AUTO RED BOOK REVIEW: 2012 CHEVROLET EQUINOX

On The Cover Review: 2012 Chevrolet Equinox

The Automobile Red BookTM recently had the opportunity to spend an extended length of time with a fresh, new Chevrolet Equinox, and the experience explained why you see so many of these popular small crossovers on the road. The interior is particularly sumptuous, with optional leather seating surfaces that include two-tone accents and contrasting stitching. There are two engine choices with the 2012 Equinox, including a 2.4-liter EcoTech four-cylinder, and a 3.0-liter V6 like our test vehicle. The V6 is good for an estimated 17-mpg/city, 24-mpg/highway. Ours turned in 18-mpg during a week of mixed driving, according to the on-board computer. Competition in this segment is tough. The Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV-4 both have loyal followings, and Ford is in the process of introducing an all-new, European-based Escape to America. The Equinox is two years old now, and this segment really seems to demand state-of-the-art technology. Still, the Equinox exudes sufficient levels of quality and technology, even with a couple of years under its high beltline.

AUTO RED BOOK TEST DRIVE: 2012 CHEVROLET VOLT

In the past few months, staff members at The Automobile Red BookTM have had the opportunity to test drive a number of electric vehicles. From the Ford Focus Electric, to the Nissan Leaf, to the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, to the Smart Car Electric; we’ve tried them all. And the one thing they all have in common is limited range. Discharge the batteries, and you’re dead in the water unless you have a recharging station nearby.

But there is one electric car out there that all but eliminates that range anxiety. The Automobile Red BookTM recently spent a week with a 2012 Chevrolet Volt. And we can truly say that this car “generated” a lot of “buzz” around our Kansas City-based offices.

In a typical hybrid vehicle, an electric motor powers the car at lower speeds and keeps things like the air conditioning running at stoplights. The gasoline engine only kicks in at certain higher speeds, or when the driver blasts off the line. That’s why a normal hybrid generally shows better gas mileage numbers for the city than the highway—the opposite of a gasoline-powered vehicle.

In the Volt, the gasoline engine never actually runs the car at all. In fact, if you take short commutes (about 30-miles) and plug your Volt into the wall outlet every night to recharge it, you could conceivably never use a drop of gasoline again. The car itself runs completely, 100-percent on electricity.

Where the 1.4-liter, four-cylinder gas engine in the Volt comes into play is when the battery runs out. Then, the engine will kick-in to regenerate power in the battery. With all this going on, you may be able to travel more than 300 miles with the help of the gasoline engine.

By just using the gasoline-generated power, you can achieve as much as 37-MPG. Plug the Volt in, run off the electricity, and kick over to the gasoline for half your trip, and you’ll be looking at 60-MPG. Or, charge it up and take it on a short trip where you’ll just use electricity, and you’re looking at 94-MPGe.

The Volt proved to be a good car. It was roomy, powerful, and soothingly quiet in electric mode. For such a radical concept, it was very pleasant to live with.

All of this technology does come at a cost. Our test vehicle had an MSRP of $43,880. That does not include the government tax credit of $7,500, and there may be other discounts if you do your homework.

People really seemed to be interested in the Volt. Everywhere we went, people would want to stop and ask questions. For a car that has enjoyed as much press as the Volt has the last couple years, people don’t typically seem to understand how it works. If you dare to drive one, make sure you know what’s going on mechanically, and what all the in-dash displays mean, because you will be answering plenty of questions.

The Red Book enjoyed our time with the Chevrolet Volt. It really is a game-changer in the realm of electric vehicles. You can still do your part for the environment, and your good deeds won’t leave you stranded.

AUTO RED BOOK REVIEW: 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC

On The Cover Review: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic

Not to be confused with the drive-through burger & tots chain, the Sonic is Chevrolet’s newest compact. This car is similar in dimensions and profile to the Aveo it replaces, but it is better in nearly every possible way. What’s improved over the Aveo? Looks, handling, power, size, build quality, interior materials, etc. . Engines include a 1.8-liter, 138-hp four, or a turbocharged, DOHC 1.4-liter four that whirrs out 138-horses. Some of the technology, including the power plants, are already familiar to Chevrolet Cruze owners, and that car has been getting rave reviews for the better part of a year. The Sonic is available in either five-door hatchback or four-door sedan configurations. If it can get past the bottom-of-the-barrel stigma that the Aveo conveyed, the Sonic should compete admirably against cars like the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, or Nissan Versa. Plus, the Sonic is built in Lake Orion, Mich., U.S.A. A decent American compact built by an American company on American soil? Believe it.

AUTO RED BOOK REVIEW: 2012 CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1

On The Cover Review: 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Chevrolet brought back a relatively unknown, yet important model name from the past for their latest entry into the Ponycar wars. In 1969, only 69 of the legendary, 427-c.i. ZL1 Camaros were produced, and today they are among the most valuable and collectable Camaros of all time. And the 2012 Camaro ZL1 is the most powerful production Camaro of all time. With a whopping 550-hp and 550-lb/ft of torque churning from a supercharged 6.2-liter V8, the new ZL1 will give Mustang Cobra owners something to think about. This new king of the Camaros will be easily identifiable by a new front fascia and splitter, new body skirts, ground effects, and spoiler, and a louvered high-rise hood. It will also have adjustable Magnetic Ride Control, bigger brakes, and other appealing hardware. The Camaro ZL1 will likely be built in limited numbers, and it will no doubt be pricey, but for some people, it will all be worth it to have the fastest, most competent Camaro in history.