Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Help me, Cruze owners
I researched the Cruze eco for months before buying. I presented an engineering and design highlights to a Chevy dealer because they were ill prepared for this vehicle. It is NOT in the same class as the Cobalt or cavalier.
This is truly a global design and engineering effort. Lots of testing and design work went into this car. I put my money where my mouth is and purchased a 2011 Cruze eco Stick. I have been following the cruze on forums and Edmonds since then. So far I have been happy with what I see. There are always a few problems when you deal with a large volume production number and I see no major problems. I have had 1 problem with my car, could not fill gas tank beyond 9.5 gallons.
I have 18k miles on the car, some long trips 500+ miles and I still like how it handles and drives. Everything works well and is thought out well in the design. This car is full of little known engineering advances and it seems to be holding up, even when they get older and more miles.
I have over 35 years in the automotive repair business and found this car to perform to what I like and need for daily use.
I was interested in fuel economy and jumped at the chance to get something set up by the factory to provide excellent mileage as long as you know how to drive them.
A very satisfied customer with the product.
As to a dealer, ask around to find the best one, they vary widely as to the service and knowledge about this car so far.
This is truly a global design and engineering effort. Lots of testing and design work went into this car. I put my money where my mouth is and purchased a 2011 Cruze eco Stick. I have been following the cruze on forums and Edmonds since then. So far I have been happy with what I see. There are always a few problems when you deal with a large volume production number and I see no major problems. I have had 1 problem with my car, could not fill gas tank beyond 9.5 gallons.
I have 18k miles on the car, some long trips 500+ miles and I still like how it handles and drives. Everything works well and is thought out well in the design. This car is full of little known engineering advances and it seems to be holding up, even when they get older and more miles.
I have over 35 years in the automotive repair business and found this car to perform to what I like and need for daily use.
I was interested in fuel economy and jumped at the chance to get something set up by the factory to provide excellent mileage as long as you know how to drive them.
A very satisfied customer with the product.
As to a dealer, ask around to find the best one, they vary widely as to the service and knowledge about this car so far.
Tagged:
0
Comments
This may seem like a nit pick, but you know..I test drove this car a few times later to see if this was going to be a problem and I literally envisioned having to make an extension of some sort on that vent or freeze my hand. I guess you could turn that vent off, but then you would have no cold air insulating you from the warmth from the side window glass. In the end I had to rule the car out, and I wanted to like it very much. In fact there was a LOT to like about it. I drove the rest of my test drive, literally with my right hand only to get back to the dealer.
The lesson in this (to me anyway) is that even what might seem to be a small thing at first can turn out to be a deal breaker. Another lesson of course is to spend a good amount of time with your test drives and hopefully in at least the two extremes of our seasons.
It is interesting to note that in the past and with many many automobiles and trucks in my history, have I ever discovered that particular weakness in a HVAC system design. I have run into a few though that allowed good direction of air with that left vent, but had weak flow. For me..weak flow wasn't a deal breaker.
Strengths..just to mention only a few..
- good heater and A/C capacity
- supportive seats
- steering feel
- tranny (auto) and engine communication with each other
- good power (the 1.4l) (I also drove the 1.8 stick..that was the one I drove in the summer and found that unlike other world comments about it being under-powered for the relative heft of the Cruze, I didn't really find that. That said though, I would have gone with the little turbo because its torque at such low revs was just SO useable and an obvious huge contributor to its ability to get outstanding fuel economy if you worked with it).
- good stereo (clarity and power) although I found it to be the least intuitive of all the competition I test drove, to adjust
- good ride but with a caveat (below)
- interior noise levels well subdued..really appreciated that.
Weaknesses:
- on frost heaved roads it was way too quick to want to bottom out on the front end, even at very sedate speeds. In contrast, the VW Jetta (for example) was stellar in that regard.
- the cold left A/C vent
- I found it a bit hard to see out of..mostly to the rear, but this doesn't seem to bother many others I have read.
- stereo adjustability (good range, but not intuitive..was a real annoyance but imagine that you would get used to it but not if you shared cars with the better half on a regular basis)
Overall though a great effort from GM on this car.
YMMV
What was the fix for the gas fill situation?
The car has an excellent a/c vent system, even with the drive side shut off there is ample volume to cool the car. As to the front end, what type of roads are you driving on???? I live in a rural area with gravel roads and pot holes and have never felt the car bottom unless I was going too fast????? The tires on my car are at 50psi, extremely hard for less rolling resistance and even on poor paved roads the ride is excellent, I barely notice the higher tire inflation pressure.
What year and model Cruze were you testing????? I know they made a few design changes in the DIC readout but nothing major in suspension should have been changed.
What tire pressure and size tire were you running on the jetta, I bet that you were at 28-32 psi with much higher side wall tires that would take up the shock of uneven roads. But your handling and rolling resistance truly suffer for a road boat ride. The Cruze Eco is nibble and responsive with the 17" low rolling resistance tires.
If you are looking for a smoother ride than a larger more sedate vehicle is appropriate
From this question, I can only deduce that you don't fully understand the concept of first compression, then rebound damping abilities.
A soft tire may help camouflage jitter shocks/bumps, but does very little (almost right next to nothing) to assist a a questionable suspension's ability to prevent bottoming. I said it was a frost heaved road. I also said it was a sedate speed so that I was communicating that I understood the significance that speed could have on such a road with any particular vehicle. My observation(s) stand. I have driven many vehicles on the same road in the same conditions and made the basis for my comparison easy.
But your handling and rolling resistance truly suffer for a road boat ride.
Surely you are not suggesting that a VW Jetta falls into a "road boat ride" category are you?
My list of strengths far outweighed the weaknesses, I have a feeling you would have only been happy had I had no negatives and was as gung-ho as you appear to be about the Cruze. It's not like I only mentioned negatives..like the fact that a few have had thermostat issues or steering wheels that come off in one's hands.
Anyway, I was not expecting such a defensive response to my post. I said nothing derogatory about the 1.4 litre, vs the 1.8, nor did I indicate any technological comparisons between it and the 1.4l, save defending the 1.8 a bit in terms of ability to move the Cruze compared to other world-wide comments about it being too anemic. I also indicated that my engine choice would be the 1.4l. I posted it to be helpful to the first poster and I can't imagine there would be too many readers that wouldn't vote it as anything but very fair. I'm sorry I didn't direct it only to the first poster, but had wanted to say to you that I enjoyed your first post. The second one...not so much
You still didn't say what the gas fill fix was?
Anyway, enjoy your Cruze Eco.
Sarah, GM customer Service
I am a repair shop owner and tech and I do lots of diagnostics over the phone.
If I have enough details I can usually point you in the right direction!!!
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
Share your vehicle reviews
I have to agree with you on the 1.8L engine. I test drove a few cars with that engine (with my wife and kids in the car) and found it to be entirely satisfactory. Granted my test drive was around flat city streets and not climbing up a mountain, but it seemed more than adequate to handle the job.
I ended up buying the ECO (as we have discussed on another thread) and am very pleased with the car. I haven't noticed any HVAC issues on my left hand...will let you know if I can recreate your experience...
I think the Cruze is one of the best efforts by the Big 3 in YEARS. I hope this bodes well for other models in the future...
6000 + miles in 8-weeks
total trip 35.8 MPG
worst case 31 MPG on I-77 WV mountains with AC
best case 40.1 MPG on I-90 OH with no AC
Car packed full for 2-people
GM got it right...would love to get the hatchback into the US
Looks like the dash in the 14 diesel is the same
Sorry, I haven't been lurking around here lately... I drove into work today 58 degrees, A/C on full blast to check out the freezing left hand effect...LOL.. It seems that you cannot fully turn the vent away from your left hand, so there is always a breeze hitting the back of your hand while driving (unless you completely shut off the vent), so I can see how that might get annoying. Fortunately for me, the weather is mostly mild where I live, so the whole freezing left hand has not impacted me.
Have you considered wearing a snow glove on your left hand to counter act the a/c?
I always drive with my hands at the 10 and 2 position. I have been told that this is dangerous due to an airbag inflating. I have been trying to lower my position to approx 9 and 3. Hoping this is better for the AC issue as well. Let me know, I am hoping to buy a 2014 LT.