Chevrolet

As 2011 rolls to a close, we look back at the cars we've reviewed over the last year to see which one should earn our Tech Car of the Year Award.

This year's nominees come largely from the luxury market, where automakers are pushing their best cabin tech and most-advanced driver assistance features. Connected features are also starting to appear, with online search available in navigation systems. All of these vehicles use advanced engines, but the Volt pushes the boundaries the furthest.

Please vote for the car you think should be the 2011 Tech Car of the Year, and discuss it in the comments. The Car Tech staff jury will place its own votes, voting closes on December 19, and we will announce the winner on December 21. … Read more

Volt owners can get a loaner while NHTSA investigations are under way, or GM will take the vehicle off their hands entirely.

Little known fact: OnStar is alerted whenever a Volt is involved in an accident, and within 48 hours GM dispatches a team of technicians to drain the vehicle's battery, which is the proper safety protocol for the vehicle, until it is fully repaired.

But that EV safety protocol may not be good enough for the National Highway Traffic and Safety Association, and it may be cold comfort for worried drivers reading headlines about Volts catching fire three … Read more

The Chevrolet Volt may be facing a lot of heat in the press due to the recent NHTSA investigation, but current owners have nothing but good things to say about their plug-in hybrids.

Consumer Reports says that the Chevrolet Volt scored the highest rating in their annual owner satisfaction survey, with 93 percent of buyers saying they would purchase the vehicle again. The four-seater plug-in hybrid with a 40-mile electric range edged out the Dodge Challenger and Porsche 911 to take the top spot on the list. Both sports cars boast a consumer satisfaction score of 91.

However, the product … Read more

Chevrolet revealed more details regarding one of 16 new "green" projects the company is funding. Chevrolet is helping Metrolina Greenhouses, in Huntersville, N.C., convert its heat source from natural gas to renewable biomass, the company said in a press release.

Metrolina Greenhouses is a 6.1-million-square-foot facility--the equivalent of 120 football fields--and is now expected to burn 36,000 tons of waste wood from land clearing each year as a heating source.

The heat-source conversion project is part of a five-year, $40 million investment funded by Chevrolet.

"As a large-scale operation delivering approximately 70 million plants … Read more

General Motors today announced the opening of an assembly plant in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. GM opened the power-train plant with local venture partner UzAvtosanoat.

According to the automaker, facility is GM's first engine plant in the Central Asian country. The plant is tasked with producing more than 225,000 new fuel-efficient Ecotec 1.2L and 1.5L engines for use in GM small passenger cars.

The new plant will produce finished machined components such as cylinder heads, cylinder blocks, and crankshafts. The plant has been equipped with the latest technology and has the flexibility to switch between production of engine … Read more

Chevy's new Sonic model sips gas and shows that an economy car does not have to feel cheap.

Bloodthirsty competition in the small-car market is giving consumers excellent value. The Sonic is Chevy's attempt to keep up with the competition.

Features such as iPod integration and a Bluetooth phone system make the Sonic worth looking at, but it falls a little short when compared with other cars in its class. Most of its edge comes from OnStar, the included telematics system that can provide navigation, emergency services, and even stolen car recovery.

An optional turbocharged engine, complemented by a six-speed manual, helps the Sonic achieve impressive fuel economy.

Check out the 2012 Chevy Sonic. … Read more

Consumer Reports released the results of its annual car reliability survey today, and Scion came out as the top brand, with the fewest reported problems.

Scion cars proved the most reliable, according to owners contributing their experiences in the latest survey by Consumer Reports used to predict car reliability. The report, released today, compiles survey results for 28 brands. The least reliable cars, according to the survey, bear the Jaguar badge.

Along the Scion range, the xD scored the best, while the xB model was the worst, although all were well above most other brands. Lexus, another brand from Toyota, grabbed the No. 2 spot, and its CT200h model proved the most reliable, even more so than the Scion xD. Toyota-branded cars showed up at No. 6 in the survey.… Read more

General Motors' latest investment will provide tools and equipment to support production of future electric vehicle components. The company announced on Friday that it will invest $325 million in its Warren, Mich., plant and create or retain 418 jobs.

The plant's current 679 employees produce transmissions for the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia crossovers and the Chevrolet Malibu sedan.

The 2.1-million-square-foot plant, equivalent to the area of 15 city blocks, produced more than 338,000 transmissions in 2010, the company said in a press release.

"This investment in the future recognizes the excellent work force … Read more

The lowest-price cars used to be devoid of features other than maybe a rearview mirror and heating vents.

You can still find those very base-level cars, but go up a trim level and you get much, much more. Automakers have unleashed a new set of subcompacts focused on the entry-level buyer, and this young demographic has certain expectations about technology.

Most of the cars we included in this roundup come in between $15,000 and $20,000, optioned up and out the door. Navigation is not prevalent among these cars, but most buyers in this segment will rely on a smartphone. … Read more