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Comments
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Chevy Cruze Website
Go to features and specs and you'll see the various trim levels. My summary: 1LT includes everything I need except cruise control which comes in an option package that's about $500. 2LT is loaded with everything except Nav standard.
Even if the Cruze only has 50% domestic content, being built in Ohio by General Motors makes it a safe bet that 75% of the money stays in the U.S.
A 75% "domestic" Toyota on the other hand? More than half that money ends up back in Japan.
As far as fit and finish goes, the Cobalt has none of it. We're sorry to say that from the first day we had the car, its hubcaps buzzed and rattled with every road reflector and driveway entrance. Body panel gaps are large enough to actually see the scissor hinges when the trunk is closed. The metallic paint showed several spots of orange peel plus uneven application. And there's that wrinkly pinch weld running the length of both running boards that we haven't seen since, well, window cranks went away.
This car really is a throwback to a bygone era. How did we ever survive the 1970s? We must've had so much more time and patience.
-end 2009 Cobalt XFE
Uneven panel fit and gaps on the body, uneven fit in the interior, and even the GM badges on the fender at two different heights are some of the items I have experience with.
Standard with the car. I must of looked at 40 before purchasing the one in my driveway and they all had fit and finish problems.
Inexpensive, a good value and so far no major problems to complain about. Fender had to be realigned when it was new, a recall was performed on the transmission and front rotors had to be resurfaced right after it was purchased. Rotors were likely due to car sitting so long before purchase, I don't blame GM for that.
Recall was minor and performed during oil change.
I don't drive this car daily though I have experience driving it. It is reliable but it is crude in some ways. Favorite feature is the Pioneer stereo.
I have plenty of experience with GM products. Have disassembled and built a couple of vehicles built at Lordstown. 350 with solid lifter cam and M21 tranny installed in an orange '74 Vega Wagon got me into way too much trouble when I was younger.
Would I buy a Cruze? No. I'm waiting for the 4.5L Duramax to show up in a 1/2 ton.
Do I think that GM has impressively improved the Cruze compared to Cobalt, yes.
Cruze needs time to prove itself one way or another in the marketplace.
GM earned it's small car reputation, Cruze is GM's opportunity to change perceptions.
You may think I'm talking out of turn, I think you have a chip on your shoulder.
What trans recall? I do think mine is stiff to go into first at times.
But I stand by my statements about road noise compared to Japanese competition. I think most people would find that hard to believe...unless they experienced it themselves.
You say that every single car built at Lordstown since 1971 is a P.O.S., and I have a chip on my shoulder?
I think there's a lot of people who have bought more than one new Lordstown-built vehicle and not been maimed or driven insane by doing so!
I've had three myself. (I'm waiting for the retorts now!)
Secondly, I can call BS on many of your claims since I've actually driven the car. The interior had tons of hard plastics and there were some areas where the panels had less than ideal fits. The build quality wasn't poor, but the design of some of the components left certain areas with a subpar finished product. Exterior fit and finish has been fine on the car I drove and others I've seen. GM hasnt really had exterior panel fit issues in many years. The Cobalt is quiet, powerful and has a compliant ride. As someone noted it has struts for the decklid which is uncommon in this class. It also has a hood strut which many pricier Fords dont even have. The Cobalt also had stuff like a TPS, trip computer, remote start, Onstar, oil life monitor, etc. which are all but unheard of in the competition. Edmunds is known to be pro import and I would take their cobalt bashing with a grain of salt. My only real complaints about the Cobalt (aside from dull styling) related to the uncomfortable backseat and some of the hard interior plastics. The car drove just fine and was very refined.
Actually the plastics are durable and will survive, unlike some other small cars I observe parking next to them with cracking interior plastics deteriorated from the sun's effect.
The drive is very comfortable; it's like a much heavier car most of the time. But it follows the road as soon a it starts to get wavy.
The cost for maintenance is great because I can actually do the oil and filter changes myself.
The economy is more than adequate since it's an automatic transmission.
Visibility from the driver position for parking is superb.
######
As for the people spending their time trying to criticize the new Cruze based on their dislike of some mythical GM scheme to defraud them with a poor product in the past, go get a life and take off those tinfoil hats. Art Bell's show is on nightly to get your fix of the past paranoia.
I've seen two, a midline and a topline model at the local dealer.
I suggest ignoring the off topic distractions and keep the topic on the new Cruze which looks great.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Saying that the Cruze "replaces" the Cobalt isn't entirely accurate. The Cruze is built at the same place, hence the Cobalt goes away, but if you look at a Cruze you'll see it's larger, more plush, and more expensive. When GM starts building the new Aveo or whatever it ends up being called, in Michigan, I think that will fall more in place in the lineup with where the Cobalt used to be.
That's very obvious.
The Cruze does replace the Cobalt. Most compact cars are getting larger, more plush and more expensive. I'm pretty sure the industry and customers will cross shop the other compacts against the Cruze. The Aveo will compete against other subcompacts. You can't create a new category just by adding a couple of inches.
I'm interested in the Cruze but to say that the Cobalt was/is a great car is just not facing reality. Basing statements on "personal experience" is a statistical 0. I've rented Cobalts a couple of times on business and wasn't impressed but they were OK but I really didn't care for the interiors much. Average reliablity by CR is decent but doesn't make it a great car. Was it ever actually recommended by CR or a "best buy" or anything like that? Just about every auto mag panned the Cobalt(except the SS) over the years, not just Edmunds.
I've owned many, many GM cars over the years. My first was a 1960 Biscayne and my last was a 1993 LeSabre Limited. Had great luck with some and terrible experiences with a couple but probably average overall when compared to the rest of the industry. I absolutely loved the LeSabre and kept it for 13 years before giving it to Kars for Kids. But when I looked at my folder of repair bills I was amazed at how many times I was in for recalls, warranty work and fairly major repairs over the years. Literally, several thousand dollars. Just goes to show you how you can overlook those things if you really like the vehicle.
What I think the Cruze has going for it is decent economy, decent room and upscale textures/features rolled into one package. If the quality is there it could be a very nice compact car with room for adults. I just wish they would offer Homelink as I can't stand having garage door openers hanging from my visor.
That would include people's experience renting the base models, wouldn't it?
So, how does the Cruze look?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Chevy is going to get killed on this car. The Sonata is twice as big, gets 35mpg and has a much better warranty.
He was specifically refering to his personal experience with a car in supporting an argument....not just relating an experience. Besides he corrected me in that he said it was a great value(at the right price off MSRP) rather than a great car. With that I would tend to agree with him.
Don't want no turbo here, just an auto slushbox with some upscale features...so what model should I be looking at?
The Sandman :sick: :shades:
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
Why are you asking for other's advice then?
T I A to anyone who can answer my simple question!
The Sandman :sick: :shades:
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Anyway, The two engines for the Cruze are a normally aspirated 1.8L I4 and a turbo 1.4L I4.
Actually, opinions are based on facts but the facts are insufficient to produce complete certainty. This critical distinction is what differentiates the meaning of the word "opinion" from the meaning of the word "fact."
It naturally follows, therefore, that the more facts the opinion is based on, the more valid it is.
Subjectively, it has beautiful styling and is much larger and more comfortable than a Cruze.
Why would I buy a Cruze over a Sonata? Seriously, what would sway me?
From what I've seen and read, and this is only an opinion based on those things, the Cruze is very upscale, handles well, is very quiet and well put together....possibly nicer inside than the Sonata but I would really like to experience it for myself so I can comment more intelligently.
Let's stick to MSRPs when discussing because "street prices" like you mention are all over the board and you certainly can't compare a street price for a Sonata that has been out for 9 months to the MSRP of the Cruze which is just now hitting dealerships. The Cruze will eventually sell at a pretty good discount as well I'm sure.
Personally, I like the Cruze because I like my local Chevy dealer's Service Dept. personnel and have for some time; the styling is conservative (to me, the latest Sonata looks 'boy racer', like a kid in 9th grade sketched it), and it's built 40 miles from me so I am positively affecting people in my area by buying it. It's too early to tell about the Cruze, but posts on Edmunds and elsewhere have shown some early quality glitches with the Sonata, too.
Cruze 1LT with a spare tire and the "Connectivity plus Cruise" package: $19,520
Sonata GLS Automatic: $20,915
Since I want a manual the Sonata is $19,915. I can't even get a Cruze with a MT unless I get a stripper. Thanks, GM. I wonder if they ever bothered to add up all the sales they lose by attempting to force people to take automatics. In CO where I live, Subarus, VW's, BMWs, Audis, Hondas and yes, Hyundais with manual transmissions abound. There are very few GM cars at all, and the lack of MT availability is one reason. That and the fact that GM killed almost all of their dealers here, and the ones left are total morons. If it wasn't for pickups/SUVs, their market share for new vehicles here would be somewhere around that of Kia. I'm not kidding. They just don't get it.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
overall, a very nice package. Looks good, huge trunk, and plenty roomy. I am 6' and had good leg, toe and head room in the abck seat.
Seemed pretty upscale in design and features. Seemed to be comfortable (driver's seat), but until I get it all adjusted and actually drive the car, hard to tell. But, the seat cushion seemed to be long enough (close to my Accord) for thigh support.
one bizarre feature (a Ford trick) was a 1/2 power seat. the bottom was power, but the recline was manual, and the lever was in an awkward position. Probably not a big deal, since I rarely change that setting anyway, but still nice to have.
a big plus was the gas tank size (15.6gal). Combined with the MPG ratings, should have a nice long cruising range. Really bugs me on some smaller cars where they have like a 12 gal tank, and aren't getting the kind of MPG to make it useful.
sticker on the 2LT I sat in was 22.8K, the LTZ was 24K. Not cheap, and gonna face a ton of competition. And forget the sonota, the elantra is about to come out as a redesign. Same size, and probably cheaper.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
You are right. I think the new Elantra that looks similar, but even better IMO, to the '11 Sonata is going to be huge competition for the Cruze. With the new 6 speed tranny it will be interesting to see what kind of numbers the Elantra will bring mpg wise. I think they are shooting for 40hwy.
Then next spring the new Focus arrives. Civic and Corolla are starting to seem pretty long in the tooth and the clock is ticking for them unless they really do a turnaround. Chevy, Ford and Hyundai are really going to make inroads with these new compacts!
I sat in a new Cruze in a car show and it was in my opinion the best compact car I had ever seen. The early reports of how it drives are very impressive. It is quiet, refined, has an extremely high fit and finish and an extremely low N/V/H quotient. As you point out, it was not designed to compete with the Sonata which, although admirable in many ways, is far less refined and quiet on the road and with a harsher and less compliant ride than the Cruze.
As for automatic transmissions, it always amuses me when their devotees get up on their high horses about how they wouldn't touch a car without one. I drove sticks for sixteen years straight and in fact learned to drive on one. That was in the country with open roads and no stop lights. In heavy city traffic, where I live now, a stick is a royal pain in the rear with constant shifting, poorer gas mileage and tedium.
The new multi-gear auto transmissions are getting better every year (my remarks do not apply to the odious CVT which has been resurrected for the marginally higher fuel economy it is supposed to impart at the cost of driving fun and higher noise levels - in my opinion not worth it for the minuscule and questionable increase in fuel economy) and as the boomer generation matures and constitutes an ever higher percentage of the automotive buying public, the demand for manuals will decrease even beyond the very low levels it is at now. With the exception of a few muscle and specialty cars, there will be not nearly enough of a demand for them to make carrying them prudent or making them a wise economic move by most any car manufacturer.
There is one more reason the Cruze is a great car. The profits from the sale of every one remain in America and do not go to South Korea or any other foreign country. People who buy cars from import manufacturers love to brag that these bring "jobs" to America because they are made there. This is a spurious argument on the whole. The overall economic impact of these arrangements is negative, however, because the amount of money lost in shifting profits overseas greatly exceeds the contribution to the American economy of having a few manufacturing plants domestically. If profits were maximized to Hyundai and others by making their cars in their own countries, they would do just that. As they are not, the cars are made in America.
At a time when profits and profitability of every commercial concern from auto manufacturers to pretzel makers is critical to placing the economy of the United States back on a strong footing, it would behoove automobile consumers to consider the effect their purchase has on their own country. If jobs continue to be lost in America the ability of more and more folks to afford a car from anywhere will be reduced. Charity does indeed begin at home.
I wish you every success in your representation and sale of the new Cruze. I know it will do very well for you and for GM and, quite frankly, for America.
Please site verification of the above statement, and not just someone's opinions .
In addition, is the Honda Accord, Toyota Tundra, Camry, American or imports? They are manufactured here, as is many Hyundai products, as is the Sonata.
I could care less where a car is manufactured. I want what is best for me. GM made very stupid decisions in the past. Is it my duty to prop up a company because they have made bad decisions? That is a a bad argument.
I don't think you want to be bringing up the US content argument when the car you are arguing for is less than 50% US-made, and the car you are arguing against is made in Alabama. Is a Chrysler a US vehicle? How about a Chrysler made in Mexico? My Chevy truck made in Canada? An Aveo made in Korea?
Buy what you like--that's your business--but why not compare the "hometown job" to the one made by a company that started, and continues to be headquartered, in South Korea? Not to mention, there have been some teething issues with the Sonata...look at the forums here.
I'm itching to drive a Cruze. I stopped at a dealer about 15 miles from here and he had three LT's...the 1LT I thought was an LS--it had the plastic wheel covers...but the other 1LT had aluminum wheels as did the 2LT. I'm kind of liking the 1LT with aluminum wheels, for equipment/price ratio. I also prefer cloth seating which the 1LT has but the 2LT doesn't.
That discussion is over here at "Buying American Cars What Does It mean?"
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.efe81db/10390
>sale of GM products currently goes to paying off loans made by taxpayers to GM. Where did the money for the loans come from?
Since the Cruze is made by GM this can be interpreted as relevant to the topic.
Would you rather have had a major portion of the industry shut down as GM shut down unaided? That would have cut off suppliers for many brands of automobiles and many companies? With all the losses of manufacturing jobs, wishing for the whole economy to have gone into a real, not ficiticious, depression, costing people jobs, lives, and possibly worse is just plain cruel. Many people show little concern about portions of the USA which has suffered greatly with losses of manufacturing jobs related to automobile manufacturing the way it is. Those of us in Ohio, Michigan and other states have born terrible pain because of the loss of jobs. To have wished worse on the whole country and specifically on certain parts of the country is unthinkable.
So is your tenet is that GM should still be closed down and dissolved because they have a small amount of money compared to that wasted by the current government and therefore there should be no Cruze, which most would describe as even better than the cars offered by other manufacturers and by GM during the 90s and 2000s? Feel free to continue this in the proper topic Buying American....
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.efe81db/10390
I have already made my point that the Cruze is a step up from the Cobalt and the Cobalt is much more than some noisier folks wanted everyone to believe.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The Focus 4-door would totally dominate in this class next year if the 2012 Elantra wasn't so damn good looking, too! Once these models are on the market, I can't fathom Toyota selling any Corollas to retail customers....maybe they should make them a fleet-only model like the Malibu Classic was for a few years?
None of these cars are serious enough driver's cars to hurt Mazda3 sales too much. Although the 3 i (entry, 2.0L models) may lose some sales to Focus and Elantra especially. Maybe Mazda will touch up the MZ3 to keep it fresh against these newcomers...and by touch up, I mean get rid of that stupid grin on the front!!!
Yes and 100% of the vehicle profit goes back to Asia. Hyundai/Kia have made great strides but unless you get a Genisis or Equus, they drive like tin cans on wheels.
Chevrolet built the Cruze to be a smooth and quiet "premium" small car and succeeded. The Sonota and Elantra are still too rough in NVH for me.
Ward's Auto World review
Should ahve taken the test drive yesterday when I was test sitting, but I know that I am not in th emarket anytime soon, so I didn't want to waste the guys time (plus have to give my personal info!). I happeneded to be the only customer in the store I think, and the salesfolks were just standing out front watching the world go by. Never even stepped into the store until the salesguy went to get a card and brochure. Never even gave more than my first name. Very low key.
This place also had 2 GS vettes on the showroom floor. All black coupe, and yellow convertible. Both manuals, bless their hearts.
and at least 15-20 Camaros all lined up out front.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.