[monaroCountry]

 

[madzmaxz]

Love the "nondescript" comment. That is one of the things I love. How many cars out there -- as fantastic as they may be on a mechanical level -- will look strange in a few years because of the extreme styling and angular lines.

 

[rjandern]

He has a write up on his website too.

I call cars like the 2014 Chevy SS “sleepers”. You know the type, fairly nondescript on the outside, but a beast when you tromp on the gas pedal. It is a wolf in sheep’s clothing without a doubt. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a darned good-looking car, but most would never guess that under the hood lays a 6.2-liter V8, the same engine that was in the last generation Corvette.

If you are not old enough to remember, SS stands for Super Sport, a mainstay of Chevys in years past. The 2014 SS is the first rear-wheel drive sedan to come off a Chevrolet assembly line since 1996, but this car is actually imported from Australia. The SS is a joint venture with Holden, a subsidiary of General Motors. The SS follows in the footsteps of other great Holden cars like the 2004 Pontiac GTO, and the 2008 Pontiac G8.

2014 Chevrolet SSThe 6.2-liter V8 performs like a champ, puts out 415-horses and 415-pound-feet of torque. This engine is linked to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Acceleration off the line is strong and the exhaust has a deep, throaty sound that old muscle car enthusiasts like me love.

So what you have here is a large sedan with a super-roomy interior and big trunk that runs like a Corvette. When comparing the SS to other cars, it is somewhat reminiscent of the Dodge Charger SRT8, except the Chevy just feels faster in spite of the fact it has fewer horses.

On the outside, the front looks much like a Malibu or a new Impala. Small ground effects and a small real spoiler make you look, but the 19” forged aluminum wheels and wide tires grab your attention real quick. A closer look reveals that the rear tires are wider than the front tires, and the Brembo front brakes tells you this car will move. An aluminum hood and trunk helps keep the weight of the SS down to just under 4000 pounds.

The interior is exceptional with a mixture of leather and suede. As I have noted in other recent Chevy reviews, the stitching on the seats and throughout the dash add a tone of luxury. The dash is extremely well laid out, and the SS has controls in the center of the leather-wrapped steering wheel that are convenient and intuitive.

Pretty much everything you would want comes as standard equipment on the Super Sport including leather heated and cooled seats, climate controlled air conditioning, remote start, lane departure warning, forward collision alert and rear park assist.

Also as standard, blind spot warning, rear camera, navigation system, a head-up display that projects information on to the windshield so you can keep your eyes on the wheel. One nifty feature is automatic parking assist that measures a potential parking space and assists you in parking the SS. You also get Chevy’s terrific MyLink system that operates from a color monitor in the center of the dash. You can operate the Bluetooth system, XM radio, and even get real-time traffic, weather, sports scores, movie times, and you can add apps like Pandora or Stitcher.

The only option on this 2014 super Sport is a $900 power sunroof. Of course, you have to pay the government a $1300 gas guzzler tax.

The Chevy SS doesn’t drive anything like I expected. It handles great, the electric power steering gives the car a great feel, and you don’t feel every bump in the road like you might expect. Gas mileage is not great, but if that is important, don’t buy a heavy rear-wheel drive car that does 0-to-60 in five seconds and has a top speed of 161-milers per hour.

Other automotive journalists have called the SS a 4-door Corvette. As a C7 owner myself, I would stop short of that. However, for the few thousand people who will buy this car this year, they are going to love it, and quickly you realize that for the money, this is an outstanding value.

What I liked most: Performance and handling, plus a great interior.

What I would change: Love to see an available 7-speed automatic and a 6-speed manual.

MSRP: Base price $43,475, as equipped $46,670.

Horsepower/Torque: 415-horses/415-pound feet of torque.

Fuel Economy: EPA rated at 14 City/21 Highway, 17 overall.

Weight: 3975 pounds.

2014 Chevy SS in a few words: The ultimate sleeper and an outstanding value.

Warranty: 5 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty with roadside assistance, and two years or 24,000 miles of free maintenance.

Car Pro Rating: EASILY 5 out of 5 Stars.

Dealers: If you want a dealer for any Chevy product, we have dealer affiliates in DFW, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Lubbock, Phoenix, Sacramento, and Fresno.

Manufacturer’s website: 2014 SS Sports Sedan: High-Performance Sedan | Chevrolet


2014 Chevrolet SS Review and Test Drive, reviewed by Jerry on 2014-01-09T16:42:10+00:00 rating 5.0 out of 5