PALM BEACH, Fla. — All new for 2017, the Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback joins its sedan sibling in delivering a world-class cabin, tons of technical doodads and solid fuel economy for a competitive price. It may not send droves of owners scampering to trade in their Civics, but it can certainly go toe to toe with the Honda, or any of the other Asian compacts for that matter.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The key number for the new 2017 Chevrolet Volt is 53. Although the number 53 is only the beginning of the story for the second-generation plug-in hybrid, it is extremely important, especially if gas prices start heading north again. Fifty-three is the remarkable number of miles the new compact Volt can be driven in all-electric mode according to EPA measurements. That's an incredible number even in this age where 20-to-30-mile electric range on plug-in hybrids is the new norm.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The first Chevrolet Cruze — which reached market in 2011 — went a long way to erase the memories of the Cobalt and Cavalier, for decades Chevrolet's rather lack-luster entries into the competitive compact car segment. So when the second-generation Cruze was introduced last year as a 2016 model it wouldn't have been surprising to see Chevrolet rest on its laurels, playing it safe with an updated clone of the first generation.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Shortly after the Chevrolet Camaro hit the streets in September 1966 as a 1967 model it was transformed into a muscle car outfitted with Chevy's 4.9-liter V-8, designed to do battle with the spectacularly popular Ford Mustang — and so the aptly named pony car wars were born. Mustang and Camaro were soon joined by other sporty, performance-oriented entries such as the Pontiac Firebird, Plymouth Barracuda, and Dodge Challenger.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

We were impressed with the new-generation Chevrolet Corvette Stingray during our time behind the wheel last year. We simply couldn't remember a vehicle that delivered so many things so well. Our opinion didn't change after a fun-filled week in a 2016 Corvette convertible. The bottom line — you don't have to sacrifice one iota of performance and handling with the droptop.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The subcompact Chevrolet Trax was a bit late to the game of the exploding crossover segment, delayed over concerns regarding sales. It had been sold in other parts of the world for several years, and by not arriving here until the 2015 model year the Trax had the advantage of gaining some of the mid-cycle updates— including structural advancements — accorded its upscale platform mate, the Buick Encore.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The Chevrolet SS arrived for the 2014 model year the embodiment of a true modern-day muscle car sedan, oozing an in-your-face All-American attitude with its rumbling Corvette-derived V-8 engine, the antithesis of the polished BMW M5. But the big Chevy sedan is more than just old-school tire-burning muscle, displaying its own brand of sophistication that includes the precision dynamics of a European sports sedan.