PRICE : For 2014 Chevrolet SS $43,475
The 2014 Chevrolet SS ranks 4 out of 10 Affordable Large Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of published reviews and test drives of the Chevrolet SS, as well as reliability and safety data.Reviewers say the 2014 Chevrolet SS is a powerful, sharp-handling car that also has a spacious, feature-packed interior.
Equipped with a refined V8 engine, test drivers think the 2014 Chevrolet SS is extremely powerful and accelerates rapidly with tons of torque. It’s paired with a six-speed automatic transmission that most auto writers say delivers power briskly. The SS gets an EPA-estimated 14/21 mpg city/highway, which is low among affordable large cars, but on par with other V8-powered sedans like the Dodge Charger SRT8. Critics say the SS’ handling is athletic, especially for a large car, with communicative steering, strong brakes and a planted feel around corners. Several reviewers think it could hold its own against luxury sedans like the BMW 550i or a sports car like the Chevrolet Camaro SS. The ride is firm and controlled, reviewers note, but still comfortable.
Reviewers are impressed with the sophistication of the SS’ cabin, saying that upscale materials and primo fit and finish make it feel lavish and expensive. The cabin is very quiet, too, they add. Test drivers write that the front seats are supportive and offer a commanding view of the road, while the back seat is very spacious. The Chevrolet SS comes standard with Chevrolet’s MyLink infotainment system with an 8-inch touch-screen display, voice-controlled navigation, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, a nine-speaker Bose audio system, a USB port, an auxiliary input, dual-zone automatic climate control, a head-up display, a rearview camera and remote start. Also standard are parking sensors, forward collision alert, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic alert and blind spot monitoring. A power sunroof is available. Reviewers are pleased with the number of standard features the SS has and say that the cockpit is driver-centric with logically placed gauges and controls.
EXTERIOR
On the rear end, there is a trunk-mounted spoiler and a set of relatively unimposing taillights that really scream “family car.” We definitely would have preferred Chevy to deliver a sharper set of taillights. The SS Performance redeems itself for the boring taillights with a sharp-looking bumper insert with the pair of tailpipes poking out of the rear.
Overall, the SS Performance’s body is sharp, but in no way a stunner. We think GM did a better job with the G8 – GM’s predecessor to the SS – as this looks like a regular old sedan for the most part. One of our favorite parts of the exterior – likely the only thing that really pops on the car – is its perfect 50/50weight distribution.
INTERIOR
The SS emblem is prominently stitched onto the soft-touch instrument panel which features two types of chrome finishes - a satin gloss and bright chrome. At night, the interior is illuminated by ice-blue ambient lighting.
An integrated center stack includes infotainment, climate and other vehicle controls, while the center console of the SS houses extra-large dual cup holders that can accommodate a wide range of container sizes. The cup holders are not separated, so the space can also be used for small item storage. Fold-out rear cup holders are also located at the base of the center rear seating position. In addition, all four doors contain cup holders. An electric park brake frees up additional space in the center console.
Two auxiliary power outlets allow concurrent charging of items such as mobile phones, tablets and portable satellite navigation devices. One is located inside the covered central storage console; the other outlet is conveniently accessible in the forward compartment at the base of the instrument panel, which is illuminated at night by ambient Ice Blue lighting.
A USB outlet is located on the vertical face of the covered storage console. The Chevrolet SS also offers a long list of standard technologies including:
► Color, in-dashboard touch screen that supports Chevrolet MyLink and the standard GPS-based navigation system
► Audio system with navigation - including SiriusXM radio (with 12-month trial)
► Bose® 220-watt, nine-speaker premium sound system
► Color head-up display and color driver information center
► Dual-zone automatic climate control
► Alloy pedal covers
► Heated and ventilated front seats
► Leather-wrapped shift knob and steering wheel
► Keyless access and push-button start
► Remote start.
► The SS interior is offered exclusively in black, and a power sunroof is available.
SPECIFICATION
► Year:2014
► Make:Chevrolet
► Model:SS
► Engine:V8
► Transmission:Six-Speed Automatic
► Horsepower @ RPM:415 @ 5900
► MPG(Cty):16 (Est.)
► MPG(Hwy):24 (Est.)
► Torque @ RPM:415 @ 4600
► Displacement:6.2 L
► 0-60 time:4.9 sec. (Est.)
► Top Speed:165 mph (Est.)
FEATURES
The 2014 Chevrolet SS is a niche performance sedan, and smartly, Chevy has decided not to offer it in with a long list of trims, options, and packages.
At $44,470, not including the $1,300 gas guzzler tax with which it will be hit, the SS includes HID headlamps and LED daytime running lamps, automatic park assist, and the Chevrolet MyLink system. Additionally, the car is also outfitted with a premium Bose sound system, dual-zone climate control, heated and ventilated front seats.
That price and presentation is only missing two options, which are the only two available: a $900 power sunroof and a $500 full-size spare. Everything else is included.
Only individualists might complain at the lack of build variations; and for them we're told there's a pretty significant list of dealer-installed options on the way.
ENGINE
Now onto the sweetest part about this ride, the engine and drivetrain. Initially, we thought that the SS Performance would only be moderately powerful and feature the 6.0-liter V8 found in the last-gen Commodore SS, which pumps out 348 horsepower. Well, Chevy upped the ante by installing the LS3 6.2-liter V8 – the same found in the 2013 Corvette – detuned to 415 horsepower at 5,900 rpm and 415 pound-feet of torque at 4,600 rpm. The beastly LS3 links up to a six-speed automatic transmission with TAPshift paddles that delivers the power to a 3.27-to-1 rear axle. This will launch the four-door muscle car to 60 mph in about five seconds – no official number is available yet.
This puts the SS Performance right on par with the Camaro SS, meaning that muscle car lovers with a family can now get their power fix and be able to rationalize it to their significant other. Brilliant!! Unfortunately, Chevy did not release any mpg specs, but you can expect it to be around 15 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.
PERFORMANCE
The 6.2L LS3 small-block V-8 is the power behind the SS's driving experience. It is SAE-certified at 415 horsepower (310 kW) and 415 lb.-ft. of torque (563 Nm) and paired with the Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed automatic with paddle-shift control. The engine's torque is channeled to the rear axle, which has a 3.27 ratio for a great feeling of performance. Engine oil and transmission coolers are standard.
A sport-tuned suspension complements the powertrain with handling prowess and driving refinement. The front suspension is a MacPherson-strut-based multi-link system with a direct-acting stabilizer bar. It features a forward-mounted steering rack and dual lower links with individual ball joints at the outer ends. A hydraulically damped bushing is used on the forward end of the tension link for improved ride isolation.
The rear suspension is a multi-link independent system with coil-over shock absorbers and decoupled stabilizer bar. It has high lateral stiffness for handling through three lateral ball joints per side with improved longitudinal compliance. A rubber isolated suspension frame isolates the body from road imperfections and drivetrain vibrations. The inclusion of more lightweight aluminum components, including the front steering knuckle and tension arms, delivers tremendous ride and handling characteristics.
Four-wheel disc brakes are standard and feature track-capable Brembo front brakes, with four-piston, two-piece aluminum front calipers and large, 14-inch (355 mm) two-piece front rotors. The aluminum front calipers provide increased stiffness to reduce fluid displacement and caliper deformation without adding weight. The result is an enhancement to braking feel and overall vehicle dynamics.
Electronic Brake Force Distribution optimizes control of rear brake pressure on all road surfaces and under all vehicle loading conditions. Electronic Brake Assist senses how hard and fast a driver hits the brake pedal and gives extra braking assistance, if required.
The Chevrolet SS's steering system employs a variable-assist electric power steering system (EPS) that saves fuel by drawing energy only when the wheels are turned. The variable-effort design provides lighter parking efforts at low speed and greater effort at higher speeds, for a more direct steering feel. The system is also calibrated to detect constant driver steering wheel load due to factors such as road camber and crosswind. The system will compensate to reduce steering effort to a more neutral level and lessen potential driver fatigue...SEE ALL PHOTOS
DRIVETRAIN
What's there to say about the LS3 V8 that hasn't been said? It's compact and less expensive to build than overhead cam engines. It's not afraid to rev, and it's much better than acceptably smooth.
Most significantly, it delivers giant wads of torque right where you want them. In the SS, the transition from part throttle to full-on is sweetly smooth, without no angry reaction from the rear end. This car tolerates bravado or silliness without vengeance. The transmission works for every purpose, be it lazy, comfortable self-shifting, precise, speedy manual operation or something in between. The traction/throttle and anti-skid electronics present a genuine scale in the car's reactions, from protective to well, you're on your own, kid. We'd guess that's a credit to the quality of the development drivers and engineers GM employs these days.
There probably isn't an enthusiast driver who would describe the SS's road-going demeanor as uncomfortable. The performance tires exact a toll in terms of rumble and chatter, to be sure, but they fit the SS's intent. The chassis is structurally solid, and it isn't sanitized for anyone's comfort or protection. This full-size Chevy is surprisingly light on its feet, and almost never feels big. It's civilized but not desensitized in any notable fashion.
That may be the biggest thing of all, or the biggest surprise to anyone who remembers the rear-drive Impala SS 18 years ago -- the balance. Balance here means less specifically weight balance and more the equal, consistent competence of the drivetrain, chassis, and overall dynamics. The sensitivity of the SS' steering or its reaction to throttle and brake inputs or the consistency of its opposite-corner tire patches don't fall off dramatically when it reaches the limits of grip. Call it organic or holistic or integrated. Whichever label you prefer, it was reserved for BMWs and a handful of other sedans when the 1996 Impala SS roamed the earth. Now it comes with a big ol' trunk and a bowtie.
ON THE ROAD
The exhaust note of the US car is awesome. From the outside it sounds like a V8 Supercar; the General Motors parts catalogue will get a lot of interest from Australian fans. The Chevrolet SS has already impressed the locals. Car and Driver magazine described it as “the gifted offspring of a BMW M5 and a Chevy Camaro SS”. Automobile magazine said it will go “toe-to-toe with a US$65,000 BMW 550i”, a car that costs $160,000 in Australia.
The US journalists were impressed with the handling, something we’ve come to take for granted in Australia. It must be said, the car I drove was a particularly fine example. It’s the best Commodore I’ve ever driven, and I reckon I’ve driven more than a couple of hundred over the years. And I’ve owned four in the past 10 years.
This red one was built tighter than any VF Commodore I’ve driven, too. Most cars used on media previews are specially prepared by the engineering departments of each car brand. General Motors said some of the cars in this group were regular customer cars that were diverted because of a shipping delay with the media evaluation vehicles.
There was no way of knowing whether the one I drove was a customer car or one that had gone through a special workshop, but it was brilliant. The steering, the body, the chassis, the brakes all felt tight and precise, unlike any Holden I’ve driven before. It was a revelation. From Palm Springs to Los Angeles -- including my obligatory trip to the Hollywood sign every time a Holden gets shipped to North America -- the Chevrolet SS felt like a European thoroughbred.
COMFORT & QUALITY
The 2014 Chevrolet SS might be an especially overt performance sedan, but the rather boxy, straightforward design has its benefits—in reasonably good back-seat space, and better outward visibility than many modern sedan designs.
SS really measures up at the long end of the mid-size scale (195.5 inches long, with nearly a 115-inch wheelbase), but at 74.7 inches wide, it feels somewhat narrow for its length—more like a smaller mid-size car in that respect. It's virtually the same size as the Cadillac CTS--a car that's built on a different GM architecture--yet the SS manages to feel a bit roomier.
Aggressively bolstered leather sport seats are included in front, while the back seat feels roomy enough for adults--and entry and exit are quite easy for taller passengers, thanks to the conservative roofline.
This is the first Chevrolet sedan to ride on standard summer performance tires--Z-rated at that--but all considering, the SS rides rather quietly, with good insulation from road and wind noise. You hear the engine when you're accelerating--anything from a thrummy bellow at low rates to a crackling exotic sound when accelerating hard--but it's not always present.
The SS does without a magnetic suspension or adjustable dampers, or any other special active systems, so it's no surprise that this is a firm-riding sedan. Snow Belt potholes and heaves tend to show as choppy, if not jarring, from inside...SEE ALL PHOTOS
SAFETY
Standard safety equipment on the 2014 Chevrolet SS includes antilock disc brakes, stability- and traction-control systems, front- and rear-seat side airbags, side-curtain airbags, and front-knee airbags. Also standard is OnStar, which includes automatic crash notification, on-demand roadside assistance, remote door unlocking, stolen vehicle assistance and turn-by-turn navigation.
Furthermore, the SS comes with a standard multi-mode head-up display and rearview camera, along with numerous warning systems, including forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts.
FUEL ECONOMY
The 2014 Chevrolet SS isn't vying for family sedan duty (that's the Malibu or Impala), and despite its huge 6.2-liter V-8 it omits fuel-saving technology like GM's Active Fuel Management, or engine stop-start. It's blissfully, it seems, a guzzler.
The bright side, as we've noticed from a number of other vehicles with very large-displacement engines, is that you likely won't see much lower than the EPA ratings--even when you drive the SS hard. On the other hand, it would require quite the magical tailwind to approach 30 mpg.
In a first drive opportunity, our car was averaging more than 16 mpg on a 65-mile, mostly uphill loop, then barely 20 on a 75-mile, mostly downhill loop that included some more reserved expressway-and-boulevard driving.
VIDEO ( 2014 CHEVROLET SS )
Video by : Autoguide
SEE ALL PHOTOS
By : Automotive News & Super Modified Sports Cars
Posted by : Shahen Tharammal
SEE ALL PHOTOS
By : Automotive News & Super Modified Sports Cars
Posted by : Shahen Tharammal
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