As auto show season rolls into high gear and crews from Select 1 Group (S1G) transport new models and concept cars to show floors nationwide, car fans and critics alike are agog over a pair of vehicles from a major American manufacturer. That hasn’t always been the case but rave reviews from Consumer Reports (CI) and others have turned the spotlight on two hot new products from Chevrolet.

The redesigned Impala, which launched in 2014, was given a hearty thumbs-up by reviewers. One wrote: “Handling is very responsive, and the steering feel is more like a German car than an old-fashioned Detroit cruiser.”

Another said the Impala “rides like a luxury sedan, feeling cushy yet controlled”. The Consumer Reports review also mentioned that the new version of a once-standard Chevy brand was the least-expensive car on its year-end Top Ten list, clocking in at between $27,000 and $40,000 USD. The Impala was ranked 8th on the top ten.

Also from the Chevrolet stable, and ranked sixth on the top ten, is the latest incarnation of what’s been called “the fantastic plastic All-American sports car:, the Corvette Stingray. Consumer Reports reviewers say that this Stingray is “the most agile Stingray we’ve ever tested…it just keeps getting better.”

The two Chevrolet products are nestled among a top ten group that otherwise is composed entirely of European cars plus one Japanese make, the Infinity Q70. Top-ranked of all the cars tested by CI: the futuristic, optionally battery enhanced and fast Tesla Model S.

2015 Auto Shows across the nation:

• North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), Detroit (January 17-25, 2015)

• Chicago Auto Show (February 14-22, 2015)

• New York International Auto Show (April 3-12, 2015)

• L. A. Auto Show (November 20-29, 2015)