By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Although we had not driven General Motors’ revolutionary extended range electric car in the first months of its new life, we had reached the conclusion that its cost far exceeds the benefits it provides in gas savings.

We reasoned that numerous vehicles from established hybrids to the new plug-in hybrids soon to hit the market to the new high-mileage compact vehicles now in showrooms provide considerably more bang for the buck than the Volt, which is also of compact size.

There is still much truth in that opinion, at least for time being.

 By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Like the 2008 Malibu that set new standards for Chevrolet in the mid-sized sedan segment, the 2011 Cruze easily reaches new heights for the brand in the compact sedan class.

Malibu was heaped with praise during its introduction in 2007 and it has for the most part lived up to its billing. The public has embraced the conservatively styled sedan with their pocketbooks and it has stood the short test of time against such vaunted competitors as the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Open-air driving has taken a great leap in popularity over the past couple of years.
 
Traditional convertibles with soft tops have proliferated. There are more models to pick from than in decades. New stuff includes such unusual yet appetizing entries as the Volkswagen Beetle convertible and the PT Cruiser convertible.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The heavy duty configuration behind a truck name connotes ruggedness, a truck designed for rough treatment, blueprinted for hauling big loads and configured for pulling big things.

And without exception this is true. A case in point is the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Heavy Duty 4-wheel drive.

This is a truck capable of prodigious feats; capable of going far off road. You might think of one of the many Chevy “Like a Rock” commercials to get the idea of what this big boy can do.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

For years the Monte Carlo has been the great poseur.

The Chevrolet coupe, the biggest winner in NASCAR history, has come decked out in Dale Earnhardt colors and has also been sold as a Jeff Gordon edition. Marketing muck and worse since the Monte Carlo that has been offered to the public is about as far removed from NASCAR as a go-cart.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, in addition to a handful of other imports including the Volkswagen Passat, have become the benchmarks for the mid-sized family sedan.

To successfully compete in this still-lucrative segment, a car needs to emulate the Japanese and German products in build quality, content, reliability, drivability and design.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Take heart, our newly minted high school graduate. If you want new, you can get new, and you can land a very serviceable car to carry you through four years of college for around 12 grand.

Of course, you can also purchase a good used car, probably with a few more amenities, for the same price. But new is new and you get that new car warranty as well.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Chevrolet has introduced some noteworthy new products over the past couple of years. 

One of its best efforts is the 2004 mid-sized Malibu sedan, a definite step up from the previous edition. The all-new Corvette, which will reach showrooms in September, promises to be a home run.

But the bowtie division’s crowning 21st Century achievement to this point is the just-arrived 2005 Equinox sport utility vehicle.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

A hardtop convertible pickup styled after a late-40s Chevy truck sounds intriguing.

It sounded intriguing to General Motors, too, when Wayne Cherry, now-retired vice president of GM design, offered the idea several years ago. And as a concept vehicle, it caught the imagination of the press and the car-buying public. It was really an exceptional design.