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First 2016 Chevy Volt commercial rocks us to sleep

The 2016 Chevrolet Volt, with its thorough restyling and increased all-electric range, is an exciting evolution of Chevy's groundbreaking plug-in hybrid, so it's only fitting that the commercial campaign to sell it to the masses also be engaging and vibrant. Well, the first ad has just been officially released and it rocks... us to sleep. Now, we get that General Motors didn't want to repeat past Volt-commercial mistakes. No one wants to see dogs licking feet or dumb (and weirdly horny) aliens again. Nor would it be smart to slam all-electric vehicles, since it now sells the Spark EV and has just revealed its 200-mile Bolt concept. So, what does that leave? How about a mostly computer-generated spot that relies on cliche images and an upbeat synthetic soundtrack to communicate that the Volt is now as boring as other four-door appliances? An intro, featuring a lightly-bearded gentleman peering at his tablet through designer glasses launches us into the action as the Volt makes its way across a city bridge, then a curvaceous country road. Chevrolet doesn't include voiceover to inform you that the new Volt has a 50-mile battery-only range. There's no mention of its gas mileage once its electric charge is depleted – items that just might be of importance to hybrid buyers. The ad also makes no attempt at establishing an emotional connection, either through drama or comedy. There are, however, lots of fast cuts of the new, normalized interior, including a two-second detail shot featuring the windshield wiper switch. We imagine that this is only the first in a series of spots that will tell the Volt story and motivate potential buyers to run down to their local dealer, hopefully the next spots will be more interesting and informative. View 16 Photos

GM recalling 118K Colorado, Canyon pickups over missing hood latches

General Motors has announced a recall of 118,800 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickup trucks due to the possibility of secondary hood latches not being installed at the time of manufacture. The affected vehicles are from the 2010, 2011 and 2012 model years, all of which were built between November 9, 2009 and August 28, 2012.
According to the official National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report, these trucks fail to "comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 113, 'Hood Latch System.' The hood may be missing the secondary hood latch." In other words, owners of these trucks could find their vehicles' hoods opening unexpectedly while driving.
The official recall campaign is expected to begin on January 17, 2013. Dealers will inspect the affected pickups and if a secondary hood latch is not present, one will be installed free of charge. Scroll down to read the official NHTSA report.

2021 GMC Canyon trims overhauled, SL and SLT disappear

Until this year, the GMC Canyon has offered six trims in two drivetrains: SL, a base model simply called Canyon, SLE, All Terrain, SLT, and Denali, with all but the SL available in either 2WD or 4WD. GM Authority credits "dealer sources" for news that the 2021 Canyon has had its trim steps overhauled. According to the chart in the report, the SL and SLT are no more, the base Canyon gets replaced by a trim called Elevation Standard, and SLE turns into Elevation. We already know that All Terrain has given way to AT4, while Denali remains in the top spot. Trim content doesn't change with the names, but there's no equivalent for the SLT trim in terms of spec. The GMC site lists the 2020 SLE and SLT on the same page, and a shopper must burrow into the spec comparison page to figure out the differences. The SLT only comes with the 3.6-liter V6 and eight-speed transmission, and makes features like remote start, climate control, heated mirrors, heated seats, hitch guidance, and a spare tire standard equipment. It also chromes the exterior door handles, and offers a Cocoa/Dune leather interior that can't be had on the SLE. It's possible the SLT's $4,700 premium over the SLE led more buyers to start with the SLE and add the engine and options they wanted.   We have a number of questions that we'll need to wait for GMC's official announcement to answer. The 2020 Canyon offers an Elevation Edition package for $650 that adds a black grille with body-colored surround, and 18-inch Satin Graphite wheels in all-terrain rubber. There's also a California Elevation Special Edition for $1,195 with all-weather floor liners, assist steps, and mud flaps. They could be optioned on the SLE but not the SLT. With the addition of two Elevation trims, we'll find out if the packages get renamed or go away. Separately, CarBuzz spotted a 2021 GM Fleet Order Guide that mentions a leveling kit option, LPO Code SQS, for the Canyon and the Chevrolet Colorado. We noted the inclusion of a leveling kit in the coming Canyon AT4 Off-Road Performance Package. According to the order guide, the option can be ordered only for the Canyon AT4 trim, but it's not clear if that's an a la carte choice or if buyers must order the Off-Road Performance Package. On the Chevy, the rake-removal equipment can be had with the Colorado 4x2 Z71 or the 4x4 Work Truck, LT, and Z71. Related Video: