Chevrolet Equinox News & Reviews
The all-new 2010 Chevrolet Equinox hits the streets with a fresh face, a new drivetrain and completely revised architecture,
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| The new Equinox is a giant leap forward from the outgoing model. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press) |
a triple-threat combination for the besieged American auto manufacturer.
The Equinox turns to the Chevrolet Malibu sedan and Traverse crossover for inspiration when it comes to the exterior design. Its front end comes complete with the distinguishable two-tiered grille, golden bowtie at centre, while other styling features include wraparound headlamps, a strong roofline, dual round tail lamps and more. Tying the new design to the road is a set of P225/65R17 all-season tires with 17" aluminum wheels.
Under the long hood is a new engine, GM's 2.4L, 16-valve, DOHC, I-4 engine that produces 182 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque. Previously, the Equinox was only offered with a V6, so not only does the 2010 model look better, but it can get better fuel economy too. <Read More> 2010 Chevrolet Equinox Road Test Review
With General Motors a completely new company last Friday and me sitting in its freshest vehicle the following Monday,
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| The base model Equinox, shown here with just a few interior options, is a very complete package. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press) |
the four-brand automaker appears to be on a positive course toward success, at least when it comes to product. Yes, the Equinox, as expected, is very good.
As expected? Well, considering both the latest generations of Malibu and Silverado have won just about every car and truck of the year award they could have, and Cruze is doing well overseas, plus Spark, Orlando and Volt are soon on the way, I personally have been expecting a lot from the new 2010 Equinox.
First and foremost it's a great looking vehicle, critically important for attracting buyers who might not otherwise consider a new Chevy. Its proportions are just right, and it carries forward Chevy's new brand identity in a way that should be appealing to the masses, not just a niche.
It's <Read More> GM Introduces Two New Ultra-Efficient Engines with New Equinox
The Ford and GM battles of the '50s, '60s and '70s are reigniting, but instead of the old days when styling and horsepower
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| With 182-horsepower and 174 lb-ft of torque, this state-of-the-art four-cylinder will take GM into the next decade. (Photo: GM) |
ruled the roads a new era of motorized warfare rages in fuel economy and emissions.
Performance is still as important as ever and styling is what pulls people down to the dealership in the first place, but Ford made a point of telling its Escape story all over again within a year when it launched its updated 2009 model, which was more or less the same truck as the 2008 other than powertrain mods. The big news from Ford was a new 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with 170-horsepower on tap and a 28 mpg highway fuel economy rating, and the General didn't have much of anything new to fight back with… until now that is.
Along with the introduction of the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox, totally new from the ground up by the way, come two powerplants that will be sure to impress. The new 2.4-litre Ecotec four will make up to 182-horsepower while returning an non-certified EPA estimated 7.8 L/100 km on the highway, edging out the Escape and simultaneously besting most others in the compact SUV class.
"At a time when customers are so concerned about the fuel efficiency of their vehicle, the Equinox delivers," said Ed Peper, GM North America vice president, Chevrolet.
Those <Read More> No new Chevrolet Impala until 2014 model year
Chevy's Impala has been basically the same car since the launch of the front-wheel drive W-body 2000 model, although the 2006
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| Most people only see the Impala in police attire, but it's available to consumers as well and will get a new 3.6L V6 for 2012. (Photo: Chevrolet) |
model year update modernized the four-door sedan's styling and interior design significantly. Now, five model years later, modern isn't exactly the word one might want to use to describe Chevrolet's largest "flagship" sedan. We're halfway through 2011 in car years, with 2012 models already starting to show up at auto shows, and the Impala wasn't really a serious retail competitor when the 2006 model entered the picture. What to do?
Nothing. OK, the 2012 model will get an updated V6, but the car itself will have to soldier on unchanged until a replacement arrives in 2013 for the 2014 model year, says a report from GMInsideNews.
The 2012 Impala will come fitted with General Motors' 3.6-litre V6 connecting through to a six-speed automatic transmission, the car's 3.5- and 3.9-litre V6 engines going the way of the dodo. The powertrain swap will go miles to improve the Impala's fuel economy, so police department and taxi cab fleet managers can collectively rejoice.
As for you, <Read More> New B-segment Chevy to be named Sonic
Ford has brought a world car to market in its new Fiesta, being that it's the same basic car getting sold under the same name, but
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| Say goodbye to Aveo and say hello to Sonic ... at least in North America. (Photo: Chevrolet) |
GM is taking a different route with its new subcompact. Rather than continue on with the Aveo name in North American, Canada, the U.S. and Mexico will get the a new global model dubbed Sonic while the rest of the world, which includes 50 additional countries, will use the old Aveo nameplate.
The news came down from on high at GM's tower in Detroit, and is due to the General wanting to start fresh at its bottom end in our market.
"The Sonic represents a new beginning for Chevrolet in the small car segment and so we felt it was time to give it a new name," said Chris Perry, GM's vice-president for Chevrolet U.S. marketing. "The new car is roomy, stylish and fun to drive, and Sonic is a youthful, energetic name that helps convey what this vehicle is about."
Chevy wants to <Read More> Volt starts shipping to Chevy dealers in the U.S.
After years of constant media buzz, the time has come for General Motors' much-vaunted Volt to hit Chevrolet dealers across
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| New 2011 Chevrolet Volts are now heading to California, New York, Washington D.C., and Texas. (Photo: Chevrolet) |
the U.S. Promised mid-November, GM is following through with deliveries to the initial 160 dealers south of the 49th.
The first run of plug-in electric Volts left GM's Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant Monday, and are heading to California, New York, Washington D.C., and Texas.
"Today is a historic milestone for Chevrolet," said Tony DiSalle, Volt marketing director in the U.S. "We have redefined automotive transportation with the Volt, and soon the first customers will be able to experience gas-free commuting with the freedom to take an extended trip whenever or wherever they want."
While a form of hybrid, being that it uses both electric and gasoline power such as cars like Toyota's popular Prius, soon offered with plug-in capability and a model that enjoys <Read More> 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Road Test Review
While this year's big Camaro news is the addition of a convertible to the lineup, something else is grabbing the headlines now.
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| The Camaro SS means business, and it looks the part. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
Camaro, for the first time in 25 years, is on the verge of snatching first place in the muscle car sales race from Ford's mighty Mustang! And that's without any help from the new convertible, which won't be available until early next year.
Yes, Chevy's Camaro is enjoying a bit of a renaissance, and while some Mustang faithful will argue that its popularity is more of an extended honeymoon and that the romance won't last, the bowtie brand's sports coupe is doing well because it's a very good car in most respects.
Being that the Camaro was entirely new for 2010, changes to last year's car are minimal. Most significantly, the base V6 gets upgraded with 8 more ponies for a total of 312-horsepower. Additionally, GM is pushing its OnStar advantage by making it standard with a six-month Directions and Connections plan, while Head-Up <Read More> 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS Road Test Review
What's old is new again. It's a phrase that's common these days. Whether it comes in the shape of fashion, entertainment or
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| Hot! This bright yellow Camaro SS turns heads! (Photo: Canadian Auto Press) |
transportation, the classics we have grown to love are not only being revamped and reintroduced, but are doing it with more sass and flair than ever before. This statement holds true to Chevrolet's iconic muscle car. On hiatus since 2003, the 2010 Camaro SS is heating up the streets yet again.
With a colour like Rally Yellow gracing its exterior, it's no wonder that heads turn. Add that to some dynamic styling like a long hood and a short deck, an aggressively sculpted grille, defined wheel arches and that's a recipe for one hot, front engine, rear-wheel drive coupe. It's also hard to miss the red Brembo 4-piston brakes since the contrast with the front 245/45 and rear 275/40 summer performance tires with 20" aluminum rims is very becoming.
Needless to say, the <Read More> 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Heavy Duty Extended Cab Road Test Review
With the new Heavy Duty pickup trucks from Chevrolet, you cannot only "Drive your Chevy to the Levee," you can haul a good
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| The new 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Heavy Duty Extended Cab is one big, fully capable truck. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press) |
portion of the Levee along with you. The new Chevrolet Heavy Duty trucks are all new – only the stabilizer bar link is carried over, and there are a host of significant improvements.
The Chevy Silverado Heavy Duty lineup comes in a variety of configurations – virtually something to suit everyone's taste and requirements. In terms of cab offerings, there is a Regular Cab with two doors, an Extended Cab with two full front doors and two "suicide-style" doors for rear seat access, and the Crew Cab with four full-sized doors. Extended Cab versions feature new doors with fully retractable power windows that open 170-degrees for easier ingress and egress. There are also two bed lengths: a standard bed with a 2.0 m / 6.6-foot / 78.7" bed length or a long box with a 2.5 m / 8-foot / 97.6" bed length.
Two powertrains <Read More> 2010 Chevrolet Traverse AWD 2LT Road Test Review
Amidst all the sturm und drang of General Motors' recent history – the bankruptcy, changes at the top, repeated management
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| The Traverse is no small fry... it's almost full-size! (Photo: Canadian Auto Press) |
shuffles in the marketing and sales departments, etc. – the General continues to manufacture automobiles and trucks of increasing quality. Take, for example, the Chevrolet Traverse. Here is a crossover vehicle that was late arriving, joining scores of other crossovers from nearly every manufacturer in one of the most competitive segments in the industry. But late to the party or not, Traverse is carving out a nice piece of the action.
There are lots of reasons for its success. First, it's a big, good-looking vehicle. Second, it's well equipped with the kinds of features most people desire. It gets reasonably good gas mileage. It ranks high in the safety ratings. And it's priced competitively with its main challengers, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander and Ford Flex.
Chevrolet calls <Read More>
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