When it comes to shopping for a new sedan this season, Chevrolet’s 2018 lineup among the best options. Scroll below to learn about each model in the lineup:
Automotive manufacturers across the United States and the larger industry introduce new and exciting innovations every year in an eternal struggle to crush their competitors. Chevrolet’s 2018 offerings are no exception, boasting a wide range of improvements and adjustments to their previous models.
The main advantages in increasingly expensive vehicle trims can be found in safety and entertainment features offered, where each increasing trim adds upgrades to the sedan’s driver assistance functions and to the various systems on the interior of the car. This can range from larger touchscreens in the dash to more speakers.
2018 Spark
If you’re looking for a small car that can move through clogged city traffic without bumping into other cars, the Spark is a great option. This subcompact cruiser was reworked completely in 2016 and hasn’t seen any new updates since. Despite the lack of updates, the 2018 model is a contender in its class.
Trims
- LS: $13,050
- 1LT: $14,875
- ACTIV: $16,120
- 2LT: $16,375
These trims are offered with both manual and automatic transmissions.
Performance Specs
The Spark boasts a 98-horsepower engine in every trim. While this makes it a good choice for city driving, it underperforms on the highway. It’s easy to park because of its small size, and the light chassis allows a fair amount of engine efficiency. The EPA rates the Spark as getting 29-30 mpg in the city and 37-39 mpg on the highway, good but not great.
How Does it Compare?
The Spark is great for city driving, but its competitors provide enough horsepower to leave this Chevy subcompact in the dust. The Ford Fiesta has a definite advantage in engine power and handling, while the slightly more expensive Kia Rio has a carefully tuned suspension that gives it a much smoother ride.
2018 Sonic
The Sonic is another excellent entry in the subcompact category, boasting several small changes from the 2017 model that boil down to tweaks in the available trims.
Trims
- LS: $15,295 (five-speed manual); $16,495 (six-speed automatic)
- LT: $17,695 (five-speed manual); $18,395 (six-speed automatic)
- Premier: $19,795 (five-speed manual); $20,495 (six-speed automatic)
The Sonic also comes in a five-door hatchback style.
Performance Specs
The Sonic is arguably among the best in this year’s lineup, not only from Chevrolet but from the industry as a whole. The balanced handling makes the subcompact sedan easily maneuverable while the 138-horsepower engine provides satisfactory power for the highway. One of the few failures of the 2018 Sonic comes from the engine’s fuel efficiency, which is only average at 25-27 mpg in the city and 34-37 mpg on the highway.
How Does it Compare?
The Sonic’s competitors are the Ford Fiesta and the Honda Fit. Since the Fiesta doesn’t have the same engine advantage it had over the Spark here and with much less storage space, the Sonic earns an easy win. The Honda Fit is a formidable competitor namely for its roomy interior, which seats five comfortably, making it a great commuter car.
2018 Cruze
In the realm of compact sedans, the Chevy Cruze stands out for its smooth ride and spacious interior. While the Cruze has been offered with the sedan chassis since 2011, 2018 introduced the addition of a hatchback-style Cruze with a biodiesel engine that improves the vehicle’s already impressive fuel economy.
Trims
- L: $16,975
- LS: $18,525
- LT: $20,845
- Premier: $23,475
Performance Specs
The Cruze is best known for its remarkable fuel efficiency, although the more expensive trims skew the Cruze’s range upwards. The 2018 Chevrolet Cruze has an average of 27-31 mpg in the city and 37-52 mpg on the highway. The 153-horsepower engine is surprisingly quiet but has problems accelerating from time to time.
How Does it Compare?
The Cruze is joined in the compact category by the Hyundai Elantra and the Honda Civic. While the Cruze is an easy victor over the Elantra — having very similar specs but more features — the Honda Civic gives the Cruze a run for its money. The Civic is a classic compact sedan but manages five seats and great safety ratings, making it a better buy for consumers.
2018 Malibu
The Chevy Malibu is a mid-sized sedan that exudes class, from the evocative name to the sleek chassis. In 2018, the Malibu is offered for the first time with an optional 360-degree camera onboard.
Trims
- L: $21,680
- LS: $23,225
- LT: $25,125
- Premier: $30,975
Performance Specs
Below the Premier trim you’ll be dealing with a slick turbocharged 1.5-liter engine that gets a relatively low 22 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. Moving up to the Premier class changes that to 27 mpg in the city and 36 on the highway, making it a question of long-term savings versus a short-term price hike.
How Does it Compare?
The mid-sized sedan category finds the Malibu pitted against the Honda Accord and the Ford Fusion Sport. The most important advantage of the Accord is in safety functions, including lane departure alarms and collision warning assistance. The Fusion Sport has a much stronger engine than the Malibu but gets comparably poor fuel mileage and a less comfortable interior.
2018 Impala
The Impala, once a classic muscle car, has become sleeker over the years. The 2018 model has a slightly blockier grill in keeping with those chunky roots, but it remains modern with the rearview camera offered standard in every 2018 trim.
Trims
- LS: $27,895
- LT: $30,220
- Premier: $36,420
Performance Specs
The standard V4 engine can have trouble getting up to speed with 197-horsepower underneath the hood, but the industry standard 22 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway makes the V4 appealing. At 305 horsepower in the V6 (only featured with the Premier trim), the improved acceleration is coupled with a decreased 18 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.
How Does it Compare?
Other vehicles in the large car area this season include the Toyota Avalon and the Buick LaCrosse, both managing to meet the Impala’s performance in various areas. Although the Avalon boasts a V6 in every version and features a formidable array of driver safety functions, it’s more expensive and the interior is noticeably more cramped. The LaCrosse, meanwhile, has a more powerful engine and a better fuel economy than the Impala — but, again, it’s more expensive.
2018 Camaro
When it comes to iconic cars, it’s hard to beat the Chevy Camaro. These sedans first hit the market in 1967 as a direct competitor to the Ford Mustang and they’ve been blazing a trail through the industry ever since. The 2018 year sees changes in the line in the form of alterations to the available performance packages.
Trims
- 1LS: $25,905
- 1LT: $26,700
- 2LT: $30,500
- 1SS: $37,000
- 2SS: $42,000
- ZL1: $61,500
Performance Specs
The Camaro’s long list of trim offerings come with a bevy of different performance packages and handling upgrades. Ranging between 270-650 horsepower, the various engines skew in the opposite direction when it comes to fuel economy. The strongest of these engines get only 13 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway, while the basic model gets 22 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.
How Does it Compare?
The eternal battle between the industry’s biggest competitors continue as the 2018 Chevy Camaro goes head to head with the 2018 Ford Mustang. Both sports cars can burn rubber and come in both convertible and coupe chassis, but the Mustang has a slightly more regal interior that gives it the edge in 2018. Meanwhile, the Dodge Challenger has more power than the Camaro but lacks the agility that makes the Chevy a long-time favorite.