GM to Offer 2015 Chevy Tahoe, Suburban Z71 Packages | All American Chevrolet of Slaton | Slaton TX

DETROIT, MI- General Motors Co. will add the Z71 package to its 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban.

The Detroit-based automaker this week announced the off-road package for the all-new sport utility vehicles, which went on sale earlier this year. GM also released a teaser of the Z71 badge on one of the vehicles.

GM said additional features and production timing will be announced in late-September.

The first official special Z71 package appeared on Chevy's full-size pickup trucks in 1988, and in 2001, the brand added the Z71 package to Tahoe and Suburban.

The full-size SUV segment, although smaller than its peak in the late-1990s and early-2000s, is critical for GM. Since 1975, the automaker has consistently represented more than 40 percent of the full-size SUV market, including an 80 percent stake in 1995. 

Michael Wayland covers the automotive industry for MLive. Email him at MWayland@mlive.com & follow him on Twitter @MikeWayland or Google+.

Full-size SUV keeps modern families entertained and connected, too | All American Chevrolet of Slaton

Chevrolet’s full-size Suburban SUV has ample space and comfort to carry up to nine passengers and their gear on long hauls – and brings cutting-edge technology along for the ride.

Summer is in full swing and with it comes the traditional American road trip. Last year, an estimated 40 million travelers hit the road for the July 4 holiday, according to AAA. While travelers once relied on the alphabet or license plate games to pass the time on long trips, the 2015 Chevrolet Suburban entertains passengers in the most high-tech way.

Additionally, the Suburban’s available maximum trailering package has the capability to tow 8,300 pounds, perfect for hauling a travel trailer, boats, jet skis and other seasonal toys.

“The 2015 Suburban has every creature comfort the modern family needs for a long haul,” said Sandor Piszar, director of Chevrolet Marketing. “With some of the most state-of-the-art technologies available in the industry, the Suburban is sure to give everyone something to do mile after mile.”

The Suburban offers passengers individual entertainment with wireless headphones so they can independently experience the available Blu-ray™ overhead entertainment screens, AM/FM or satellite radio, media devices synced through the available MyLink system’s Bluetooth^® connection, or media connected to built-in USB ports or SD card slots. A composite plug-in in the center console allows rear-seat passengers to play a game system through the overhead, 9-inch LCD entertainment screens.

To ensure the entertainment keeps rolling, 12 power outlets – including multiple 110-volt, three-prong outlets – are available to charge game systems, cell phones and tablets.

Gaming and other media are not limited to what passengers bring into the vehicle, either. This fall, the 2015 Chevrolet Suburban will be available with OnStar 4G LTE, providing a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot to seven devices on one data connection for as little as $5 per month. The stronger connection of the built-in 4G LTE antenna provides data service where traditional cellular service might not, perfect for accessing the Internet on that long trip down desolate roads.

The Wi-Fi connection has a range of 30 feet outside the vehicle, so the entertainment can continue even during roadside stops.

If the entertainment goes low-tech, an acoustic-laminated windshield and inlaid doors with triple seals reduce wind and exterior noise in the cabin, making conversations less of a shouting match.

Long road trips require lots of gear. With a maximum 121.1 cubic feet of cargo space available with the second- and third-row seats folded down, two passengers can pack enough for days on the road. If the traveling party is larger, the Suburban offers ample seating configurations, including a folding second row, and 60/40 split rear row.

The Suburban has class-leading fuel economy of 15 mpg city and 22 mpg highway, with a 31-gallon fuel tank.

Its comprehensive safety systems include available Adaptive Cruise Control to ensure the Suburban doesn’t get too close to a vehicle traveling in front of it. Front Automatic Braking automatically applies the brake if it gets too close to another vehicle while under the driver’s control. Side Blind Zone and Lane Change Alert make sure the driver knows what’s coming down the Suburban’s side, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert warns the driver if a car is crossing behind the vehicle while backing out of a parking space.

The all-new Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe went on sale earlier this year. Sales are up 14 percent year-over-year through May, with many customers opting for the top-of-the-line level LTZ trim package.

Source: http://media.chevrolet.com/media/us/en/chevrolet/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2014/Jun/0624-suburban.html

Customers choose Equinox for versatility, efficiency and value | AllAmerican Chevrolet of Slaton

Versatility and value are helping make compact crossovers and SUVs among the hottest vehicles in the country. Chevrolet is helping meet the demand with its strongest lineup in history, including the Equinox and – early next year – the new Trax.

“Compact crossovers and SUVs make sense for so many consumers,” said Steve Majoros, marketing director, Chevrolet. “Suited to adapt to whatever life throws at them, our customers want a vehicle that can do – and go – anywhere, and they want it with expressive design and fuel efficiency.

“It’s a tall order and it’s why Equinox sales have risen nearly every year since we introduced the original in 2006,” he said. “Next year, the Trax will provide this same flexibility in a smaller footprint.”

Equinox retail sales in June were up 11 percent from June 2013. Chevrolet has sold nearly 1.5 million Equinoxes since the first generation was introduced in 2005. A second generation was released for the 2010 model year.

The popularity of Equinox has helped Chevrolet grow its share of the segment from 7 percent to more than 10 percent in the past eight years.

Market shift

Overall, demand for compact crossovers and SUVs has nearly doubled since 2008, from 10 percent to 18 percent of the market, according to AutoTrader.com.

“Sales of crossovers of all sorts have been growing significantly in recent years, but the growth in sales of smaller crossovers and SUVs has been nothing short of phenomenal,” said Michelle Krebs, senior analyst for AutoTrader.com. “It’s easy to see why, with the segment being so versatile to meet the needs of a wide variety of car buyers. They can carry people, serve as a substitute truck or haul bigger cargo while still driving like a car.”

According to AutoTrader.com’s research, crossovers and small SUVs are the only growing segments within the SUV market and, for the first time, outpace two other segments that have experienced consistent growth in the past eight years – compact and midsize sedans.

“I call my Chevy Equinox my ‘multi-tool’ of vehicles,” said Gail Haffey of Beverly Hills, Mich. “It fits my family’s needs perfectly, from traveling to our summer cottage, to flipping down the seats to haul cargo and supplies from the garden shop, to my daily commute to work. Plus, the fuel economy is great, so I get versatility and value in one package.”

The Equinox seats five, offers a maximum cargo capacity of 63.7 cubic feet and a maximum towing rating of 3,500 pounds (3.6L V-6 models) and an EPA-rated 32 mpg highway (2.4L FWD models).

Both the Equinox and GMC Terrain with available forward collision alert technology received 2014 Top Safety Pick+ ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the only midsize SUVs of nine evaluated to earn Good ratings in the Institute’s small overlap front crash test.

For 2015, Chevrolet brings OnStar 4G LTE capabilities to Equinox and Trax. Combined with standard Chevrolet MyLink, these technologies accommodate customers’ increasingly connected lifestyles with a more reliable connection during road trips, connectivity for up to seven devices, and range of up to 50 feet outside the vehicle.

Making Trax

The Chevrolet Trax small SUV – a customer favorite in the global markets where it’s already being sold, arrives in the U.S. early next year. Part of another fast-growing segment, Trax sales have grown from just over 3,000 in 2006 to more than 90,000 last year.

Trax will offer eight different seating arrangements with 60/40 split rear seats and a fold-flat front passenger seat, as well as more than 48 cubic feet of cargo space and a standard turbocharged engine. Both Equinox and Trax are available with all-wheel drive.

Changing gears

Sales of small SUVs have evolved along with consumers’ changing driving, spending and lifestyle habits. They’ve gone from being “second” vehicles in a household to replacing older vehicles.

Once inside the small and compact SUV segments, buyers are extremely loyal, with more than a quarter of them coming from other small and compact SUVs.

“We work hard to deliver the versatility and value our customers expect in our Equinox, and having been doing so for eight years since the vehicle launched,” said Majoros.  

Source: http://media.chevrolet.com/media/us/en/chevrolet/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2014/Jul/0708-small-crossovers.html