Gas mileage or get up and go? Sporty or sophisticated? There are many choices that a prospective car buyer must make during their research process. Many drivers will want a balance of luxury, fun, and affordability in a compact car. That’s a tall order, isn't it?
Well, in this review, I will explain how a blend of these attributes was found by me in the Chevy Cruze.
Affordability and Competitiveness
Edmunds.com puts it like this : "When compared to this segment's traditional leaders, the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, the Cruze is fully competitive (or even better) in terms of design and driving dynamics."
For just over 23,000 out-the-door I was able to purchase a 2LT Cruze with black leather, sunroof, lightly tinted windows, front seats with three levels of heating, power driver’s side seats, remote start and keyless entry, Bluetooth (although this hasn’t worked yet with my phone), steering wheel with cruise and audio controls, and a USB port in the armrest where the driver may upload gigabits of music that can be controlled through the cars normal audio interface. Not too bad for a compact car.
Many of these features would cost a larger chunk of a buyer’s wallet in a mid-size or luxury brand auto. In fact, the affordability of the Cruze is reflected by U.S. News and World report who has ranked the car 7th in affordability out of 33 small automobiles.
Safety
When it comes down to it, buttons and technical gadgets are great, but an automobiles primary job is to get the driver home safely. GM advertises their attention to safety by showcasing the car's Stabilitrack electronic stability traction control, ten airbags including several for the front passenger's knees, and on most models 4 wheel ABS brakes.
All of these attributes have contributed to the car receiving the top rating of "good" in all six safety categories according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Exterior
In addition to the comfort and quality of the interior features, the exterior of the car has style without pushing too much to be cutting edge for the sake of being cutting edge. The front facade has a strong and sleek look with bold lines from the headlights, as well as lines that steak across the sides towards the rear taillights.
Where, in contrast, the new Hyundai Elantra has, to me, an odd, overly styled front that borders on goofy while the Mazda 3’s smiling face is just plain cheesy.
Engine and Handling
The Cruze’s engine definitely has ample personality though. The 1.4 liter turbo takes some getting used to at lower gears because it does search for that boost around 20 mph for example. In contrast to the lower gears, over 40 mph this car will zip by others when the driver asks for it.
Kirk Bell of MSN Auto agrees, "While power has certainly been sacrificed, the 1.4-liter turbo provides enough punch for most everyday needs. There is some minor turbo lag from a stop, and passing can be labored."
Furthermore, engine noise is present between gears, but is not overbearing. In fact, most cabin noise is minimal even at highway speeds, especially when compared to compacts such as the Honda Civic, which brings in a lot of wind noise while on the highway, and the Mazda 3, which sounds like an angry engine that you just woke up from a deep sleep when you ask it to move.
Critiques
However, not all about the Chevy Cruze is perfect. For one, although the trunk is extremely roomy, with 60/40 split rear seats, the leg room in those rear seats are compromised by the added storage square footage. For me though, this is not a major concern because my main rear passenger is my seven-year-old stepson who doesn’t quite need immense leg room at this time.
On the other hand, the main issue I am battling with is the gas mileage.
During mixed highway and local driving, I have averaged from 25 to 26.5 MPG. This is so, even though my digital display would read 27 to 28. My hope though is that since I have less than 3,000 miles on the car at this time that the mileage will improve. Of course, I hope this occurs quickly because it seems that we will be paying for gas with gold bullion soon enough at the rate of the current prices at the pump.
Final Assessment
In all, the Chevy Cruze is an automobile that attracts buyers with affordable features and a luxury like interior. Although if GM really wanted to win everyone over, they would extend their warranties like Hyundai did when they were beginning to prove to the market that they made cars to last. Still, if you are looking for a compact car that doesn’t act like it, and you are willing to give the home team another shot, the Chevy Cruze welcomes you with open cylinders.
Sources:
- " What's New for 2011 ". Edmunds.com. 17 Apr. 2011. Web.
- "Chevy Cruze-What the Auto Press Says." U.S. News and World Report, 22 Dec. 2010. 17 Apr. 2011. Web.
- Cheverolet.com. General Motors. Web. 17 Apr. 2011.
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Highway Loss Data Institute, 22 Dec. 2011. 17 Apr. 2011. Web.
- Bell, Kirk. "2011 Chevrolet Cruze-Review." MSN Autos. 17 Apr. 2011. Web.
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