New Cars for 2017: Chevrolet
Bolt: Peel back the Chevy Bolt’s androgynous design, and you’ll find a car with more than its share of electrons. In case you haven’t heard, this is a pure battery-powered electric with no combustion to drive you home when the juice runs low. But don’t fret; thanks to its ample electron supply, the Bolt offers a claimed 200-mile range. There’s also plenty of space for passengers and their stuff, and the Bolt’s attitude is highly congenial. We discovered that last item on a 50-mile drive with the Bolt’s chief engineer, Josh Tavel, riding shotgun, absorbing our barrage of questions. See prototype drive ››
Camaro: The family grows with the addition of the supercharged ZL1 coupe and convertible, as well as the track-oriented 1LE that, for the first time, can be had with a V-6 or a V-8. For the ZL1, Chevrolet taps the Corvette Z06 for its supercharged 6.2-liter V-8, installing it nearly unchanged save for a ceremonial 10-hp reduction (to “just” 640 ponies) to keep the Camaro in its proper place. A six-speed manual is standard while a new 10-speed automatic co-developed with Ford is optional. Some ZL1 magic trickles down to the V-8–powered SS 1LE: The two share some suspension components. The V-6 1LE, on the other hand, uses the regular Camaro SS’s FE3 suspension. Both 1LEs come with extra cooling, wide tires, beefed-up Brembo brakes, and matte-black body accents. Recaro seats are available on the V-6 and standard on the V-8. The V-6 and V-8 make the same 335 and 455 horsepower, respectively, as in non-1LE Camaros, but a manual is the only transmission offered.
Colorado: The status quo is constantly changing in the pickup-truck world, and the Colorado is staying fresh for 2017 with a completely new V-6 powertrain option. Replacing GM’s old 3.6-liter V-6 is, um, GM’s new 3.6-liter V-6, now paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The improvement in power and torque is not huge, with horsepower going up 3 hp to 308 hp, and torque rising 6 lb-ft to 275 lb-ft, and official fuel-economy numbers aren’t available yet, although a Chevrolet representative says the improvements will be “incremental.” The standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder and optional 2.8-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder are unchanged.
Corvette: The storied Grand Sport nameplate returns to the Corvette lineup for 2017, and as before, it is more or less a Z06 minus that model’s 650-hp supercharged V-8. Otherwise, Z06 wide-track bodywork wraps around the stock Corvette Stingray’s naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V-8 with a standard sport exhaust that bumps output by five ponies to 460 horsepower. The Grand Sport rides on essentially the same suspension as the Z06, and it borrows that beastly Vette’s Michelin Pilot Super Sport rubber (even stickier Sport Cup 2 tires are available with the Z07 package). This is a track-day special that feels special and goes like hell on a track. See test ››
Cruze: Fully revised last year, the Cruze sedan is joined by a hatchback for the first time in the U.S., while the Cruze Diesel model returns to the lineup—but only in the sedan. The hatchback shares its 153-hp turbo four and six-speed manual and automatic transmission options with the sedan, but Chevrolet promises that the wagonoid Cruze will be tuned for more driving fun than the comfort-minded sedan. An independent rear suspension, which replaces the four-door’s twist-beam rear axle, should help deliver on the fun goal. Cargo space is the hatch’s strong suit, with 19 cubic feet of volume behind the rear seats or 47 cubic feet with the second row folded. The diesel features an all-new 1.6-liter oil-burning four in place of its predecessor’s 2.0-liter, mated exclusively to a six-speed automatic.
Silverado 2500/3500 HD: Chevy’s heavy-duty pickups will come in for a few changes when the new model goes on sale early next year. A power and torque boost for the optional diesel engine is likely. And to feed that now-more-powerful compression-ignition lump, the hood will sprout a scoop.
Sonic: It trades its four-eyed, exposed-headlight look for a less weird—but also less distinctive—one and loses nearly half of its available trim levels. Only the LT and Premier trims remain on the hatchback, while the Sonic sedan offers the same choices plus a base-model LS. Chevy now fits as standard the former RS package’s stiffened suspension, sport exhaust, and subtle body addenda to every hatchback for 2017. Nothing changes under the hood—the choices remain a 138-hp 1.8-liter four or a 1.4-liter turbo four with identical output but more torque. See official photos and info ››
Trax: Chevrolet’s mini-ute gets a minor styling overhaul that includes new headlights set into a more expressive fascia. The interior is similarly updated, with a new dashboard design and a seven-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration, as well as a 4G LTE data connection and Wi-Fi hotspot. See official photos and info ››
Minor trim changes: Corvette Z06, Equinox, Silverado 1500, Traverse
Unchanged: City Express, Express, Impala, Malibu, Spark, SS, Suburban, Tahoe, Volt
Dead: Spark EV
