and 5 stars out of 5 for front impact in US government testing.

Conclusions and driver feedback:

One of the major updates for the 2012 Camaro is the interior.  It has been redesigned.  It is still muscle car retro in a lot of ways, particularly the way the gauges look, but the shape of the dash has been modernized.  Also, most of the materials were hard-touch retro, but many have been softened.  Ultimately, though, most people don’t really pay a lot of attention to the interior décor when driving a muscle car.

There is an adequate amount of headroom and legroom in the front seat.  The rear, though, simply doesn’t have enough legroom for most adult passengers.  It is, like the rear seat of a lot of coupes, closer to a “2 + 2” rear seat than a real one.  The trunk is a bit small, with 11.3 cubic feet.

The Camaro is a classic muscle car.  It combines sport car performance with family sedan size.  The steering is very responsive, and has an electric assist that is proportional to your speed.  The suspension is very tight, allowing the Camaro to hug the road with the best, even though it is a heavy car.  The rear spoiler also  helps hold the car down when cornering or going over uneven pavement, while the 40-profile tires help even more.

This does produce a lot of road feel in the ride.  Surprisingly, though, the ride isn’t really as stiff as one would imagine.  It is also very quiet when you aren’t taking full advantage of the engine, as road and wind noise are kept to a minimum.

As for that engine: it is exactly what you would expect.  It is very powerful and has enough torque for rapid acceleration.  It is effortless at “normal” highway speeds, but there is still a deep hum that reminds you it is there and waiting to be maximized.

All in all, this is a great car for someone who is single or an auto enthusiast who can afford a recreational car.  It is made to be driven to the hilt, shown off, or both.  It is a lot more fun for the driver than it is the passenger, and being a rear passenger is really a losing proposition.

The verdict: you know who you are.  Go for it.

Other trims, options, and miscellaneous caveats.

We chose the SS trim to review because it has the best engine.  Reviewing a world class muscle car with a smaller engine is pointless.  For those who like a lot of style and a little bit of substance under the hood, though, the first two trims are nice.  They have an improved 3.6 liter V6 that produces 323 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque.  They get better mileage, at 19 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway, and are still a lot of fun to drive.  Most of all, they still look like Camaros.

The base trim, the LS, comes with air conditioning, cruise control, keyless entry, 4-way power seats, a tilt-telescope steering wheel, automatic headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, and the same audio as the SS.  When you move up to the LT, it is pretty much like the SS but with the smaller engine.

The star of the show, though, will come later in the model year: the ZL1.  The ZL1 will be a lot like the 1969 ZL1, but with a lot better technology.  It will have a supercharged version of the 6.2 liter V8, and it will produce over 570 horsepower.  It will also have Brembo brakes, adaptive suspension dampers, a sportier version of the current steering wheel, a dual-mode exhaust, and even larger performance tires.

We don’t have a projected quarter-mile or zero to sixty time, but the ZL1 might be a great car to take to the local drag strip for amateur night.  It also will compete with the Shelby and the SRT8 Challenger for the number one straight-line muscle car slot in the eyes of the public.

There are various options available.  The two main ones are the RS package, which adds xenon headlights and 20-inch wheels to the LT trim, and the 45th anniversary package that is available on the 2LT and 2SS.  It consists of red and charcoal strips, a unique 20-inch wheel that is different than the one found on the SS, black leather stitching, and various embroidered logos and badges commemorating the anniversary.

The Chevy Tahoe has been around since 1992 as a GMC Yukon, and 1995 as a Chevy Tahoe.  It has been so successful that it is only in its third generation, which started in 2007.  It now shares the GMT900 platform with the Yukon and the special police version of the Tahoe.

The 2010 Chevy Tahoe LS 4X4 is a full-size SUV, and it is the lowest of three trim levels.  It has a 5.3 liter V8 engine that delivers 320 horsepower and 335 foot-pounds of torque.  It has 17-inch alloy wheels, 4-wheel drive, and a 6-speed shiftable automatic transmission.  It is rated at 15 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway, has a maximum payload of 1705 pounds, and can tow up to 8200 pounds.  It goes from zero to sixty in 8.5 seconds.

The Tahoe LS comes with a leather-covered, tilt-telescope steering wheel that houses the audio and cruise controls, 6-way power driver and passenger seats with height adjustments, driver lumbar support, a 60/40 split-folding second row seat, a 50/50 split-folding third row seat, cloth upholstery, keyless entry, full-power accessories, 12-volt outlets in the front and cargo areas, 2-zone air conditioning, simulated alloy trim on the doors and dash, a rear defogger, a rear wiper, a roof rack, a rear liftgate door, and a trip computer.  The audio system has AM/FM/satellite radio, a CD/MP3 player, an audio jack, and a USB/iPod input.

The Tahoe also comes with the GM OnStar system, antilock brakes, side front airbags, side curtain airbags, stability control, and traction control.  It received perfect scores of 5 stars from the US government on side and front impact tests.

Conclusions and driver feedback:

The interior is an improvement over past models.  Chevy has traditionally made their trucks with bare, unpretentious interiors, but recently started paying a lot of attention to the interiors of their SUV’s, especially their crossovers.  The materials are high-quality and the design is attractive, while keeping the practicality that makes a Chevy truck a Chevy truck.

There is plenty of cabin space, especially in the first two rows.  There is plenty of both headroom and legroom.  The third row can seat three adults, but only for short hops.  With the seats folded down, there is a total of 109 cubic feet of cargo space, with 16.9 of those cubic feet behind the seats.

The Tahoe is a truck, and drives like one.  There are no pretensions of sportiness here.  Expect steering lag and a suspension that produces a lot of body roll.  It does produce a very nice ride, though, almost as smooth as that of a car.  It is large, but it does have a smaller turning radius than most vehicles its size, making it easier to navigate through traffic and easier to park.  Most of all, it tows as well as any SUV in its class.

The verdict: if you must have a full-sized SUV, you can’t go wrong with this one.

MSRP: $23,450

GM and Chevy have been making cars and trucks for a long time. Oldsmobile, which would eventually become GM, made the first production car in 1901. Usually, they bring a lot of experience to the market when making any vehicle: except the crossover SUV. The Equinox is Chevy’s first crossover SUV, and it’s first year was 2005.

The Equinox is now in its second generation, and finished the first half of 2011 as the third-best selling crossover SUV in the US. This is quite an impressive accomplishment in such a short time. It is made on GM’s Theta platform, and has unibody, car-like construction.

The 2012 Chevy Equinox LS is a compact crossover SUV, and is the lowest of three trim levels. It has a 2.4 liter, 4-cylinder direct injection, flex-fuel engine that produces 182 horsepower and 172 foot-pounds of torque. It has 17-inch alloy wheels, front-wheel drive, and a 6-speed shitable automatic transmission. It is rated at 22 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. The accuracy of the EPA rating has been the source of a lot of debate between industry experts, but it still gets decent mileage for a 182 horsepower crossover. Whatever the case, it goes from zero to sixty in 9.3 seconds.

The Equinox LS comes with a tilt-telescope steering wheel that houses audio and cruise controls, a 2-way power driver’s seat with lumbar and height adjustment, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, cloth upholstery, keyless entry, full-power accessories, and speed-proportional power steering.

It also has 12-volt outlets in the front, rear, and cargo areas, simulated alloy trim on the doors and dash, air conditioning, a rear defogger, a rear wiper, and a trip computer. The audio system has 6 speakers, AM/FM/satellite radio, a CD/MP3 player, an audio jack, and Bluetooth.

The Equinox also comes with antilock brakes, hill-assist, brake-assist, side front airbags, side curtain airbags, stability control, traction control, and the GM OnStar emergency communication system. In tests performed by the US government, the Equinox received a perfect 5 stars for side-impact protection, and 4 stars for front-impact protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave it their best ratings of “good” in front, rear and side impact tests, and in roof strength.

Conclusions and driver feedback:

Chevy pulled out all of the stops when they designed this interior. They made it possibly the best interior in the Chevy line. It has a stunning dash design, great two-tone color schemes, and a lot of high-quality, soft-touch materials. The overall look is very reminiscent of a luxury car. Some may find the controls a bit confusing, but they still look extremely attractive, and drivers eventually figure them out.

There is a lot of cabin space for passengers in both seats. There is ample headroom and legroom in both the front and rear, and the rear seat slides to and fro to accommodate passengers of all sizes. If you decide to fold the rear seats down for cargo space, you can get 63.7 cubic feet. If you don’t, there are still 31.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the seating area.

The Equinox is adjusted for high mileage and passenger comfort, especially with the base 2.4 liter engine. There is enough power to accelerate nicely, and enough to cruise smoothly down the highway without engine noise. The steering doesn’t have a lot of feel to it, but it does have the electronic assist. The electronic assist is very helpful, especially with a car full of cargo or kids, but the drivers of most cars that are equipped with steering-assist complain of “numb” steering.

The suspension is also a bit loose, and this produces some body roll. The upside to this is that the ride is extremely comfortable and very quiet. The Equinox is great for long trips, because of the combination of physical comfort and an attractive and quiet cabin environment.

Ultimately, the only negatives here are the numb steering and relative lack of cargo space, which are both trade-offs, and the mild controversy over the EPA mileage estimates. It’s a very safe, reliable vehicle to drive from point A to point B with no drama. The only people I wouldn’t recommend this to are those who require the vehicle to engage them while they drive, or those with a “need for speed.” For the record, we find nothing wrong with either of those traits.

The verdict: this is a great family vehicle.

Other trim levels, options, and miscellaneous caveats.

The LS is the lowest of three trim levels. We chose it because it has a lot of features at a reasonable price. We really like the highest trim, too, but most of the additional features are unnecessary, and the LS provides more than enough conveniences and comforts for a positive experience.

The next trim level up is the LT, which is divided into two sub levels: 1LT and 2LT. The 1LT gets everything on the LS, plus a leather-covered steering wheel, premium cloth upholstery, a rearview camera, heated outside mirrors, roof rack side rails, an upgraded audio system that includes a USB/iPod input and a 7-inch touchscreen.

If you opt for the 2LT, you also get remote start, automatic climate control, foglamps, a heated, 8-way power driver’s seat, and an 8-speaker Pioneer audio system. If you go up to the LTZ, you add premium leather upholstery, driver memory settings, a power liftgate, automatic headlights, and a rear parking sensor.

Each trim except the LS can also be upgraded to a 3.0 liter, V6 engine that produces 264 horsepower and 222 foot-pounds of torque. The mileage goes down to 17 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway with this engine, though, and most feel the extra power isn’t worth the decreased mileage.

All trims can upgrade to all-wheel drive, too. That decreases the fuel mileage by 3 miles on the small engine, but only 1 mile in the larger one. The 4-wheel drive is recommended for those who routinely encounter less-than-favorable driving conditions.

You can also upgrade to a collision warning system, a navigation system, or a sunroof.

MSRP: $19,245

If the Chevy Cruze reminds you of what a Chevy Cobalt could have been if they had tried harder, it’s because it is the Cobalt’s replacement.  GM made this car from 2008-2011 for international use, and called it the Daewoo Lacetti or the Holden Cruze.  It was introduced in the US for the 2011 model year.  Daewoo and Opel did most of the engineering for this car.

The 2011 Chevy Cruze Eco is a compact sedan.  The Eco is the third of five trim levels, and it is the only one out of the five that has everything about it tweaked for maximum fuel efficiency.  It has a turbocharged 1.4 liter inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 138 horsepower.  It has 17-inch polished alloy wheels, front-wheel drive, and a 6-speed manual transmission.  It is rated at 28 mpg in the city and 42 mpg on the highway.

The Cruze Eco comes with a leather and simulated alloy, tilt-telescope steering wheel, height-adjustable front bucket seats, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, cloth upholstery, keyless entry, cruise control, full-power accessories, air conditioning, simulated alloy trim on the dash and doors, 12-volt outlets in the front and rear seats, a rear spoiler, a rear defogger, automatic headlights, and a trip computer.  The audio system has 6 speakers, AM/FM/satellite radio, a CD/MP3 player, an audio jack, a USB/iPod input, and Bluetooth.

The Cruze Eco also comes with side front airbags, side curtain airbags, side rear airbags, antilock brakes, stability control, traction control, and the patented GM OnStar emergency communication system.  According to GM, the Cruze is made of 65 percent high-strength steel.  That may account for its crash test scores.  It got perfect scores of 5 stars from the US government for side and front impact protection, and perfect scores of “good” from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety on their side and front impact tests.

Conclusions and driver feedback:

The interior is better than one would expect from a lower-level, small Chevy.  The design is attractive, with an almost European charm to it.  The two-tone color schemes are very tasteful, and the materials are both high-quality and soft-touch.  The front seats are a bit narrow for wider drivers and passengers, but there is plenty of headroom and legroom in the front.  Also, the seats are very comfortable and supportive, making the Cruze a great car for long trips of one or two people.

The rear seats, though, need more space.  They sit too low to the ground, and it decreases the legroom.  There is enough headroom, but adults probably won’t like sitting in the back seat for more than short hops.  There is plenty of trunk space, though: 15.4 cubic feet.

Both the drive and ride are very nice for this market segment.  The engine, even though tweaked for maximum mileage, can still accelerate well enough to keep one from becoming frustrated, and there is enough power to run smoothly and comfortably at highway speeds.

The steering is pretty responsive, and the suspension is about average.  There is a bit of body roll, but it is still tight enough to acquit itself admirably when cornering or maneuvering through traffic.  The ride is pretty compliant and smooth.  It is above average for a compact.  You won’t mistake it for luxury, but you won’t get any “surprises” when going over bumps, either.

The Eco is made to get the best mileage out of the car.  This means you sacrifice raw power for less money at the pump.  If you do any highway driving at all, this is the best trim level.  If all of your driving is in the city, you still get better mileage, but more of the Eco’s benefits play out during highway driving.

The Eco has a smaller gas tank to help shave weight, and has a few aerodynamic adjustments to increase mileage.  It also has lighter rims and low-resistance tires.  The transmission is also adjusted for less acceleration and more use of higher gear ratios.  This makes the Eco less able to take advantage of engine torque and slower to accelerate, but it does save fuel.

Basically, the Eco is a nice car for a single or couple who do a lot of driving, whether it’s trips or a long commute.  A young family could use this car, too, but the rear seats are too uncomfortable for teens or adults to take long trips.

The verdict: the Eco is a de facto two-seater, but it is a good buy for a single or couple.

Options and Other Trim Levels

The Cruze comes in five other trim levels.  The base trim, the LS, has a larger engine that puts out slightly less horsepower and less torque.  It also has less conveniences than the others.

The 1LT, which is the trim level below the Eco, has the 1.4 liter engine, as do the rest of the trim levels, and is like the Eco, but without the mileage tweaks.

The 2LT adds remote start, a sport-tuned suspension, leather upholstery, and a 6-way power driver’s seat.

The LTZ adds rear park assist, keyless ignition, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and automatic climate control.

There are some nice options available on the upper trim levels.  There is a HD navigation system, which is self-explanatory.  You can also add a Pioneer audio system that has 9 speakers and considerably more power.  There is also the RS Appearance Package, which consists of a rear spoiler, foglights, a front fascia, and a rear fascia.

If you value performance over mileage, we heartily recommend either of the two highest trims.  They are both tuned for sporty performance.  This gives more response to the steering, more agility for cornering or navigating through traffic, and a little more punch as the transmission takes full advantage of the low-end torque.  The ride is a bit firmer, but it still isn’t bad by any means.

All in all, Chevy has done a fine job of serving both the mileage crowd and the people who want to have fun behind the wheel.

To be blunt, the Chevy HHR was an imitation PT Cruiser built on a platform shared with the Cobalt, the Saturn Ion, and the Pontiac G5.  The HHR stood for Heritage High Roof.  It had a lot of potential: Chevy’s take on what was a very popular model.  Sadly, the PT Cruiser’s magic wore off, and the HHR was destined to become an obscure historical footnote.  Ironically, it probably hastened the demise of the PT Cruiser.

The 2010 Chevy HHR SS is a retro-styled Wagon, and the highest of five trim levels.  It has a 2.0 liter, turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 260 horsepower and 260 foot-pounds of torque.  It has 18-inch polished alloy wheels, front-wheel drive, and a 5-speed manual transmission.  It is rated at 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway.

The HHR SS comes with a leather-wrapped, tilt-only steering wheel that houses audio and cruise controls, a 6-way sport power driver’s seat with height adjustment, a passenger sport seat that folds flat, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, premium cloth upholstery, full-power accessories, keyless entry, 12-volt power outlets in the front and rear seat, a power sunroof, a rear spoiler, rear wiper, and rear defogger, automatic headlights, foglights, and a trip computer.  The audio system has 6 speakers, AM/FM/satellite radio, a CD/MP3 player, a USB/iPod input, and an audio jack.

The HHR also comes with side curtain airbags, stability control, traction control, antilock brakes, and the GM OnStar emergency communication system.  In government tests, the HHR received perfect scores of 5 stars in front and side impact protection.  The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, who deducts points for the absence of a side front airbags, only gave the HHR its second-best rating of “acceptable” for side impacts, while giving it their highest rating of “good” for front-offset impacts.

Conclusions and driver feedback:

The HHR is a small step away from having a great interior.  The design is very nicely done, and the controls and gauges are easy to use and understand.  The only quibble is the use of too many cheaper materials.  There is plenty of cabin space, though.  There is more than enough headroom and legroom in both the front and rear seats, and the seats themselves are comfortable.

There are 25.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the seats, and a total of 63.1 cubic feet if you fold the rear seat and the front passenger seat down.  They are also designed to give a totally flat cargo surface.

The drive and ride are pure sport wagon.  The steering and suspension are adjusted for sport, which means they are both very tight.  They give responsive steering and a car that holds the road very nicely, even while navigating tight, curvy roads.  The turbocharged engine has enough kick in it to make driving a lot of fun.  The ride is a bit stiff, but you probably won’t care.

The verdict: this is an underrated and fun car in its sport trim.  Its market value may be less than its intrinsic worth, making it a good buy if you can get it cheap.

One of the first things that you will notice about the Equinox is that it’s Canadian, eh?  It’s so Canadian that they made a special 2009 Team Canada edition for the Winter Olympics.  2010 was a redesign year that saw significant changes in the aerodynamics, engine, and price.  All that, and you can still take five people comfortably to the hockey game.

The 2010 Chevy Equinox 2LT is a compact crossover SUV, and is the third of four trim levels.  It has a 2.4 liter inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 182 horsepower.  It has 17-inch alloy wheels, front-offset drive, and a 6-speed automatic transmission with a manual shifter.   It is rated at 22 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.

The Equinox 2LT comes with a leather-covered, tilt-telescope steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, an 8-way power driver’s seat with height adjustment, a split-folding rear seat, cloth upholstery, full power accessories, three 12-volt outlets, climate control, simulated alloy trim on the dash, doors, and steering wheel, rear defoggers, a rear wiper, a roof rack, automatic headlights, foglights, and a trip computer.  The audio system has 8 Pioneer speakers, AM/FM/satellite radio, a CD/MP3 player, and audio jack, a USB/iPod input, and Bluetooth.

The Equinox also comes with antilock brakes with brake assist, hill-holder control, stability control, traction control, side front airbags, and side curtain airbags.  It also features the patented GM OnStar emergency communication system.

Conclusions and driver feedback:

The cabin was redesigned for 2010, and the Equinox has a very modern and bright look to it.  The controls look almost futuristic in contrast to the retro curves in the dash.  The cabin seems large for its class, with plenty of headroom and legroom, even in the rear seat.  There are 31.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the seats, and if you fold the rear seat down, you get a total of 63.7.

The engine is great on fuel economy but still decent for the driver, providing decent acceleration and smooth cruising.  The handling is typical of what Chevy seems to be doing on most of their passenger cars: numb steering and mushy suspension.  The good side of this tradeoff is that it makes for one of the most comfortable rides in its class.  The ride is not only comfortable, but it is very quiet.  All in all, it’s quite impressive.

The verdict: a nice family vehicle, eh?

The Chevy Impala seems like it has been around forever.  The first Impala rolled off of the line in 1958.  For years, it was an iconic image, but it eventually became just another sedan in a sea of many popular models, and Chevy discontinued it after the 1985 model year.  It would come back as the Impala SS from 1994-1996, and finally it was revived as a full-fledged member of the lineup in 2000.  It is now in its ninth generation.

The 2010 Chevy Impala LTZ is the highest of three trim levels.  It is a large family sedan and it seats six.  It has a 3.9 liter, V6 Flex-fuel engine that produces 230 horsepower.  It has 18-inch alloy wheels, front-wheel drive, and a 4-speed automatic transmission.  It is rated at 17 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.

The Impala LTZ comes with a leather-covered, tilt-only steering wheel, an 8-way heated power driver’s seat with lumbar and height adjustment, a 6-way power passenger seat, a split-folding rear seat, leather upholstery, cruise control, full power accessories, universal remote garage door opener, 2-zone air conditioning, simulated wood trim on the dash, doors, and console, rear defogger, foglights, and a trip computer.  The audio system has 8 Bose speakers, AM/FM/satellite radio, a CD/MP3 player an audio jack, and Bluetooth.

The Impala also comes with stability control, traction control, side front airbags, side curtain airbags, antilock brakes, and the OnStar emergency communication system.  In government tests, the Impala got perfect ratings of 5 stars on front impact and side impact front passenger, and 4 stars on side impact rear passenger.  However, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Impala its top rating of “good” for side impacts, but only its second-best rating of “acceptable” for front-offset tests.

Conclusions and driver feedback:

On some cars, the trim level doesn’t make a lot of difference.  With the Impala, though, stepping up to the LTZ is almost like getting a totally different car.  The interior is very nice at this level.  The design is unpretentious and the materials are mostly high-quality.  There is plenty of both headroom and legroom in the Impala, and the back seat might remind you of days when cars were bigger than they are now.  There is also over 18 cubic feet of trunk space.

The drive and the ride are both predicated on the Impala’s description as a “Family Car.”  In other words, it is tweaked for comfort and made to be driven safely and in a straight line.  We chose the best of the three engines, and that is enough for decent acceleration and smooth operation at highway speeds.

The steering is comfortably numb, and the suspension allows for ample body roll.  This, of course, gives a great ride that is one of the best in its class.

The verdict: a nice, conservative car for a nice, conservative driver and his or her family.

In the US, the Big Three take their battle for supremacy in the truck market seriously.  Ford has locked up the top slot in the market with its F series, but the Chevy Silverado follows closely behind as the second-most popular vehicle in the US, selling over 30,500 a month.  Second may not be first, but you simply can’t go wrong buying a heavy-duty truck from either of the Big Three US automakers.

The 2010 Chevy Silverado 1500 LT Regular Cab is the higher of two trim levels.  It has a 4.8 liter V8 engine that produces 302 horsepower and 308 pound-feet of torque.  It has 17-inch steel wheels, rear-wheel drive, and a 4-speed automatic transmission.  It is rated at 14 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway.  It can tow up to 9100 pounds, and carry up to 1957 pounds in its 6.6 foot bed.

The 1500 LT comes with a leather-wrapped, tilt-only steering wheel, a 40/20/40 split bench front seat with manual lumbar support for the driver, cruise control, cloth upholstery, standard air conditioning, automatic headlights, and a trip computer.  The audio system has 4 speakers, AM/FM/satellite radio, a CD/MP3 player, and an audio jack.

The 1500 LT also has stability control, traction control, side front airbags, side curtain airbags, and antilock brakes.  The Silverado 1500 got perfect scores from both the government and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in front impact tests, but didn’t get it tested for side impact after installing side airbags.

Conclusions and driver feedback:

The interior is fairly spartan, as it is in most heavy-duty trucks.  The design is practical and well-laid out, but the materials are fairly hard, and there really aren’t a lot of distinguishing characteristics adorning the cabin.  There is plenty of  cabin space, though, with abundant headroom and legroom.  The seats themselves are quite comfortable, which is an upgrade from the “old school” work truck.

The Silverado may be comfortable, but it is still essentially a work truck.  The steering is a bit easier than you might expect, though, and the ride is very compliant for a truck.  The engine has enough power for decent acceleration and smooth running on the highway, and it doesn’t labor or make much noise.

All in all, this is a good truck for someone who needs a heavy-duty truck, but doesn’t have to really put it through the wringer.  If you don’t need to tow more than 9,000 pounds or haul more than 1,900 pounds on a daily basis, this truck will probably fulfill your needs.  If you need more, Chevy has three more sizes: the 2500, the 3500  Classic, and the 3500 HD.

It’s funny: Chevy and Ford have battled for supremacy for over 60 years now.  They both have iconic vehicles and vehicles that failed.  They both have unparallelled brand identities.  But when it comes to their pickup trucks, they have a lot more in common than either company realizes or wants to realize.

The verdict: highly recommended.

The Malibu is Chevy’s entry into the midsize family sedan market, and barely slid into the top ten list of cars sold in the US for the first half of 2011.  The Malibu was originally a trim level of the Chevelle, but became its own model in 1978.  By 2010, Chevy was making its eighth generation of the Malibu.

The 2010 Chevy Malibu LT1 is the third of five trim levels if you count the Fleet model as a trim.  It has a 2.4 liter, inline 4-cylinder Ecotec engine that produces 169 horsepower.  It has 17-inch chrome steel wheels, front-wheel drive, and a 6-speed automatic transmission.  It is rated at 22 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway.   It’s a bit pokey, though; it takes 9.5 seconds to go from zero to sixty.

The Malibu LT1 comes with a tilt-telescope steering wheel that has the transmission, audio, and cruise controls on it.  It also comes with front bucket seats, a 2-way power driver’s seat with height and lumbar adjustments, a passenger seat that folds flat for storing long objects, a split-fold rear seat, cloth upholstery, air conditioning with rear ducts, full power accessories, a rear defogger, automatic headlights, and a trip computer.  The audio system has 6 speakers, AM/FM/satellite radio, a CD/MP3 player, and an audio jack.

The Malibu has the five modern safety essentials: side front airbags, side curtain airbags, antilock brakes, stability control, and traction control.  One of it best features is that it got perfect scores of 5 stars for front impact and side impact in government testing, and highest scores of “good” in front and side impacts from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Conclusions and driver feedback:

The interior is almost retro.  The dash is a bit like a 60′s or 70′s Corvette, and most of the controls are on the steering wheel, leaving the dash unencumbered.  The materials could use a bit of upgrading, with a few that are obviously less expensive, but they usually aren’t a deal-breaker.

The amount of space is a tale of two seats.  The front seats are almost spacious, with ample headroom and legroom, while the rear seat is more like that of a coupe’s 2 + 2 design than that of a family car, even with the rear doors in place.  Adults can sit in the rear seat, but they had better not be very tall, and they probably won’t want to take any long trips.

The handling makes it obvious that the Malibu is intended for family use.  The steering gets a bit of electronic assist, and the suspension is adjusted for ride quality, which produces a bit of body roll.  The ride is very quiet and comfortable, especially in the front.  A lot of Malibu drivers find the balance between ride and handling to be “just right” for their tastes, but some find it boring.

The engine is enough to handle the demands of everyday family driving, but this car, despite its beach name and sporty roots, is now made to get you and your family safely and comfortably from point A to point B.

The verdict:  a comfortable and very safe car for a single, couple, or small family.