2011 Chevrolet Cruze LTZ
Credit: Auto Week (www.autoweek.com)
ASSOCIATE EDITOR JONATHAN WONG: Holy smokes! This is a nice small car, which is something I haven't been able to say in my lifetime about a Chevrolet compact vehicle. Of course, I've only had Cobalts and Cavaliers to speak about, but those never were able to mount much of an offensive against cars such as the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla. The past Chevy small cars were merely OK, with passable drive characters and inexpensive interiors.
With this Cruze, it's a true small-car contender with a beautiful interior for this class, an efficient drivetrain and attractive, clean looks. On the inside, I particular like that a large portion of the dashboard is wrapped in soft vinyl, which gives is a nice, upscale appearance. All controls are placed in an intuitive manner and the cabin is fairly well isolated from road and wind noise. And the premium Pioneer audio system sounds great.
This small turbocharged four-cylinder and six-speed auto gearbox are powerful enough for most daily situations, but it's no rocket ship by any means. Expressway merges take a heavy right foot and the transmission is a bit sluggish to downshift, but it will get the job done and it's a solid drivetrain overall.
Visually, it's not stunning, but then again, what car in this class is? It's a crisp and simple design, which doesn't offend or isn't overly loud, which is what most people want in this class.
This is a full-zoot LTZ model with a price to match. I'll be interested to see whether I'm as impressed with this car in one of its lower trim levels. We'll have to wait and see. But still, this Cruze is proof that the General is continuing its forward march to providing some world-class cars. I'm also hopeful that a higher-performance model is in the cards down the road. I think this chassis could easily handle more power and be a respectable handler with some suspension work.
COPY EDITOR CYNTHIA L. OROSCO-WRIGHT: I was impressed after my first ride in the new Cruze. I found it to be roomier on the inside than the outside might make you think it is. The sheetmetal and the lines are nice, nothing overly exciting but not dowdy, either. Inside the seats are comfy, I like the two-tone wraparound dash, and all of the controls for the radio and HVAC system are easy to use and access. I didn't have reason to make use of it, but the trunk is quite spacious, and there is good room in the back seat.
The Cruze handles well, the steering is not too light or too stiff and the car responds well. There is some lag off the line, but once you're at speed, the going is good. Hopefully this small car packs a big punch for Chevrolet and General Motors.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR--AUTOWEEK.COM BOB GRITZINGER: For this first time in decades--possibly ever--General Motors has produced a small car that makes you want to actually drive it, rather than just endure it and put up with it. Admittedly, this one is at the best-equipped end of the range, with leather seats, a nice audio system, a six-speed auto trans and a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine. The car appears well-equipped and nicely trimmed inside for the money.
Amenities aside, the underlying chassis and powertrain are really up to snuff--the car feels light and agile, while keeping the noise well-insulated and the bumps well damped. There's a trace of turbo lag/tranny downshift lag when you jump on the throttle, but it's miniscule as the car's relatively tiny engine winds up to provide a decent amount of power for the weight. The car is no rocket by any measure but it doesn't dawdle either, and the whole powertrain seems highly refined in doing its job. Honestly, it feels like a good Honda Civic powertrain--and GM's engineers should take that as high praise.
It's not the sharpest looker on the road, but the understated styling is handsome and reasonable for the segment. And spending the extra $325 for the red metallic paint appears worth it, rather than just some marketing gimmick to get more of your money.
Like the Malibu midsizer before it, the Cruze finally gives GM a true contender in the small-car segment.
EDITORIAL INTERN JAKE LINGEMAN: Without Saturn to kick around, GM had to bring a good new small sedan to market to take on the Focus and the Civic, and they've done it.
No, the looks aren't jaw-dropping, but how many small sedans are? It's a sharp-looking ride. The front end goes along with Chevy's new look. I liked it on the Malibu, and I like it here.
The interior is well appointed. This has to be near the top-of-the-line model. The leather seats are comfortable, the heating function worked great, once I found the buttons, and the premium audio by Pioneer is plenty loud.
I don't really like the two-tone on the inside. A car we had a while back, think it was a Malibu, was the same scheme, tan and dark brown, but for some reason I liked it more upscale on that one. For some reason the brown looks really brown, while on the Malibu it almost looked black. It might be the red exterior that's throwing me off, not sure.
Performance-wise, the Cruze is a great car for the market it's in. I never wanted for more power, and the transmission seems smooth as can be. I love how the car companies are putting six-speeds (or better) in everything now. Under normal acceleration, it shifts quick and smooth. I didn't really sense any turbo lag, I didn't even know it was the turbo model until now. But if there is a little, it didn't throw off the ride at all.
The steering is sufficient for the car. This really isn't an apex carver but it has a good amount of weight to it, especially compared with the Hyundai Sonata that I was in right before, with zero steering feel.
I can see this hitting big for Chevy, but can we have an SS model, please? The Malibu was a hit, and those people who wanted one but couldn't afford the bigger sedan will probably be very happy with the price point and size of this car.
EDITOR WES RAYNAL: It's true, GM finally has a competent small car in the United States (it's had one in Europe for decades), one that competes with the mighty Honda Civic, unlike the Cobalt, some would argue. It's probably not great news for GM that it took this long but it's here now, so let's enjoy.
Yes, if you like small cars, this is as good as the bulk of the competition based, as it is, on the Opel Astra, though I wouldn't put it up against the Golf. I don't think the Chevy is as good. The Cruze looks good inside and out, and most of the interior materials are quite nice. The chassis is decent with a ride that can be a bit choppy at times. There's good power from the four-cylinder turbo. There's a high refinement level here, much higher than the outgoing model and again neck and neck with the Civic--wind and road noise levels are low for a small car. The six-speed automatic was smooth.
What took so long?
2011 Chevrolet Cruze LTZ
Base Price: $22,695
As-Tested Price: $24,415
Drivetrain: 1.4-liter turbocharged I4; FWD, six-speed automatic
Output: 138 hp @ 4,900 rpm, 148 lb-ft @ 1,850 rpm
Curb Weight: 3,207 lb
Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 28/24.2 mpg
Options: Power sunroof ($850); Pioneer premium audio system including nine speakers, amplifier, 250 watts ($445); crystal red metallic tintcoat paint ($325); compact spare tire (replaces tire sealant and inflator kit) ($100)
Credit: Auto Week (www.autoweek.com)
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