BIGGER AND BIGGER PICKUPS LIKE CHEVROLET SILVERADO ALL THE RAGE

Pickup trucks, especially full-size pickup trucks, have never been high on my list of favorites. In fact, if I had to list automotive vehicles by segment, the behemoths of today would rank at or very near the bottom among my desires, perhaps ahead of only all-electric vehicles with less than 100 miles of range.

It’s not that pickups aren’t great vehicles, because they are. The pickup truck of today is far ahead of the utilitarian haulers of the past when they drove slow, rode rough, and shook, rattled and rolled on their way around town.

But I don’t do a lot of hauling so I really can’t appreciate their capacity, and their overhaul size make them a pain to maneuver in narrow streets and tight parking lots of urban environs.

Nor am I called on to bring along a boat or trailer so towing capacity is a non-seller with me as well.

Plus they are just getting too darn big.

The hood expanse before me when I recently was behind the wheel of a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup merited its own zip code it was so high and wide, which is not unlike its main competitors and fellow top sellers, the Ford F-Series and Ram Pickup.

Depending on the cab (regular, double cab, or crew) the Silverado is either 229.5 or 231.8 inches long and 81.2 inches wide. Overall height varies from 75.5 to 78.5 inches tall depending on the trim, which makes for a pretty big step up or down, especially without a running board to ease the way.

As is common in the truck segment, it comes in a myriad of engine choices, trim, and box capacity and other features. My test Silverado was the RST trim equipped with a 3.0-liter Duramax in-line 6-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and Crew Cab configuration. It also was rear-wheel drive, which should come with a warning for those about to launch a boat: Beware of wet boat ramps.

The 3.0 Duramax is new on LT, RST, LTZ and High Country models for 2020 and is mated with a 10-speed automatic transmission. A new 2.7L diesel also is available on Work Truck and Custom models and is paired with an 8-speed automatic.

Diesel provides a couple of advantages over gas engines, most notably in power and fuel economy. With a modest 277 horsepower, the 3.0 Duramax is rated at 460 pound-feet of torque, which is a lot of pulling power, while producing class-leading fuel mileage figures of 23 miles-per-gallon city, 33 highway, and 27 combined with two-wheel drive, pretty impressive figures for a vehicle of this size.

It takes the 6.2L V8 version of the gas models to match the 3.0L diesel’s torque, and fuel economy for the 4WD 6.2L V8 is 16/20/17 mpg according to GMAuthority.com.

Starting MSRP for the RST trim is $41,200. The Duramax diesel engine adds $3,850 and other optional packages that add such features as bucket front seats separated by a huge storage console, dual-zone climate control, leather-wrapped and heated steering wheel, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, Bluetooth streaming audio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bose Premium Sound, and a leather package that included front leather appointed seats and and rear folding bench with under-seat storage ran the bottom line to $54,385, including $1,595 for destination and delivery.

What I liked about the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado RST Duramax: The diesel engine provides plenty of power and is a comparative fuel-sipper. No typical diesel engine noise either. The cabin is spacious and quiet, making highway cruising very comfortable. There is plenty of legroom in the back. The tailgate can be lowered via a button on the key fob, and it is light enough that raising it back in place is a snap.

What I didn’t like about the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado RST Duramax: It is difficult to maneuver through the tight squeezes of a mall parking lot. Getting into a tight parking spot is a tedious operation. While infotainment functions are easy to operate, the touchscreen is on the small side. A running board would be nice to ease getting in and out of the cabin.

Would I buy the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado RST Duramax? I have no need or desire for a full-size pickup truck, but there’s no doubt the Silverado would be a quality buy. With the diesel engine, it is a real workhorse, and the interior gives you the ambiance of a high-end SUV.

CHEVY EXTENDS DRIVING RANGE TO 259 MILES FOR 2020 ALL-ELECTRIC BOLT WAGONS

Chevrolet was an early player in the plug-in hybrid game of post-2000 with the 2011 Chevy Volt, which at the time was considered revolutionary with an extended range of driving on electric power only for everyday commutes paired with the convenience of a gas engine for longer treks.

Early reaction was mixed.

Environmental groups pretty much loved it for obvious reasons and the panel of judges for Detroit’s North American Auto Show awarded it North American Car of the Year honors for 2011.

But while most automotive reviewers seemed to get what the Volt was all-about, some others in the news media did not. Part of that was because they thought of the Volt as an “electric” vehicle when it really was more of an updated version of the gas-electric hybrid models that had been introduced about a decade before. They pooh-poohed its all-electric range of about 40 miles while ignoring the range anxiety relief the gas engine provided all together.

One cable show host laughed about how his Volt’s battery ran out of charge when he was halfway through the Lincoln Tunnel, giving his co-host the impression that he had been left stranded in a vehicle without power.

Of course, he hadn’t been. What occurred when he used up the battery was that the Volt had seamlessly shifted over to the 4-cylinder gas engine so he could complete his trip.

Frankly, I thought the system was a good way to ease the problem of range anxiety that comes with driving an all-electric car for an extended time. But apparently, I was in the minority.

Chevy ceased production of the Volt over a year ago and is now all-in on its all-electric Bolt EV, which it introduced as a 2017 model. There is no gas engine to extend a trip, but it does have an much-increased electric range of up 259 miles when fully charged, an increase of 21 miles over previous Bolts.

That’s almost five times the 53 miles that was promised for the 2019 Volt when it went out of production.

Classed as a “small wagon,” the Bolt still comes in only two trim levels for 2020. The base LT carries a base MSRP of $37,495 while the upgraded Premier that served as my test vehicle starts at $41,020.

That does not figure in any tax credits the Bolt may earn.

Both trims get the same powertrain with the electric motor putting out 200 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, which are darn good numbers of a car of this size (3,563 pounds, 69.5 wide, and 164 inches long with a wheelbase of 102.4 inches).

That power is delivered to the front wheels via what Chevy calls an electronic precision shift system that operates like a traditional continuously variable transmission and results in a zero-to-60 mph time of 6.5 seconds, according to company clockers.

The Bolt also offers one-pedal driving. When in Low mode, it lets you speed up or slow down using only the accelerator pedal. Press it and you go. Lift your foot and you slow down (and capture some of the power from the moving vehicle to store a bit of electrical energy in the lithium-ion battery pack).

Frankly, it takes a bit of getting used to, which I must confess I didn’t.

In addition to the extended range, two new colors (Oasis Blue and Cayenne Orange Metallic) are available for 2020, and the rear-vision camera and surrounded vision system has been upgrade with high-definition cameras.

Heated front and rear seats are available on the Premier with heated front seats available on the LT with the Comfort and Convenience Package. Leather seats also are standard on the Premier, which gets many of the features from optional packages offered on the LT.

My test 2020 Chevy Bolt Premier came with a $750 Fast-charging option that would seriously cut the charging time you have to contend with using a regular household outlet.

Also, an Infotainment Package includes a wireless charging device, Bose Premium Sound, rear USB charging ports, and a Driver Confidence II Package offers automatic high-beam headlights, following distance indicator, forward collision alert, lane-keeping assist with lane-departure warning, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian braking.

Those options and the $875 destination and delivery charge ran the final tab to $43,735.

What I liked about the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier: It’s kind of a fun car to drive. Throttle response is very quick, and unless you want to take a 260-mile trip, the range is good for everyday driving. The interior also very roomy, and the Premier gets a surround-view camera system included as standard.

What I didn’t like about the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier: While designers avoided giving the Bolt’s interior a dorky look in what could have been a vain attempt to make it look “futuristic,” it still has a cheap feel about it. Not expecting luxury here, but an upgrade in some materials would be nice.

Would I buy the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt Bolt EV Premier? Probably not at this time, mostly because I’m not a big fan of all-electric vehicles. I don’t have an advanced charger and have to rely on my household for charging, which can take forever. The Bolt is priced competitively in its segment but still strikes me as a $20,000-plus car that is double the price because of the electric powertrain.

C8 CORVETTE IS SOON TO ARRIVE, BUT DON’T OVERLOOK 2019 GRAND SPORT DROPTOP  

The next generation Chevy Corvette is on its way this summer with the reveal of C8 Corvette due for July 20, 2019. It will represent the company’s first take as a mid-engine roadster, though other details on the special website (https://www.chevrolet.com/upcoming-vehicles/next-generation-corvette) are somewhat on the skimpy side.

If you’re one who just has to have the latest thing — and if the lines that form outside of Apple stores when a new iPhone is introduced is evidence there must be many of you — then no doubt you will want to wait to see what all the fuss is about before rushing off to a Chevy showroom.

But there is much to be said for what the outgoing Corvette model has to offer in the way of performance and looks, and with the likely onrush for the newest, some bargains on 2019 Corvettes may be in the offing.

Can’t guarantee that because I don’t own a dealership, but it’s worth checking out.

The Corvette has been around since 1953, and the magazine U.S. News & World Report still rates it No. 1 in two classes in its analyses of reviews and data from various sources., ranking it ahead of a field of German and Japanese imports in both Sports Car and Luxury Convertible categories.

The high-performance ZR1 trim, which carries a six-figure price tag, was reintroduced for the 2019 lineup, but the Grand Sport convertible checks in with a base MSRP of $70,400. Well-equipped (more about that later) the tab goes up to the mid-$80,000 range for the Grand Sport. The Stingray droptop carries a base MSRP in the mid-$50,000 neighborhood.

Being a sports car, the Corvette is all about power, and the Grand Sport gets 460 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque from its 6.2-liter V8 engine. Zero-to-60 times have been recorded at well under 5 seconds for that power plant, which may not matched the 2.7 seconds for the ZR1 and its supercharged V8, but consider time for the first Corvette in 1953 was 11 seconds (according to the website zeroto60times.com)!

We must be in a bigger hurry than than the Greatest Generation.

A 7-speed manual transmission is standard, and an optional 8-speed automatic with five different modes — eco, tour, sport, track, and weather and paddle shifters — is a $1,195 option. In sport mode, it sings a throaty tune through the quad exhaust tips

With the manual, the Grand Sport drinks premium fuel at the rate of 16 miles-per-gallon city, 25 highway. With the automatic, it’s 15/25. You can get by on lower octane, but you bought a premium car, so why skimp on its diet? (Z06 and ZR1 models definitely need the higher octane.

Handling is excellent, as might be expected. The 2019 Corvette Grand Sport seems smaller than its predecessor, which adds to the feeling of agility, but actually it’s about the same size of the previous generation with only small differences in length and width and identical numbers for the wheelbases.

Inside, Chevy has done an excellent job in improving the quality of materials to make the cabin worthy of “luxury” status. As a two-seater, it can be tricky to get into, but once you get the knack (bend low, sweet chariot) it’s not a serious issue. Of course, it’s very easy to get in and out with the top lowered, and you can do that with by pressing the appropriate button on the key fob before you get in.

The optional 3LT package ($9,745) adds such niceties such as Napa leather inserts, custom leather-wrapped panel, doors and console, heated and ventilated seats with power lumbar support, premium audio, head-up display and performance data and video recorder with navigation to an already lengthy list of standard features that include leather bucket seats.

Even with the cloth top in place, the cabin is big enough so as not to induce a feeling of claustrophobia. There is 43 inches of legroom and 37.9 of headroom, and the wealth of techno features like a 4G-LET wife hotspot, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the premium Bose sound system.

About the only issue is the surrounding view. It is very restricted with the top up.

Chevy took a big step up with the C7 Corvette. It’s certainly a more civilized vehicle than the earlier Corvette models I was privileged to drive. It’s hard to imagine that the soon-to-arrive next generation will take that big a step forward

What I liked about the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible: The interior has been upgraded over the years, and it’s a very comfortable vehicle to drive. Unquestionable power, superior handling, and an agility that makes for a fun driving experience. Seats are comfortable and supportive.

What I didn’t like about the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible: The trunk is awfully small, especially when the top is lowered. But with it up, I was able to fit in a beach umbrella and 2 beach chairs without an issue. With the top up, the surrounding view is somewhat restricted, and it helps to have a riding partner if you are making a left turn and at an angle to crossing traffic.

Would I buy the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible? Of course. When you’re buying a Corvette, you are getting not just a car but a piece of history.

CHEVY GIVES 6TH GENERATION CAMARO CONVERTIBLE A REFRESHING FOR 2019

With the demise of brands like Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Plymouth, and, earlier, Hudson and AMC, the number of Muscle Car makes on the market today falls considerably short from their hey day of the 1960s and early 1970s.

Fortunately, Chevrolet resurrected a charter member of the genre when it brought back its Camaro for 2010 after ending production following the 2002 model year.

The present Camaro represents the sixth generation of the renown coupe/convertible with the 2019 model getting a mid-cycle refreshing that includes new front-end styling, new rear fascia that features LED taillamps, a new 20-inch wheel design, a 10-speed automatic transmission in place of the previous 8-speed, an updated infotainment system with an 8-inch screen, and revised ambient lighting.

Chevy offers it in several trims and either a turbo 4-cylinder, V6 or V8 power starting at just under $26,000 and running into the $60,000 bracket for the top ZL1 performance model.

This review is limited to the 2019 Chevy Camaro 2SS Convertible that carries a base price of $48,995 (including destination and delivery) plus another $1,595 for the automatic transmission for a bottom line of $50, 590.

That puts the 2SS version at the high end of the portfolio, but it carries a lot of nice features that come as standard. About the only thing missing was a navigation system, but with Waze and other apps available on Smart phones, factory-installed navigation is becoming less and less worth the extra cost.

Powering the Camaro 2SS Convertible is a 6.2-liter, V8 engine rated at 455 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 455 pound-feet of torque at 4400. The automatic transmission drinks recommended premium fuel at the rate of 16 miles-per-gallon city, 27 highway which is very close to the manual numbers of 16/25.

An official zero-to-60 time from Chevy isn’t available, but Motor Trend reported a clocking of 4.1 seconds, or about a half-second or so slower than the top ZL1 model.

Standard features for the 2SS  include the 20-inch, bright silver painted aluminum wheels, performance suspension, drive mode selection (tour, sport, track, snow/ice), Brembo performance brakes, HID headlights with LED signature lighting, keyless open and start, dual zone climate control, premium Bose sound system, memory seating, illuminated sill plates, and safety equipment that includes rear park assist and rear cross-traffic alert, HD rear vision camera, and lane change and blind spot warning.

Lowering and raising the top is basically a one-finger operation. You do have to have the trunk divider in place before lowering, but it automatically latches in place when closing.

Connectivity systems on the 2SS model include Chevy’s 3-Plus infotainment system with 8-inch diagonal screen, 4G LTE hotspot, Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio streaming, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and, as is customary on GM products, OnStar services.

SiriusXM Satellite radio capability also is included with a subscription fee after 12 months.

Driving the Camaro 2SS Convertible with that V8 power under the hood is a kick, and the ride is unusually civilized for its segment. Even when in Sport mode, it is comfortable and not unbearingly stiff, even for picky riders.


What I liked about the 2019 Chevy Camaro 2SS Convertible: Being able to lower the top by pressing a button on the key fob is a nice feature. It allows you to air out the interior on a hot day. I like it much better than being able to start the engine by pushing another button. Also, this is the first vehicle that I have been able to see the “head-up” display while wearing polarized sunglasses. Infotainment features are plentiful and intuitive to operate.

What I didn’t like about the 2019 Chevy Camaro 2SS Convertible: The backseat is pretty much useless, and the trunk is small even by convertible standards. When the top is down, the available storage is more like a glove box than a trunk. The interior has a lot of hard surfaces and could use some upgrading. Visibility with the top up is restricted.

Would I buy the 2019 Chevy Camaro 2SS Convertible? Yes! And I would stick for the V8 version. If you are going to get a Muscle Car, you need to get a vehicle that matches the description.

CHEVROLET BRINGS BACK BLAZER AS A MIDSIZE CROSSOVER SUV FOR 2019

The name “Blazer” has long been part of the Chevrolet family, but the resurrected Blazer SUV for 2019 bears little resemblance to its forebears, which have a history that goes back to 1969 when Chevy launched the K5 Blazer to compete with Ford’s Bronco, among others.

The latest edition is no longer a two-door truck with body-on-frame construction but a mid-size crossover SUV, refined and more suited to what consumers are looking for today. Seating five, it slots in between the compact Equinox crossover and the full-size Traverse in Chevy’s stable of SUVs.

The new Blazer is offered in four trims with a starting MSRP of just over $30,000 for the base L (including the destination and delivery charges). Blazer (or LT) trim adds more features, and a sporty RS model and Premier trim top are at the top of the line.

This review is based on the RS that carries a base MSRP of $44,695 (including the hefty $1,195 destination charge) with options running the total to $50,765.

The base engine in the Blazer RS is a 3.6-liter V6 featuring stop/start technology and mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission. It is rated at 308 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque at a negligible cost in fuel mileage over the 4-cylinder that is standard in lower trims.

V6 fuel consumption figures are 20 miles-per-gallon city, 26 highway in V6s with front-wheel drive and 18/25 for those with the available all-wheel drive. The 2.5-liter 4-cylinder is rated at 22/27 but delivers only 193 horsepower and 188 pound-feet of torque.

I’d sacrifice the mpg figures for the extra power that the V6 delivers. No, the Blazer RS doesn’t reach Camaro-like performance but it’s not bad for a vehicle that is 191.4 inches long and carries a curb weight of 4,246 pounds (with AWD).

The Blazer’s interior is nice enough for its class, not luxurious but not bare bones either. RS models get heated front seats with perforated leather trim as standard, and the red-trimmed adjustable rings on the adjustable front air vents give the RS a sporty feel.

Designers have done an excellent job incorporating the 8-inch touchscreen into the flow of the dash, and the various functions are all user-friendly. Well, at least on the screen they are. There is a row of black buttons between the touchscreen and the round vents to operate the A/C manually that are on the small side, and finding the even smaller buttons between the two vents on the center stack to adjust the blower can be distracting for the driver.

Rarely in South Florida does one have to wear gloves inside a vehicle, but heavy winter gloves I would think would make adjusting the climate control fans somewhat difficult.

Standard equipment on the Blazer RS includes navigation, keyless open and start, rear park assist and cross-traffic alert, lane-change alert with blind spot warning, HID headlamps, LED daytime running lights, heated outside mirrors with turn-signal indicators, 20-inch wheels (with 21-inchers available), leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, Bluetooth streaming audio and connectivity, dual-zone climate control, 4G LTE wi-fi hotspot, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Not overlooking one of the reasons people go for an SUV, the Blazer offers 30.5 cubic feet of storage behind the second row with a maximum of 64.2 feet with those seats folded flat.

Wireless charging, heated outboard second-row seats, ventilated driver and front-seat passenger seats, power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel column, adaptive cruise control, forward collision alert and forward pedestrian braking, and a power sunroof are available in packages.

All in all, this Blazer certainly is a much-more civilized version of its predecessors with attractive exterior styling, a comfortable interior, and a quiet, confident ride.

What I liked about the 2019 Chevy Blazer RS: The infotainment functions are very forthright and user-friendly. The adjustable divider in the cargo area is a nice touch. It helps keep a full load of items from shifting around. Performance is good for its genre, at least with the V6 engine.

What I didn’t like about the 2019 Chevy Blazer RS: I would like a handy button to turn off the stop/start function. You can defeat it by lightening your touch on the brake pedal, but a switch would simplify things.

Would I buy the 2019 Chevy Blazer RS? I’d give it consideration. But it faces some very stiff competition in its class, and it likely would come down to whatever kind of deal I could make. Unfortunately, I am not a very sharp negotiator.