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2016 Technology of the Year Finalist: 2016 Chevy Volt

The 2016 Chevy Volt is in all ways an improvement over the Volts that came before. It's got a new powertrain, a new look, and new (and better) fuel economy figures. What's not to like? For the second generation, GM used the last few years of automotive battery improvements and customer data to deliver a car that took what people liked about the first Volt and offered up more of that. This means a longer all-electric range (from 38 miles to 53) and better gas-burning fuel economy (37 miles per gallon up to 42 mpg – oh, and you're not required to use premium any more, either). All of this for less money than the outgoing 2015 Volts. Chevy's new plug-in hybrid will start at $33,995, which is not only lower than the 2015's MSRP of $34,170 but it's also just a few hundred dollars higher than the average new car price in the US. In other words, the new Volt (and many other plug-in vehicles) is not out of the price range for most car shoppers. The interior has been updated as well, losing some of the oh-so-futuristic touch-sensitive center stack in favor of more realistic tactile buttons. This along makes the new Volt better than the first generation, but when it's wrapped up in the new exterior design, it just feels more appropriate for a car that's not trying to be from the future. Instead, the new 2016 Chevy Volt wants to be the best plug-in car for right now.

GM won't sell 2014 Chevrolet SS in Canada

Allow us to be the first to extend our condolences to our friends to the north. General Motors has announced the 2014 Chevrolet SS will not be available in Canada. The Globe and Mail reports the automaker has confirmed the high-performance sedan won't hit Canadian dealers, though GM hasn't offered up any reasoning as to why that is.
Buyers here in the US of A, meanwhile, can look forward to getting their hands on the 415-horspower, rear-wheel drive SS by late summer. Something tells us it won't be long after that before Canadian officials start seeing individually imported 6.2-liter V8 four-doors in their neighborhoods. Fortunately, Canadian buyers will still be able to take home the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette. The C7 bowed at the Canadian International Auto Show last week, reportedly drawing sizable crowds and interest.

2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Custom Sport Quick Spin

Coincidentally, the week we had the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Custom Sport a friend asked, "What would you buy if you could only have one vehicle for everything?" After a week's driving and trailer hauling, very close to first choice would be an American pickup. They're all so good now, you can't lose. And as we found in the Chevy you can go anywhere and haul anything, and you pay no penalty for capability until you try to find an open space on the street to park. Nicely equipped versions like the Custom Sport aren't cheap, but if you need a truck and you like the look of this one, it is really good. Driving Notes The cabin is big and inviting, and everything in it is big and inviting. The materials are nice enough to look and feel swanky but not so lavish that you're afraid to get them dirty. The seats are sized for adult male bears but they don't swallow you up. The sunroof is big enough to be an observatory. It's also quiet. The only time it gets mildly unruly is when you call for power and the engine has to downshift a few gears, otherwise you don't hear the exhaust unless you roll down the window. It looks like it was designed with a T-square. I quite like it, the body-colored bumpers toning things down, the 20-inch wheels doing a much better job of filling those ample arches than the standard 17-inchers. The truck is built for people who take their work and all their gadgets with them. The front console has three USB ports, two 12-volt cigarette lighter ports, and a three-prong 110-volt outlet. The giant cubby at the base of the console has an insert to hold a clipboard or a small tablet. The abyss under the center armrest has one more 12V cigarette lighter, two more USB ports, an SD card reader, and another specialized holder for something the size of a small tablet. There's a WiFi hotspot so the streaming never has to stop. The Chevrolet navigation was trouble-free as usual, and you can input destinations on a QWERTY touchscreen keyboard. Every nav system should be so solid. The Silverado has some of the best feature implementations we've encountered in any vehicle. The lane departure warning and park assist systems don't vibrate the steering wheel, they vibrate the seat. The left, right, and middle of the seat bottom will pulse as necessary, an intuitive, peripheral way to deliver a message that doesn't interrupt your primary focus. The rear-view camera is no longer offset, it's centered.