For 2011 the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is now available with a new Ultimate Performance option package ("Z07"), which incorporates the Corvette ZR1's adaptive suspension and wheel-and-tire fitment. Other notable changes this year include upgraded tires for the Z06; option package for the Corvette Grand Sport that combines Z06 tires with ZR1's Magnetic Ride Control suspension; and the addition of a USB port and auxiliary audio jack for the navigation system. Finally, the Corvette Engine Build Experience option allows a Z06 or ZR1 buyer to help assemble the car's engine at the GM facility in Wixom, Michigan.
The 2011 Chevrolet Corvette is pretty much the automotive equivalent of a summer action movie. On the cheaper end, Ford's 2011 Shelby GT500 is a very worthy competitor to a base Corvette. The 2011 Chevrolet Corvette is available as a coupe with a removable roof panel, a fixed-roof coupe or a convertible.
Trim levels include the base Corvette, Grand Sport (GS), Z06 and ZR1. Standard on the base (1LT) coupe and convertible are 18-inch front cast-aluminum wheels and 19-inch rears, xenon headlamps, cruise control, keyless ignition/entry, full power accessories, OnStar, leather seating, a six-way power driver seat, a manual tilt steering wheel and dual-zone automatic climate control.
The top-of-the line ZR1 boasts a supercharged V8, even larger wheels (19-inch front, 20-inch rear), special tires, carbon-ceramic brakes, adaptive dampers and additional lightweight body panels that include a carbon-fiber roof panel and a carbon-fiber hood with a clear polycarbonate window that reveals the engine's intercooler.
New this year is the Ultimate Performance package for the Z06 that adds the ZR1's adaptive dampers, carbon-ceramic brakes, wheels and tires. Further ZR1 imitation comes from the Z06's Carbon Fiber package, which adds most of the ZR1's lightweight panels.
All 2011 Chevrolet Corvettes have a six-speed manual gearbox with launch control as standard, while a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters is a no-cost option for the base and GS models. Regardless of which Corvette you choose, you'll get stunning performance. EPA fuel economy estimates stand at a laudable 16 mpg city/26 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined for a manual-transmission Corvette. The ZR1 gets the even more sophisticated Performance Traction Management system.
Driving Impressions No question here: The 2011 Chevrolet Corvette can bring the heat.
For 2012, the Chevrolet Volt gets a slightly lower price tag, but its formerly standard navigation system and Bose audio system are now on the options list. The Volt is essentially a plug-in hybrid, meaning it has the ability to run much faster and farther under just electric power than a normal hybrid.
Once you run out of battery juice, the gasoline-powered inline-4 engine kicks in, producing electricity for the motor and actually powering the wheels in some circumstances, stretching the Volt's range as much as an additional 300 miles. In an Edmunds test of a Volt with the battery pack depleted, the car averaged 31.4 mpg in mixed driving. Even with a $7,500 federal tax credit, a base Volt will still cost about $32,500 -- and that's without the home charging station, which is essentially mandatory for a plug-in hybrid like the Volt.
Overall, we think the 2012 Chevrolet Volt represents an agreeable middle ground between a pure electric vehicle (which is usually limited to about 75 miles before needing a time-consuming recharge) and a standard hybrid (which doesn't offer the all-electric range and speed of the Volt).
The 2012 Chevrolet Volt is a midsize four-door hatchback sedan with seating for four.
The front-wheel-drive 2012 Chevrolet Volt is primarily powered by an electric motor rated at 149 horsepower (111 kilowatts) and 273 pound-feet of torque. This motor draws power from a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack until the battery charge is 70 percent depleted. At that point, the Volt's 1.4-liter four-cylinder internal combustion engine, which requires premium fuel, comes to life as a replacement power source for the electric motor. In Edmunds testing, we found the Volt had an electricity range of about 25-50 miles. When the battery is depleted, our testing showed the Volt gets an average of about 33 mpg. In Edmunds performance testing, the Volt went from zero to 60 mph in 9.2 seconds in electric mode and 9 seconds flat with the engine generator.
Safety
Safety features on the 2012 Chevrolet Volt include antilock brakes, stability control, front side airbags, front knee airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. In Edmunds brake testing, the Volt came to a stop in a respectable 124 feet.
The 2010 Cadillac SRX is an all-new luxury crossover SUV. For the relatively compact 2010 Cadillac SRX, model, all of that's been brushed away in favor of a new five-passenger platform that utilizes front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. For more power, Cadillac is also offering a turbocharged 2.8-liter V6 on the higher trim levels. The available Saab-sourced turbo V6 makes the SRX more competitive, but opting for it sends the SRX's price skyrocketing.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options The 2010 Cadillac SRX is a luxury crossover SUV available in four trim levels: base, Luxury Collection, Performance Collection and Premium Collection.
The top-of-the-line Premium Collection tacks on keyless ignition/entry, tri-zone automatic climate control, rear-seat audio controls, ventilated front seats and heated rear outboard seats. All-wheel-drive Performance and Premium Collection models also receive a sport-tuned suspension with continuously variable damping.
The base 2010 Cadillac SRX has no available options. The surround-sound stereo and the navigation system are optional on the Luxury Collection, and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system can be specified on any SRX equipped with the navigation system.
The Cadillac 2010 Cadillac SRX comes standard with a 3.0-liter V6 rated at 265 horsepower and 223 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard with this engine, with all-wheel drive optional on all but the base model. All-wheel-drive models also have a specialized rear differential that applies power to the outside wheels for improved cornering traction.
EPA fuel economy estimates for the base V6 are 18 mpg city/25 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined for front-drive models. GM says the turbocharged SRX will achieve 15 mpg city/21 mpg highway.
The 2010 Cadillac SRX comes standard with antilock disc brakes, stability control, front seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and OnStar.
Interior Design and Special Features The SRX's interior is probably its single most appealing aspect.
Driving Impressions In other road-going respects, the 2010 Cadillac SRX is a solid but unremarkable luxury crossover.
The Cadillac CTS-V returns largely unchanged for 2010. While the 2010 Cadillac CTS-V bears little physical resemblance to Detroit's original muscle cars, the parallels are hard to ignore. It also helps the CTS-V top every other high-performance production sedan we've ever tested through the quarter-mile. The 2010 Cadillac CTS-V does have a few faults, albeit minor ones.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and OptionsThe 2010 Cadillac CTS-V high-performance sport sedan returns in a single well-equipped trim level. Inside, the standard features list continues with leather upholstery, power-adjustable heated front seats with driver-seat memory, a suede-trimmed power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and dual-zone automatic climate control.
Powertrains and PerformanceThe EPA puts the CTS-V's estimated fuel economy at 14 mpg city/19 mpg highway and 16 mpg combined with the manual transmission, and 12/18/14 mpg with the automatic.SafetyThe 2010 Cadillac CTS-V comes standard with antilock disc brakes, stability control and traction control, front-seat side airbags and side curtain airbags.
GM's OnStar emergency communications system is also standard.The CTS also received a five-star government rating for both front- and rear-seat passenger protection in side-impact crashes.First, the bad news: The 2010 CTS-V's interior isn't much different from that of the regular CTS model. The synthetic suede seat inserts and steering wheel and shift knob trim are an especially nice touch.As noted earlier, the CTS-V's interior also sports as much head- and legroom as some midsize super-sedan competitors.
The split-folding rear seat found on other CTS models isn't available here, but a trunk pass-through opening is standard.Driving ImpressionsThe 2010 Cadillac CTS-V standard Magnetic Ride Control suspension offers a good balance between ride quality and handling via driver-selectable Tour or Sport modes.
The 2010 Cadillac DTS returns largely unchanged, except for the loss of last year's Performance model. Well, that old clich� actually turns out to be a pretty succinct summation of the 2010 Cadillac DTS sedan.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options The 2010 Cadillac DTS full-size sedan is available in one well-equipped base model and three increasingly upscale trim levels dubbed Luxury, Premium and Platinum. The standard equipment list for the entry-level DTS includes 17-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights, front foglights, remote engine start, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, power front seats, Bluetooth, OnStar and an eight-speaker CD stereo.
Interior upgrades include a three-zone climate control system, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, driver seat memory settings and an eight-speaker Bose audio system with a six-disc CD changer. Top-of-the-line Platinum models add several of the best mechanical bits from last year's Performance trim level, including a more powerful version of the base 4.6-liter V8 engine, electronic Magnetic Ride Control suspension and 18-inch wheels. Other notable options include adaptive cruise control and a 40/20/40-split front bench that gives the 2010 Cadillac DTS seating for six. Front-wheel drive is standard. The DTS Platinum differs with 22 mpg on the highway.
Safety Standard safety features include electronic stability control, antilock disc brakes, side-impact airbags for front seat passengers and side curtain airbags that cover both rows. In government crash tests, the 2010 Cadillac DTS scored five stars (out of five) for the driver and four stars for the front seat passenger in frontal impacts. Side-impact tests resulted in four stars front and rear.
Interior Design and Special Features While front bucket seats are standard, the available 40/20/40-split front bench makes this one of the few modern sedans that offers seating for six.
Other than receiving some minor feature changes, the 2012 Buick Enclave carries over unchanged for 2012.
Overall, though, the Buick Enclave stands out as a solid pick for an upscale family hauler.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options The 2012 Buick Enclave is a large crossover SUV that's offered in four different trim levels. All have a standard seven-passenger seating configuration via second-row captain's chairs and a third-row bench seat. The Leather Group tacks on leather upholstery, heated power front seats (eight-way driver, four-way passenger) and driver memory settings.
The top-of-the-line Premium Group has the above equipment plus 19-inch chrome wheels, adaptive xenon headlights, heated power-folding outside mirrors with built-in turn signal repeaters, heated and ventilated front seats, a power-adjustable steering column, a 115-volt household-style power outlet and a 10-speaker Bose premium audio system with USB/auxiliary audio input jacks and a pair of rear seat headphone jacks.
Major options vary by trim level and include 20-inch chrome alloy wheels, a dual-pane sunroof, the second-row bench seat and a second-row center console. Electronics upgrades include the 10-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system, a rear-seat entertainment system and a navigation system.
The 2012 Buick Enclave is offered with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. EPA fuel economy estimates stand at 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined for front-wheel-drive models, while all-wheel-drive versions rate 16/22/18.
Safety Stability control, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags are standard on every 2012 Buick Enclave. Even the third-row seats are suitable for adult passengers.
Driving Impressions Other large crossovers feel more nimble, but overall the Enclave's handling inspires confidence.
The 2010 BMW M6 receives BMW's much-improved new iDrive interface, which includes more buttons on the center console, a better menu structure and a hard-drive-based navigation system.
Plain and simple, it's the car's styling. Having said that, we've repeatedly slapped the M6 with two performance-related demerits: The steering feel falls short of BMW's customary high standards, and the lurch-prone SMG single-clutch automated manual is well behind these dual-clutch times. Like other 2010 BMW M6 models, the M6's iDrive gets a new interface with more sensible-to-use menus, extra buttons for accessing oft-used features and a hard-drive-based navigation system.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options The 2010 BMW M6 is offered as either a coupe or convertible. Based on the 6 Series, the M6 comes standard with 19-inch double-spoke wheels, a carbon-fiber roof (coupe only) a body kit (including a more aggressive front airdam, side-sill extensions and a rear diffuser), adaptive xenon headlights, adjustable suspension dampers, leather-upholstered 12-way power front sport seats with driver memory settings, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, Bluetooth, the revised iDrive interface with a hard-drive-based navigation system featuring real-time traffic updates, and a 13-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system.
Powertrains and Performance A seven-speed single-clutch automated manual gearbox called SMG is standard, and it can be operated via wheel-mounted shift paddles, manual shift-lever manipulation or a full-automatic mode. The 2010 BMW M6 comes standard with multilevel stability control, antilock disc brakes, front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags for the coupe, automatic rollover hoops for the convertible and front and rear parking sensors.
The 2010 BMW M3 receives two minor changes: standard HD radio and optional automatic headlights.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options The 2010 BMW M3 is available as a sedan, coupe or retractable-hardtop convertible. Standard features include 18-inch alloy wheels with performance tires, xenon headlamps, cruise control, keyless ignition and entry, automatic climate control, leather upholstery, power-adjustable sport seats with driver memory, split-folding rear seats and a 10-speaker audio system with a CD player, HD radio and an auxiliary audio jack. The coupe features a carbon-fiber roof, the convertible has a power-retractable hardtop, and all M3s receive (relative to the regular 3 Series) revised exterior styling, an exclusive sport-tuned suspension, more powerful brakes and a limited-slip rear differential.
The optional Premium package adds power-folding mirrors, BMW Assist and enhanced interior trim. la carte options include 19-inch alloy wheels, automatic high-beam operation, a sunroof (sedan and coupe only), heated front seats, extended leather upholstery, rear park assist and a number of audio options, including an upgraded sound system, satellite radio and an iPod adapter.
Powertrains and Performance A 4.0-liter V8 powers the 2010 BMW M3, sending 414 hp and 295 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, and a seven-speed dual-clutch automated-manual gearbox is optional. EPA fuel economy estimates stand at 14 mpg city/20 mpg highway and 16 mpg combined for all models except the convertible with the six-speed manual, which drops to 13 mpg city.
Safety Standard safety features for the 2010 BMW M3 include front seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, antilock disc brakes, traction control and stability control. It garnered a perfect five stars for side impacts for both front and rear occupants. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests gave the 3 Series sedan "Good" ratings (the highest possible) in both frontal-offset and side-impact crash testing, although the convertible received a second-lowest "Marginal" score.
For 2011 the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is now available with a new Ultimate Performance option package ("Z07"), which incorporates the Corvette ZR1's adaptive suspension and wheel-and-tire fitment. Other notable changes this year include upgraded tires for the Z06; option package for the Corvette Grand Sport that combines Z06 tires with ZR1's Magnetic Ride Control suspension; and the addition of a USB port and auxiliary audio jack for the navigation system. Finally, the Corvette Engine Build Experience option allows a Z06 or ZR1 buyer to help assemble the car's engine at the GM facility in Wixom, Michigan.
