Chevrolet Cruze

Sandman6472 · November 2010

Finally saw a white Cruze today from a short distance and was impressed with it's muscular stance. But the black mirrors were a big turn off, no way would I ever buy a car without color coded painted outside mirrors. Tell me Chevy has fixed this faux pas! There's no reason in this day & age to cheapen out with unpainted mirrors! What gives here & which models don't have these? Definitely takes away from the upscale look of this car & would be a deal breaker for me! Just because this is an economy car doesn't mean it can't look good too!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

dave8697 · November 2010

What manufacturer offers painted mirrors on their base model? Painted mirrors require an upgrade to the next level, usually at $1500 or more.
I recently saw a list of cars that still don't even have a/c in their base model. The only GM on the list was the Aveo.

backy · November 2010

But on a black car they'd look fine! (wink)

Must have been an LS. I am pretty sure the 1LT I looked at the other day had body-color mirrors. Notice the car in the photo to the right has painted mirrors also.

One good thing about unpainted mirrors: if you need to replace one, no extra cost to paint them!

backy · November 2010

You forget that we aren't supposed to discuss the merits of other cars here. (wink)

Sandman6472 · November 2010

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

overbrook · December 2010

1. Never said the Cruze didnt have faults
2. I've read Backy's numerous posts and never figured out what he liked about the Cruze since he highlighted every deficiency it has vs the Elantra
3. All I said about the Elantra is that based on other Hyundais I doubt it will ride as well as the Cruze or be as quiet as the Cruze or have an interior on par with Cruze. That's all I said, never doubted that its a stylish and efficient car.
4. I'm all for a full discussion on the Cruze or any car, but when every single post is about the Elantra I do have to wonder why someone like Backy even bothers to keep up with the latest on Cruze. If you have found a totally superior car its probably logical to post in the forum dedicated to that car.
5. The real protests came from Elantra lovers who were angry that a few of us believe there are compromises involved with the Elantra that keep its price and weight low. Once we made such statements the Hyundai fans were perturbed.

overbrook · December 2010

1. The "radio" includes the entire audio system and nav if equipped. I'm sure they dont fail often but my point is other manufacturers cover them just like the rest of the car.
2. If your rotors have an issue after 13 months of ownership that should be considered a defect and some warranties and maitenance plans do cover brakes aside from pads.
3. I've never really heard of cars have rampant problems with HVAC controls or power windows/locks after 3 years of ownership.They are about as likely to fail as your radio.
4. The priciest components of your car are in the powertrain which is why they are covered by at least 5 years by Hyundai's competitors.
5. I got an extra year of warranty for about $800 and my brother got a multiple year extension for less than that on his Mazda3. When financing a car that is over 20k I dont see anyone walking away because they are unwilling to spend less than $1000 on an extended warranty if they want one. Dealer extended warranties are often more extensive than the factory warranty and even cover some wear items.

overbrook · December 2010

a quick look at the website or pics of the car (like the one on this page) reveal that body colored mirrors are standard on all but the base car. Criticisms are fine, if they are warranted and based on anything of substance.

Next will come a complaint about the Cruze only offering wheel covers.

Sandman6472 · December 2010

Ah...no! Y'all really need to "chill"...the 2 of you. It's alright for y'all to make a comment on whatever, but when someone else does the same thing...your attempt at sarcasm comes out...making you look like a fool. Where on earth did you pull out that wheel covers comment? This forum isn't fun anymore and all I can say is look at the sales figures at the end of 2011 & see the numbers of sales for each car...I'll bet the sales of the other well known economy cars will trump your Chevy. As I've said since I came into Edmunds many years ago, the numbers don't lie!

Backy, I'll see you in other forums...this one ain't fun anymore...so why even bother! Later.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

backy · December 2010

Don't give up... there's some folks like you and m6user and me who want to discuss cars, merits and warts. Although I agree that hitting your head against a brick wall until it's bloody is no fun at all. :sick:

I'll keep an eye on this discussion just in case someone posts useful info such as their test-drive or ownership experiences, and as updates occur such as the availability of the Eco and the rumored 5-door.

Based on November sales, the Cruze is selling much better than the Cobalt, if not up to the levels of some competitors. Maybe sales will improve once more reviews hit the auto mags and there's more word-of-mouth talk. The fall/winter auto show circuit should help drive sales also. I always love going to my local show in March and doing the direct and immediate comparisons of all the latest cars. Very useful in the winnowing-down process.

carfreak09 · December 2010

1. Point remains Hyundai and Chevy cover the radio for the same amount of time so they come out equal here.
2. If the rotors warp due to no fault of the owner, ie the calipers stick or dealer techs overtighten the wheels, the warranty will cover it past 13 months. You assume the warranty is just dead and Hyundai will deny any repairs. You are wrong.
3. I guess you weren't aware of the 97-04 Malibu having rampant problems with their HVAC controls failing around 40-75k? Over $500 to replace. Power windows cost $350, and 2 of those failed on my friends Buick Lesabre before the car was 5 years old. How about the electric power steering on the 04-07 Malibu? Been some problems with those. Some cars are more prone to these faults than others, and GM products have historically had more problems here than imports. Thus Hyundai's warranty is nice piece of mind whether it's really needed or not.
4. Pricey components are in the powertrain which is why Hyundai covers them for 10 years for original owner, 5 years for subsequent owners. The original owner gets added benefit while 2nd owners get the same coverage as anyone else.
5. The point is, you don't have to pay for an extra warranty. It's included free. If I could have afforded $800 more in my loan, I would have moved up an entire size class in my recent purchase. In today's tough economic climate, it's hard to justify spending money on an extended warranty. Maybe you make 6 figures or close to it, but I live well under the poverty line. For me, it's choosing a car payment and no expensive repairs or the chance of expensive repairs with no car payment. I can't afford both. Also, beware of warranties that aren't from the manufacturer. They often try everything they can to get out of paying for something and their warranties have way more "if" and "don't cover" clauses than Hyundai can dream up.

All this being said, since I put about 36k a year on my car, Chevy's 5 yr/100k warranty would work for me. I would still worry about the bumper to bumper being used up in 1 year though......

m6user · December 2010

The fall/winter auto show circuit should help drive sales also.

I'm waiting to check out the Cruze at the Chicago auto show in Feb. Since the Focus is set for a spring release I'm hoping they have it there and the doors unlocked! The Cruze was at the auto show for the past two years and it was not open either time. What a tease GM has been with this car.

That's part of the problem with GM too in that they talk about future product so far in advance that when they finally get here it seems like they a little old already. Maybe now that they are a smaller company and different mgt they will get a little quicker to market. I have to admit Ford is doing a little of that with the Focus too. They already have the configurator up and it's probably 4-5 months until the Focus hits dealers.

604doc · December 2010

The fact that any American car can be discussed as being on equal terms with a foreign car is great news for American cars.

Probably couldn't say that a few years ago.

backy · December 2010

Well, you could, but not as much as today. In small cars, the Focus was very competitive from the get-go. Even the last-gen Escort wasn't that bad. And the Taurus was well regarded when it arrived in the mid-'80s, and the Fusion/Milan more recently. And GM's mid-sized cars have gotten steadily better over the past 15 years or so, and are now very competitive. But I think the Cruze is a landmark for GM because its the first really good small car they've built and sold in the US since the... what? Chevy II?

overbrook · December 2010

the general public doesnt follow auto sites- most people never heard of Cruze until September 2010. Its hardly an old model to average buyers. Folks that peruse online news sites about autos are much more aware of new and upcoming models than the general public.

overbrook · December 2010

if your primary interest is most warranty for your dollar than Hyundai wins every time. No other manufacturer offers such a long warranty. My point was that there is significant fine print that makes the warranty less impressive when you see the details. That said, its still more comprehensive than the Chevy warranty. I'm pretty sure Hyundai has very specific reasons for excluding certain items or reducing the powertrain warranty to 5 years if you sell the car. They didnt make those decisions arbitrarily.

I was unaware that the HVAC buttons on GM cars fall off after 40k+ miles. First I heard of that.

overbrook · December 2010

Until Cruze gets adequate inventory sales will probably trail top sellers in class by a large margin. Even the Focus outsold Cruze by 4k units last month. Cars.com has Cruze listed as one of the fastest to turn 2011 models which suggests inventory is tight right now. After a few months of full production I would think you will see volume build quite a bit, especially once the ECO comes online.

crkyolfrt · December 2010

where they are talking right now wishing there were more std trannys available to drive

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.efda853/11380

and I have seen others too since we chatted last, including also; Car and Driver 10 Best chat) but decided to c/p this link

There are still a LOT of drivers wishing for manuals.
And this is especially true in cars that are perceived as sporting or with sporting intentions including ones that just look sporty.
But all these guys who can afford to buy a performance upscale car, still prefer a true manual tranny, not an auto and not even a paddle shifting dual clutch auto.

And Europe still offers many true manuals. I think it is a NA thing..

And every single day I read about how someone had trouble with their auto. At early miles out of wty of course. The freq of trouble on auto vs manual must be 20:1 altho that is just a guess cuz there are so few reports of manual trouble. Partly due to fewer sold, but also because there really are fewer issues. I'm not include clutch misuse issues of course.

While I know you weren't defending just the auto yourself, I wanted others to see some real life opinions out there and just wanted to back up my claims. I never talk through my hat.

chuck1919 · December 2010

There is absolutely no reason to by a manual transmission over an automatic. The only reason I can think of is-driver involvement. If your the type of person who likes to downshift,etc. The miles-per-gallon is even a non-issues with the new 5 and 6 speed autos.

It kills resale values, even on top used models like the Accord. The Accord manual V6 is in hot demand by "tuners". But the 4 cylinders with the manual trannys sit on dealers lot.

I guess you can use cost of repair or replacement as an excuse, then I would in turn say to you your buying the wrong car to begin with. There are many cars out there that go their entire useful life and never need a transmission replacement.

backy · December 2010

If I could afford a performance upscale car, and I would be the only one driving it, I would go for the stick. The last such car I owned, a 328Ci, had a stick. But for a daily slop-through-rush-hour-traffic car that my wife and kids will drive also, I'll go for the slushbox.

So if I were to buy a Cruze, which IMO is not a "performance upscale car", it would have the 6AT. If the Eco turns out to have the World's Best Stick Shift, Ever... then I might have to rethink that. But probably not. The last clutch destroyed by my wife and son cost $1300 to fix.

m6user · December 2010

Saw it at the auto show in Chicago up on the pedastal with a lot of models and music for the past two years. Locked up of course so you couldn't set in it or even touch the car inside or out. That's a lot of lead time when most other manufacturers don't even show their new model's face until just a few months before they are in dealers. Haven't seen the new Focus at any auto shows but it arrives in the spring. I'm just saying two years of auto shows and marketed in other countries for the past couple of years is a lot of exposure. A lot of people read car magazines and go to auto shows...not just roam the internet sites.

m6user · December 2010

I wanted others to see some real life opinions out there and just wanted to back up my claims. I never talk through my hat.

Look, I mean no disrespect and I know you don't like to hear this but this topic has been debated on just about every forum within Edmunds over the years. I don't see any backup to your claims other than "I read a bunch of reports on the internet and talked to a few people". Hardly scientific or meaningful. Do you realize that people can buy most cars with a standard transmission and they still sell only at about 5% rate. Even BMW, Infiniti, Acura which offer all the bells and whistles but still offer the stick only get about 10% sales of manuals. You continue to act like the manufacturers are just plain stupid and don't know what they are doing by not offering more sticks. Manual trannys used to be 50% of the US market back in the day and they have dwidled to around 5%. The manufacturers didn't cause this. It was consumer demand and resale value.

You can buy many, many cars both basic models and uplevel with manual transmissions. The fact that they are not offering it in some levels of economy cars is something they think hard and long about after doing a lot of solid market research. They don't base their decisions on reading a few internet posts.

lf you can actually cite some actual scientific research which proves that there is this vast unsatisfied demand out there.......let's see it. Otherwise, simply posting that you see more and more reports of auto trans problems on the internet and hear of more people that want manual trannys just doesn't mean anything or confirm or prove anything. It's just such a limited number of people that post on internet forums.

I firmly believe there are a lot of people that post in these forums that say they would love to have a stick but when it comes time to actually buy a car they buy an auto because it's more practical in todays commute/world especially in the US. So just because someone posts something doesn't make it a fact. I guarantee you that posting in these forums over and over again that it your opinion that manufacturers should produce more stick models isn't going to turn the tide. Hard, cold sales numbers do.

crkyolfrt · December 2010

Since I read your post on the internet, I'm going to take your advice with as much credence as you are trying to convince me of these other comments I've seen.
If you think that you are going to influence my decision to not post my desire and respect for a superior way of getting power to the wheels you are delusional. Quit following me around and trying to incite conflict. If you continue to do so, you will have your work cut out for you. I let a LOT of your posts go.

And starting a sentence with "Look" followed by your attempt to systematically degrade my opinion, IS disrespectful! I'm here now and I'm bringing it up again. I wasn't around for those chats. Is it a crime? Am I breaking some rule? Ignore it if all you can do is find fault. I offer up a fair degree of technical chat that could be discussed yay or nay but instead of that you choose to come on here and attempt to chastise me? You don't even read accurately what I post (there are examples I could 'cite') so pardon me if I don't respect you or your opinion now. I suggest you ignore my posts from here on.

dudleyr · December 2010

"The miles-per-gallon is even a non-issues with the new 5 and 6 speed autos. "

Look at the specs on the mpg for the Cruze and you will see the error of this statement. The stick does much better than the auto.

carfreak09 · December 2010

Why must you take a statement and twist it into something that was not said just so you can be sarcastic?? I never said HVAC buttons fall off of GM cars after 40k. I said the HVAC control unit (you know, the big shiny thing BEHIND the buttons, LOL) has a high failure rate on 97-04 Malibus. This is a fact. If you read the Malibu forums you would see the issue being relatively common. I discovered this while researching reliability of the Malibu when I almost bought an 04 Malibu Maxx LT back when they first came out. I even took it home for a 24 hour test drive. Loved the car but decided not to buy it because the deal wasn't favorable. At any rate, it was an example of an expensive common defect that is comforting to know a warranty covers past 36k.

chuck1919 · December 2010

It may well be on the Cruze, but not on other makes.
I know this is a Cruze discussion, but we are talking about manual vs. automatics. And since the Accord is popular, I cited it.

2010 Honda Accord (tow trim levels)

5-Speed Manual (City/Highway/Combined) 23 / 33 / 27 23 / 33 / 27
5-Speed Automatic (City/Highway/Combined) 23 / 34 / 27 23 / 34 / 27
The automatic actually achieves more on the highway, but not by much.

fushigi · December 2010

And since the new Elantra will be a strong Cruze competitor:

6MT: 29/40/33
6AT: 29/40/33

imidazol97 · December 2010

>3. I guess you weren't aware of the 97-04 Malibu having rampant problems with their HVAC controls failing around 40-75k? Over $500 to replace.

Sounds like an emphatic statement to me.

I'm not sure what Malibu AC controls have to do with the Cruze topic.

His response was "I was unaware that the HVAC buttons on GM cars fall off after 40k+ miles. First I heard of that."

That fits with "rampant problems." I suspect rather than a $500 cost, it's a 40 cent cost for parts for the vacuum line bypass of a plastic connector which softens and blocks vacuum on certain lines. Plus a minor labor charge for pulling off the underdash hush panel for access to the actual programmer box where the aforementioned connector is located.

I'm explaining what I surmize without further research on the specific years to be the problem that I have read about on a few GM cars.

Hardly a maintenance problem with which to smear the Cruze. The Cruze is almost certainly all electric with no vacuum controls on the AC box.

m6user · December 2010

I really did not use the term "look" as disrepectful. It was used as way to garner attention and try to add some emphasis to what I was saying. Calling someone delusional, however, is disrespectful. I don't follow anyone around. I've been posting regularly on many different forums for over 3 years and only saw you start showing up on many of the forums that I regularly check just recently. So I hardly call that "following someone around".

Really, I could care less if you post a million times about standard versus auto transmissions and I don't even question your statements about whether or not they are better or not because, frankly, I don't care. I only question some statements you make about the huge demand for them and when you make them again, I question them again. That's what happens on these forums. People put out statements, other people either agree or disagree. I happen to disagree with you that manfacturers could sell a lot more sticks if they just offered them. A few more possibly but not a lot more and the economic model is just not there for them or they would be doing it.

You say you weren't there for those chats about the topic. It was obvious to me that you weren't and I was simply pointing it out that this particular topic has really been beat to death many times. If you want to continue with it I really don't care. But please preface your statements with "in my opinion" because that is what it is rather than any kind of well researched information.

I apologise if what I said upset you. I've defended people's right to post anything they want on these forums and let the hosts do their job in that arena so I certainly am not asking you to cease and desist. If you make statements and don't wish to be challenged on those statements(actual debate and discussion) please let me know. Feel free to question anything I say and ask for facts if I make a statement. Keeps me honest too. I usually make every effort to state that something is "IMO" if I don't know if for fact or can't prove it.

Peace.

carfreak09 · December 2010

I suggest further research. I'm only mentioning something owners complained about and that it wasn't cheap to fix the problem. Your right, this has nothing to do with the Cruze. It did however have to do with countering overbrook's comments that when you take away a radio, brake pads, and AC refrigerant there isn't much left for a warranty to cover. I also don't like having my words twisted, which is why I responded again. However, there really is no need to get involved in a convo when you have no idea how it started or what it's about.

imidazol97 · December 2010

>However, there really is no need to get involved in a convo when you have no idea how it started or what it's about.

I deal in the fact. And your fact was wrong, at least in its great exaggeration.

>there really is no need to get involved in a convo.

???? It's a public forum with a topic of "Cruze," in which I'm very interested.

crkyolfrt · December 2010

ya ok...i prefer peace too

carfreak09 · December 2010

Again, do research so you can deal facts. Maybe you are a Chevy mechanic and know a quick simple fix for a problem, but these owners were not reporting a $0.40 repair. They were reporting hundreds of dollars. I know what I read. You already said you weren't speaking from specific knowledge, so obviously, you aren't dealing in facts now are you? Thanks. Here is a little FACT that I pulled up from just a few minutes of research:

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef254da/3513!keywords=allin%3Amsgt- - ext%20limit%3A.ef254da%20AC#MSG3513

or how about this?

wallydog1, "99 Malibu fuel gauge and A/C trouble" #1, 14 Aug 2008 3:47 am

Both of those links refer to the HVAC control unit issues I mentioned. A bad switch is apparently to blame, and its not cheap to replace.

The defense rests :P :shades:

uplanderguy · December 2010

From your example, are we supposed to avoid the Cruze because of someone complaining on a forum about a nine-year old Malibu (two generations before the current car), two years ago?

imidazol97 · December 2010

"The AC not working on one and two could possibly be your blower motor resistor. mine never worked on 1 and 2 and i just replaced myselff for $22. its a bugger to get to, behing the blower motor under the glove box."

From one of your links. $22.

If it's actually the switchset on the dash face rather than a resistor, $84.79. Most dashes are pull aparts with a few screws so that's an easy do-it-youself fix.

Or it can be repaired yourself easily, as your links cited:

"AC is easy to fix, remove switch assembly clean contacts and resolder the circuit board on it no more ac trouble have fixed 2 cars for this already saving a big wad of cash for owners as price for switch is way too much have fun and be careful always disconect the battery first "

Cross exam negated defense using their own witness.

I like to let others do all the work.

But how does this apply to the CRUZE? Other than trying to smear a perfectly good car? We could talk about failures of foreign car models here but that's not the topic. Is the CRUZE good? What's to like about it?

imidazol97 · December 2010

"Holden is in the final throes of readying an expanded, multi-tiered line-up of its soon-to-be-Australian-made Cruze small car ahead of its March release.

"The first small car to be built in Australia in more than a decade has been caught undergoing final development testing in New South Wales as further leaked details suggest the sedan and hatch will be offered with at least four different four-cylinder engines."

It looks like a hatch version is scheduled for AU. Will it be offered here?
Is this a car based the same as the US Cruze? It replaces the Cobalt in AU and also uses the 1.4 turbo and 1.8 engines.

overbrook · December 2010

The 2012 Focus has been on display since the 2010 Detroit show in January. I saw it at the New York show in April and its still not on sale yet. Pics have been circulating for the Focus for over a year because it debuted in Europe first.

The majority of Americans only look at cars when its time to buy and Cruze commercials just started in September. I can tell you no one in my circle of friends of family (aside from a brother who follows the industry) would've had the slightest clue about the Cruze before ads started.

overbrook · December 2010

Looks like first drives of the Elantra are up now- we can see if its the world beater than so many think it will be. After looking at some of the pics on Autoblog I dont like the exterior styling as much as I thought initially- too much going on. The interior is very unique however and of course the car is cheap so its hard to fault the value proposition.

m6user · December 2010

I guess my family and circle of friends are just different than yours. They pretty much all go to auto shows, even the daughters. Since I don't have actual facts or scientific surveys to cite I can't say whether "the majority of Americans only look at cars when its time to buy" or not. I think you can hear about new upcoming cars from a variety of ways so I really can't say.

The Focus was at the auto show 8 months ago? Ok, the Cruze was at the auto show two years ago. I really don't know when pics were first circulating but I'm sure it was well before the first one appeared in US auto shows so obviously more than two years ago. Quite a difference.

Kirstie_H · December 2010

A reporter wants to talk with owners of the Chevy Cruze. Please respond by Wednesday, December 8, 2010 with your daytime contact info, the other vehicles you considered and the type of vehicle you traded in for the Cruze.

backy · December 2010

Some might say "well priced for the class".

Some reviews of the Cruze are popping up too. I'm surprised you or someone else didn't make note of how the Cruze fared in the Motor Trend COTY competition. A Chevy took the award! Not the Cruze, though. Here's some of what MT had to say about the Cruze:

WE LIKE: Thoughtfully designed interior, European styling and driving dynamics.
WE DON'T LIKE: Lackluster powertrain and cramped rear seat; gets pricey when optioned out.

"The Chevy Cruze is nicely styled inside and out. Interior colors and trim are top notch for this class of car," said Theodore.

More of the overseas influence is felt in the driving characteristics of the Cruze. As Kiino put it, "The Cruze has a very European feel to the chassis with a taut ride and firm steering."

While the suspension tuning made most happy, the drivetrain left a little something to be desired. The 1.4-liter turbo engine is only adequate, not impressive in any way, and the six-speed automatic was clunky and slow to respond at times.

A downside of the Cruze was our contestant's shocking as-tested price of $26,310. This almost negated all of the Cruze's positive points gleaned from our driving impressions. Most of us thought this vehicle came in under $20 grand, and while it does start at $16,995, the price when nicely optioned takes away much of its luster.

Full story: http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/car/1101_2011_motor_trend_car_of_the_year_co- - ntenders_and_finalists/chevrolet_cruze.html

MT did a pretty good job capturing my initial impression of the car--except they actually got to drive it: nicely styled inside and out, with high quality interior bits, but a tight back seat compared to some competitors and a high price tag with popular options. A telling comment from MT is that they thought their tester, which stickered for over $26k, was actually priced under $20k. Which could mean the MT folks haven't driven many top-trim compact cars lately... few sticker for under $20k these days. But could also mean Chevy has a perception problem to deal with.

P.S. The Cruze didn't make Finalist, but the Jetta did. Also the tC, which may or may not be a Cruze competitor as it's a coupe, but it's in the same size and price ballpark as the Cruze.

carfreak09 · December 2010

Are there any plans to fill the large hole left by the Cobalt coupe?

overbrook · December 2010

The Cruze was first shown in the US in 2009 at the Detroit auto show which was about 20 months before it went on sale and that was ONLY because it was already revealed overseas. Few people that I know have any clue as to what's shown at the Detroit show since I am in Philly. I can tell you the Cruze wasn't at our autoshow in 2009. It was shown in 2010 in Philly and NYC however. I don't think you honestly believe the average American spends time on auto site reviewing models coming out next year. The majority people I encounter dont have a clue about what new cars are out until adversiting starts- and many dont even know then.

GM went bankrupt and nearly ran out of cash. Those are the facts and it likely delayed Cruze somewhat. Nothing can be done about it now and I will remind you that many Camaro detractors predicted it would flop due to "overexposure" by GM. We know how that turned out.

Focus was revealed in the US in January 2010 (thats 10 months ago and one year before introduction) and it was shown in Europe before that. As I said, the Focus has been very public for some time now and its still not for sale.

overbrook · December 2010

I read that review on MT.com. Nothing new there although their statement about the car being $6k overpriced was laughable. Hard to respect the credibility of any journalists who thinks a loaded compact is $20k in 2010. The new Focus tops out at $28k and the mazda3 is over $26k with the 2.5L engine. Basically, that was MT saying "its a Chevy so it shouldnt be more than $20k regardless of options". Pure ignorance.

I dont know why the Jetta would've been a finalist- must have missed that. Early reviews have noted the Jetta has above average handling but a below average interior and dearth of features. Tc has a cheap interior and few features. I am baffled as to why they felt it was worthy of being a finalist. Read cars.com's review of the 2011 tC- they feel its a step backwards, especially in quality. Amazing how MT will give the Scion a pass on interior quality when that is one of the major bones of contention they've had with domestics.

backy · December 2010

I think they especially liked the Jetta TDI.

It's possible to get a loaded compact for around $20k (Forte and Elantra are two examples, SX4 another), but given the tested LTZ is the top trim and probably had almost every option, it is a curious comment.

I am puzzled why the tC would be a Finalist also. I think it's uglier than the old one, and it doesn't seem to break any new ground except it has sharper handling than the old tC--along with a harsh ride, per other reviews. Not the kind of car I'd go for... but then I'm not 25 anymore, more of a sedan guy now.

elias · December 2010

in some parts of the world there is a Cruze with diesel engine offered.
A Cruze diesel in USA be very nice. Manual transmission please.

carfreakbro, good question about the lack of 2-door model.
I wonder which/if could appear for USA, a wagon Cruze or a 2-door Cruze or any sort of Cruze diesel? :shades:

m6user · December 2010

I don't think you honestly believe the average American spends time on auto site reviewing models coming out next year

Did I say the average American spends time on auto sites reviewing models coming out next year? I don't think so. Are we twisting words again?

dodgeman07 · December 2010

Welcome back to the forums. Now if we can get the Cruze added to the list of Chevrolet models, we'll be good to go!

morin2 · December 2010

New to this discussion but not to Edmunds. I stopped by my Chevy & Honda dealer today to look at some used cars. My 09 subaru outback was smashed from behind & totalled while I sat innocently at a red light by a young driver at 60mph, by his own estimation. So I need a replacement, and considering my 110 mile roundtrip commute, am thinking about a slightly more fuel efficient car (although the Outback, very carefully driven, got 29.7 calculated mpg for its 39K mile lifespan with EPA estimates of 20/26) I record every fill in a small notebook kept in the console and rarely touch the brakes, driving rural highways at 55.

The used cars were too "used looking" for my tastes, so I remembered a $50 gift card offer I got by email from Chevy to test drive a Cruze. I drove a base LS first and was very impressed. I then drove a 2LT and didn't see a great deal of performance difference - although heavy traffic really kept me from a decent comparison test.

I'm primarily looking for fuel economy and safety since my ride is long and there are many serious accidents (nearly every day) and I see a fatal about once every 3-5 weeks. There is no public transportation and relocation is not a possibility since my wife's school is 72 miles from my office and I would prefer to take the additional commute risk than move to more evenly split the difference with her.

I can take advantage of the GM card family discount.

Thoughts on the Cruze for my use? LS vs LT?

Two questions:
1. Post #351 by gimmestdtanny on 11-20 indicates the intake manifold on the 1.4 turbo is the composite. What about the 1.8?

2. The 6-AT shifter appears to have a manual "sport shift" mode, in which you can push the shifter to the left while in D and manually upshift or downshift. I didn't try this feature. Is it a manual "sport shifter"? The one in my late 4 speed auto subaru had that feature and it was nice for twisting mountain roads.

Thanks!

backy · December 2010

I can answer the question on the shifter. Multiple test drive reports I've read recently have noted the manumatic operation of the 6AT. So it does allow manual upshifts/downshifts.

On the LS... did you notice any differences in the interior materials? If it's the same interior quality as on the LT, maybe the LS is a good option. And did the LS have the same power equipment (windows/locks/mirrors) as the LT? I saw an ad for a local Chevy dealer today with about $3000 off most Cruze's, including the LS--which put automatic LSes starting at just over $15k.

Chevrolet Cruze

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