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.

By David Finkelstein

Competing in the emerging sub-compact/specialty SUV segment for 2015 is the all new and versatile Chevrolet Trax. It's packed with welcomed technology making it a smart choice for first-time buyers seeking an entry level vehicle at an attractive price point. The base MSRP is $21,870 including destination charge for the LS trim configuration.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

It was a magnet. Our 2015 Chevrolet 1500 Z71 4WD LTZ crew cab was drawing onlookers like a carnival barker inciting a crowd to step inside and see the amazing Asbestos Man swallow great gobs of fire. Surprised? Yes. After all, this was not the newest Ferrari or a Corvette Z-06.

By David Finkelstein

Built exclusively at GM's Wentzville assembly facility, the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado is now being featured and showcased throughout the U.S. with the help of their 3,200 dealer network footprint. It's the ”sister product” of the GMC Canyon, which is built on the same manufacturing line.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Chevrolet's goal was to leapfrog the competition with its all-new 2015 Colorado mid-sized pickup. Actually that's not such a lofty goal. There are only two major players left in the shrinking segment — the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier — and neither have undergone any significant upgrades in nearly a decade.