Handy Chevrolet

It was only 11, 9, and 8 months ago that we released three blogs about the Chevrolet Caprice, and in the first two - from June 2011 and August 2011 - it was looking that the Chevy police patrol vehicle or PPV was going to become a new Chevrolet vehicle for all to buy and enjoy.

Alas, as you know this never came to fruition, and Chevy fans the world over - specifically fans of the once-available RWD…

Continuing a long history of safety, the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu has earned Top Safety Pick status from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Winning that status has become almost the price of entry for vehicles that want to be sold and sold well, particularly for family cars these days.  To achieve the IIHS top pick, the vehicle must get the top score of "Good" in the IIHS crash tests which are tougher than the…

So, what's more exciting than the family vacation?  Answer:  not a whole lot.  That is unless you're the guy who owns the long term parking lot where the vacationers leave their vehicles for the duration of the trip.

We've all had to do it. You get on a plane, train or - in this case - a cruise ship and leave your car in a long term parking lot.  It's easier than getting…

It's one thing to boast about your greenest, most fuel efficient car, but in Chevrolet's case they get to take their pick:  Kelley Blue Book's annual "Best Green Cars," factoring in fuel efficiency as well as the car's overall value, concept or design, and likeability has recently named the 2012 Chevrolet Volt and the 2013 Chevy Malibu Eco among their best green cars.

As you'd assume, the Volt's an…

Around Franklin County, VT and the greater Burlington, VT areas, "I want a Silverado" is something we hear a lot.  And even though we've covered the upcoming 2013 Chevrolet Colorado, what of the current model?

Check out today's blog to find out a few reasons why the truck I and likely you forgot about is still a viable option for just about any truck-related reason.

Since 2001 when the Chevrolet Avalanche was introduced as a crossbred SUV/full size truck, there has been three distinct camps:  love it or bought it, want it and didn't buy, or the crowd that disregarded the combination altogether.  I remember falling into the second category very clearly; the idea of a truck that had a moveable component to open up a full second row and utility space intrigued me (and it clearly intrigued…

It was quite a while ago that Handy Chevrolet's blog, Facebook (facebook.com/handychevrolet), and Twitter (twitter.com/handychevrolet) brought you news of the then spied 2013 Chevrolet Colorado, and now that the 2013 model year is upon us - as per the new 2013 Malibu's release, for example - and since the 2012 New York Auto Show's product has been viewed it's time to review the upcoming mid-size truck from Chevrolet's stable.

First and foremost, Chevrolet has deemed the Chevy Colorado a "global product."  This term seems to refer to a global selling space, but General Motors is using the phrase to describe the way in which the Colorado was developed.  Starting in Thailand with last year's concept release shots (due to Thailand's love for compact trucks, apparently), the design was shot over to GM's South American design center and the full shape, shown above, was determined for the most part.  Though details of the truck's truck through the globe ends here, apparently five out of the 7 continents were involved in the design, development, testing, and production of the upcoming little brother of the Silverado (and to be fair one of the seven continents is Antarctica, so we can't discredit the "global" ideology, really).

Now for the good stuff - options, specs, and more.

To start, Chevrolet has said they aim for a massive 26 different trim, body, powertrain, height, and general option configurations with the 2013 Colorado.  I use the term massive loosely however; the big brother of the Colorado is available in three full levels (Silverado 1500, 2500HD, and 3500HD), with three cab sizes for each (Regular Cab, Double Cab, and Crew Cab), and three trim levels within each of THOSE sublevels (LS, LT, and LTZ).  This doesn't even count optional equipment, features, and so on that makes the 26 number - and remember the Silverado example above enters the double digits on its own).

Just like the Silverado, the new body on frame Colorado is going to be available in Chevy's three cab sizes as well as their trim level family of LS, LT, and LTZ.  Stability control, ABS brakes, traction control, and front airbags are also standard safety features for the 2013 year, seemingly making the Colorado a viable contender for small truck of the year in regards to safety.

Inside, the redesigned Colorado truck houses a Camaro-like LED backlit gauge scheme, and though unconfirmed features like USB and auxiliary inputs are likely standard.  To bring the gleaming interior together chrome accents and a dual-cowl dashboard were implemented (courtesy of the Thai design team).

So what's the downside you say?  GM points a hesitant yet equally optimistic finger at their domestic brethren, Ford, and the so-called death of the Ford Ranger.  Though still available, the F150 has dominated truck sales just like the Silverado has when compared to the Colorado.  But unlike the Ford comparison, Chevy doesn't believe it's done a perfect service to its small truck fans - the 2013 Colorado, as explained above, aims to rectify that and grab hold of a larger section of the small truck market.

For more on the 2013 Chevy Colorado be sure to subscribe to our blog ou email your sales consultant today.

Chris Dugan
Handy Chevrolet
St. Albans, VT  05478

With gas finally hitting the dreaded $4 per gallon (and beyond) mark, full sized vehicles - ranging from a full size sedan like the Impala to a full size truck like the Chevy Silverado - are in trouble.  It's not because they're inefficient, unappealing, or otherwise dangerous to a gas-conscious person, but let's face it:  hybrid technology, subcompact vehicles, and smaller sedans are lighting up the sales charts.  We here at Handy Chevrolet saw…

As you very well know if the tagline "new Camaro..." sparked your interest, the 2013 Camaro ZL1 is ready to set the world on fire with next generation driving capabilities and chill-inducing speeds, cornering, and for lack of a more grandiose term, flat out performance and style.  But what of the younger siblings in the Camaro family, e.g. those not bearing a Z, S, or numbered variation thereon?

Enter the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro 1LE?

Though clearly a frontrunner for "best SUV," that doesn't mean Chevy's going to rest on the Traverse's laurels when it comes to next year's edition.  Take a look at the recently released list of features coming to 2013's Chevrolet Traverse, below.

• A new front end (pictured above)
• New grille design (also shown above)
• Chrome accents
• New headlights
• Updated sculpting meant to tie the 2013 Malibu and 2013 Traverse together
• Redesigned…