2007 Chevrolet Colorado on 2040-cars

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Both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay slated for Chevrolet lineup

Long awaited, the race among automakers to keep drivers connected to their smartphones has officially entered a new era. Hyundai said Tuesday it would be the first manufacturer to put Google's Android Auto into a production car, the 2015 Hyundai Sonata sedan. Not to be outdone, General Motors said today it'd offer both Android Auto and Apple's CarPlay on several Chevrolet models set to hit dealerships this summer. By giving car buyers the choice between these rival phone-projection systems, Chevrolet hopes to quell concerns from prospective customers worried about the compatibility of their smartphones and vehicles. "It's about providing choice," said Alicia Boler-Davis, GM's senior vice president for global connected car consumer experience. "No two customers are alike, and we cannot expect a single solution that works for every driver in every situation." Across the industry, automakers are rushing to add both to their cars as a growing base of customers seek an array of connected features. Estimates from automotive technology research firm SBD indicate smartphone-integrated content is available in 36 percent of current vehicles, and the company expects that penetration rate will grow to 84 percent by 2025. For Chevrolet, the systems will be available on select 2016 iterations of the Cruze, Camaro, Volt, Spark and Malibu as early as next month, and appear on 14 Chevy models overall for the 2016 model year. They're available on all trim levels, but they only work with the company's MyLink infotainment package installed in the cars, and the first to hit showrooms will only work on the seven-inch touchscreen models. "CarPlay and Android Auto, these are things that are addressable to the broad market, and I think it makes a lot of sense for GM to put it into Chevys first," IHS Automotive senior analyst Mark Boyadjis said. Via physical connections, both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto allow users access to smartphone features like turn-by-turn directions, phone calls, voice-to-text messages and music streaming. Interfaces are similar to the ones found on the respective smartphones, but on the dashboard, they're redesigned for a simpler, in-car experience. Fonts are larger, for example, and easier to press on a touchscreen. CarPlay relies heavily on Siri so that drivers spend more time staring at the road instead of their touchscreen. That sounds good, at least in theory.

2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

"Corvette" has stood for American muscle, American sports car, and American supercar. In many cases, it still stands for America: liberty on the go, LS-powered freedom. There was also a time when it meant really impressive numbers that didn't equate to really impressive handling, and a not-so-nice cabin. The handling issue really turned the road-legal corner when the C5 Z06 was introduced in 2001, and by the time the super-duper ZR1 ended its run in 2010, Corvette had exorcised practically all of its dynamic demons. But when I took a seat in the 2015 Corvette Z06 on the first day of my week-long loan, I espied a few demons still squatting in the interior. When colleague Seyth Miersma drove the Z06, he wrote, "Listen, I'm not going to be the guy that dogs the Corvette for having a cheap-feeling interior, this generation has put those once-legitimate claims to rest." Well, I am going to be that guy, because I don't think those claims have been put to rest. One day Chevy will give us leather that looks and feels like leather, instead of the astonishingly thin hide that is laid directly on top of the instrument panel structure. This material was set off by white stitching, but there were no seams, just a trail of white stitches. In some places it was hard to tell where the leather ended and the plastic began; or it might all have been the same upholstery, I don't know. Five dollars of foam padding would add five thousand dollars of luxury to the cockpit. One day Corvette will have plastics that don't look so plasticky. I know General Motors can do it. And after years of thinking Corvette seats were too wide and flat, this latest Z06 is almost there. The seatbacks were nice, but the exaggerated side bolstering on the seat bottoms was too narrow and sharp. That's a personal preference, though; other drivers with thinner thighs will think differently. My complaint isn't that the interior isn't luxurious, it's that it's not luxurious enough. If Chevrolet was worried about pricing, it could add some kind of profligate package to the options list. Have some ex-Porsche people design it, call it the Teutonic Splendor Package, slap a massive price on it, and count the money. People will buy it, and no one will ever have to say again, "But the interior..." That said, this test car's cabin had every feature I wanted. The gauge cluster was bright, crisp, and readable in every shade of daylight.

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L vs Big Three-Row Crossovers | Spec comparison

The three-row 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L is here, entering an ever-growing segment of big crossovers that Jeep has ignored since the Commander of the late 2000s. Of course, the Dodge Durango has basically been a three-row version of the current Grand Cherokee with Dodge styling and a different interior, so it's not like The Corporate Entity Formerly Known as Chrysler has been without a contender in the segment. Jeep is a stronger brand than Dodge, however, and the three-row midsize segment is stronger than those with two rows (there's a vast sales difference between the Chevrolet Traverse and Blazer, as well as the Honda Pilot and Passport). In other words, the Grand Cherokee L could be a very big deal. It is also, quite literally, a very big deal. As you're about to see, it is now the largest three-row crossover, besting the length, wheelbase and height of even the gargantuan Traverse. There's more to the story than that, however, so we put together the below comparison chart to show you how the new Grand Cherokee L lines up on paper versus the biggest three-row crossovers. That includes the 2021 Ford Explorer, 2021 Kia Telluride, 2021 Hyundai Palisade and 2022 Chevrolet Traverse. This group also represents some of the strongest entries in the segment as well as those we feel are most likely to be considered alongside the big Jeep. To that end, we also included the 2021 Lincoln Aviator in the chart since its base price is actually less than what we anticipate the luxurious, range-topping Grand Cherokee L Overland and Summit trim levels to start.  Engines and drivetrains Note the differences in curb weight here. The Grand Cherokee L has the highest base curb weight of the group apart from the high-lux Aviator, yet its 3.6-liter V6 has the least amount of power and torque. Therefore, it'll be surprising if it's not the slowest in the group. There's of course the Hemi V8 available on the top Overland and Summit trim levels, but again, a hefty curb weight works against it. At 5,330 pounds, the lightest V8-powered JGCL weighs 600 pounds more than V6-power Explorer Platinum and ST models. On the other hand, nothing can touch the Hemi Jeep's towing capacity, and only the 400-hp Aviator betters the Jeep's base V6. Its 6,200-pound towing capacity greatly outdoes the 5,000-pound limits of not only the Telluride, Palisade and Traverse, but most others in the segment as well.