2011 Chevrolet Cruze Review

2011 Chevrolet Cruze
At a presentation to the Midwest Automotive Media Association (M.A.M.A.), Margaret Brooks, the Chevrolet marketing director for small cars, gave members a first look and detailed the features of the Cruze that are designed to give customers what they want regardless of the car’s size.

The Chevrolet Cruze is an important car for General Motors, more important in my opinion than the oft publicized Chevrolet Volt. This car not only has the tasks of keeping repeat compact car buyers…especially GM owners, and attracting those ready to move up in size, but also meet the needs of folks who are downsizing but not willing to give up comfort, convenience and features while at the same time reducing fuel consumption. Ms. Brooks confirmed the need to attract those folks who are “resetting” their vehicle needs. The empty-nesters who are perhaps getting out of a larger midsize or a crossover vehicle or finally retire the minivan.

Good news for the Chevrolet marketing folks this time around is that they are not sharing this platform with any other GM brand. GM’s restructuring has left Chevrolet alone with car models in the compact and sub-compact segments. However, formidable offerings from competitors such as the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra and Nissan Sentra will certainly challenge the Cruze.

2011 Chevrolet Cruze price

The 2011 Chevy Cruze has gotten a ton of attention as GM has worked to steal some of the Ford Fiesta’s thunder as both cars prepare to hit the US market. Yesterday, General Motors announced the pricing schedule for their replacement for the Cobalt (and the Cavalier before that) and much like Ford’s Fiesta, the Cruze looks to offer a spread of luxury oriented items in a fuel efficient compact car.

The basic pricing of the 2011 Chevy Cruze is as follows:

Cruze LS starting at $16,995, including:
• Standard 1.8L Ecotec engine and six-speed manual transmission
• The most standard safety features in the segment, with 10 air bags, StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover sensing, traction control, anti-lock brakes, collapsible pedal system, power rear-door child safety locks
• Standard OnStar, with a six-month subscription including Turn-by-Turn navigation
• Standard convenience features including air conditioning, power windows, power door locks with remote keyless entry, driver information center, and XM Radio with three month trial subscription

Cruze LT starting at $18,895, including:
• Standard 1.4L Ecotec turbo and six-speed automatic transmission
• 16-inch wheels

Cruze Eco starting at $18,895, including:
• Standard 1.4L Ecotec turbo and six-speed manual transmission
• Segment-leading expected 40 miles per gallon highway
• Standard 17-inch alloy wheels with ultra low-rolling resistance tires, and enhanced aerodynamic performance package

Cruze LTZ starting at $22,695, including:
• Standard 1.4L Ecotec turbo and six-speed automatic transmission
• Standard six-way power driver seat, leather seating surfaces, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob
• Standard cruise control, Bluetooth phone connectivity, USB port with audio interface, steering-wheel mounted audio controls, and remote vehicle start
• Standard automatic climate control, auto-dimming inside rearview mirror, and ultrasonic rear-parking assist
• 18-inch alloy wheels

2011 Chevrolet Cruze

2011 Chevrolet Cruze

Chevrolet has a lot more than the Volt.

The electric car with a gasoline-fueled generator -- scheduled to arrive at the end of 2010 -- holds the automotive record for the longest launch in history. But the Volt will not have nearly the immediate impact on the environment or Chevrolet's bottom line as the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze will.

And, after a first drive of the car's different powertrains, it looks like the people at Chevy are just as serious about this compact as they are about the Volt.

Spacious and comfortable

Suffice to say, the new Cruze interior is spacious and comfortable. It's bigger than a typical compact and it feels that way.

The drive was designed to get a feel for Chevy's new little Ecotec engines and the car's ride.

Both are excellent.

When the Cruze arrives, it will come with either a 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder engine or a 1.4-liter turbocharged I-4.

The smaller of the two is designed to provide maximum mileage and Chevy promises 40 miles per gallon while still producing 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. (Chevy has not announced the city mileage for the Cruze Eco; however, some of its press material stated a city mileage of 27 mpg, though engineers said that number could improve.)

The engine feels very competent while accelerating or cruising at highway speeds. There's no sense of a turbo lag; by performance alone, it's difficult to know when the turbo is on and when it's not.

One of the reasons for this is that Chevy allows the engine to hit maximum torque around 1,800 rpm so the car never needs to strain to grab the power it needs -- it's already there.

The 1.8-liter engine, which is the base engine for the Cruze, is nearly as good. It creates 136 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque.

Confident, quick and quiet

No matter which engine the Cruze comes with, it will have a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. Both were very responsive, never rushing to sixth gear in hopes of stretching out a few more feet with a gallon of gas. And while engineers will continue to tinker with the calibrations, its overall feel was confident, quick and quiet.

The ride on the three test vehicles was surprisingly smooth and quiet. Chevy even has a patent to show for its work on the rear suspensions, which it calls a Z link. This allows the rear axle to react independently to each wheel input. Add to that the Watts Link, which allows more precise tuning, and a MacPherson strut front suspension, and the bumps are gobbled up.

The car, while not a racer, can certainly handle tight cornering. Even the rack-mounted electric power steering provided nice resistance and a good return to center (though I would have liked a heavier feel the more you turn the wheel).

All of these suspension improvements become especially noticeable when you realize how quiet the car is on the road. The 17-inch wheels on the Eco Cruze (they are the same wheels used on the Volt) do allow more road noise into the cabin than the bigger 18-inch wheels, but, in both cases, the noise levels are very low. It's easy to hold a conversation with someone in the second row without ever raising your voice.

In back-to-back-to-back comparisons with the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, the Cruze was considerably

2011 Chevrolet Cruze Chevy’s New Safe Word

2011 Chevrolet Cruze

2011 Chevrolet Cruze

Is it real? Already on sale in Europe and Asia, it is due in the United States in the third quarter of next year.

What they said: “Leveraging Chevrolet’s design and engineering talent in Asia, Europe and North America, the Cruze brings to market a progressive, globally influenced design complemented by exceptional levels of quietness, quality and attention to detail,” the press release promised.

What they didn’t say: Having the hipster Camaro and talk-of-the-watercooler Volt as its siblings means the Cruze may grow up with a “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!” complex.

What makes it tick? The Cruze features two new small-displacement 4-cylinder engines, proving that General Motors is making fuel efficiency a top priority. Standard for the LT and LTZ models will be the Ecotec 1.4-liter turbo, and the LS will receive the Ecotec 1.8-liter. Six-speed automatic and manual transmissions will be available.

How much, how soon? With the Cruze elbowing its way into the compact segment alongside the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic, expect prices comparable to those competitors’ — starting below $16,000.

2011 Chevrolet Cruze Chevy’s New Safe Word

“Leveraging Chevrolet’s design and engineering talent in Asia, Europe and North America, the Cruze brings to market a progressive, globally influenced design complemented by exceptional levels of quietness, quality and attention to detail,” the press release promised.

Chevrolet Cruze will get 40 mpg and offer 10 air bags

General Motors is unveiling the U.S. production version of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze compact sedan at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week, and it made clear that it hopes a few premium touches will help it make an impact in the small-car segment.

The Cruze will have a new, small-displacement four-cylinder engine, a 1.4-liter I-4 turbo with variable valve timing that is expected to deliver 40 miles per gallon on the highway.

Premium? Check out some of the features and options:

There will be 10 standard air bags -- frontal, side-impact, roof rail head curtain, rear seat side air bags and new knee air bags. Cruze will have electronic stability control with rollover sensing and a lot of electronics, like Bluetooth, USB connectivity, a navigation system, XM Satellite Radio and OnStar.

"Cruze is already a hit across Europe and Asia; and now, it's coming to America to challenge the status quo," said Brent Dewar, a GM Vice President, Chevrolet Global brand. "Along with the Volt electric vehicle, Cruze is the latest tangible example of how Chevrolet is working on exciting products that range from gas-friendly to gas-free."

Cruze goes on sale in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2010, but it has already logged more than four million miles around the world where it's being sold now. The U.S. version will be built in Lordstown Ohio.

2011 Chevrolet Cruze Compact Car Launch Delayed Til Next Fall

2011 Chevrolet Cruze

As U.S. carmakers get serious about building world-class compact cars, one of the most eagerly awaited entries is the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, which will face off against a totally new 2012 Ford Focus as well as revised models of the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Nissan Sentra.

Now reports say that General Motors will push back the Cruze introduction by three months, from next spring or summer into the third quarter of 2010, to ensure a perfect launch.

The upside is that the extra time will allow all models of the Cruze--presumably meaning different trim levels--to be built before the car goes on sale.

The Cruze has received good reviews in Europe and Asia, where it is already on sale. It will be built for the U.S. market in GM's Lordstown, Ohio, plant.

Perhaps the extra time is good, since the U.S. taxpayers who bailed out GM can only hope the 2011 Cruze does better than the first compact Chevrolet built there: the notoriously unreliable Chevrolet Vega.

The Cruze is powered by a turbocharged and direct-injected 1.4-liter engine that will offer fuel efficiency as high as 40 miles per gallon, with the same power as the 2.4-liter engine in today's 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt. The Cobalt will remain in production until the Cruze launches.