Car Spaces

The Chevy Tahoe grabs our Most Improved Player award. Dramatically redesigned for this year, the Tahoe sets new standards for comfort, handling and interior quiet for a large SUV. Its powerful V-8 imperceptibly switches off half its cylinders under cruising conditions, which earns it a 22-mpg EPA highway rating (a full-size SUV first).The formerly cheap-and-cheesy interior has been transformed with a more airy, inviting layout, along with higher-quality materials and workmanship. Rack-and-pinion steering delivers more confident handling, brakes are vastly improved, and stability control is standard (side air bags are optional).The nicest touch? Optional power second-row seats fold and tumble at the touch of a button to access the rear seats.

With supercar performance at a mere-mortal price, the Chevrolet Corvette is easily the best sports-car value in its class. The sixth-generation coupe and convertible squeeze 400 horsepower from their standard 6.0-liter V-8s, and then add superlative handling and stopping power to the mix.The Corvette is also surprisingly easy to live with: It has generous cargo space, a forgiving, comfortable ride — even some fuel economy, with a 28-mpg highway rating. This year, the Z06 model mates a 500-horsepower V-8 with technology usually limited to $150,000-to-$600,000 cars, including weight savers like an all-aluminum chassis and carbon-fiber bodywork.It adds up to a 198-mph top speed and a 3.6-second blast from 0 to 60 mph. It also costs only $65,000 — $105,000 less than the cheapest Ferrari.