Overview & Reviews

The Chevrolet Cruze does not have history on its side. The Chevrolet division of General Motors has historically done "big" well: big trucks, big family sedans and big V8 muscle cars. When it comes to small cars, though, the General hasn't been so good, with the lamentable Cavalier and Cobalt being the two most recent examples. But that's changed with the compact Chevrolet Cruze sedan, an honest first-class upgrade that meets its world-class competition head-on.

The Cruze's handling is sharp and precise, and its fuel economy is potentially quite high. There's even a diesel version that should give Volkswagen Jetta fans something to think about. With a variety of truly impressive competitors available these days, we wouldn't exactly call the Cruze a class leader, but its well-rounded nature shows that Chevrolet can now do "small" as well as "big."

Current Chevrolet Cruze
The Chevrolet Cruze is a five-passenger compact sedan offered in LS, LT, LTZ, Eco and Diesel trims. A 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine generating 138 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque motivates the Cruze LS, while the LT, LTZ and Eco models upgrade to a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine with 138 hp and 148 lb-ft. The diesel features a 2.0-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder rated at 151 hp and a formidable 264 lb-ft. The LTZ and Diesel come standard with a six-speed automatic transmission; the other trims have a six-speed manual, with a six-speed automatic as an option.

Regardless of trim, the Cruze is well equipped, as even the base LS gets air-conditioning, full power accessories, Bluetooth phone connectivity and a six-speaker sound system. Like many modern compact cars, the Cruze can be equipped with a variety of comfort and convenience features previously reserved for luxury cars. These include blind-spot monitoring, leather upholstery, heated seats, a power driver seat, a rearview camera and a 7-inch touchscreen with smartphone integration. Just because you're buying a small car doesn't mean you can't have all the bells and whistles.

In reviews of the Chevrolet Cruze, we've praised its athletic handling, even on standard-suspension cars. The available sport-tuned suspension predictably provides a firmer ride, but it compensates with downright sporty responses on winding roads. Less appealing is the regular automatic transmission; it's reluctant to downshift at times and not particularly smooth. Happily, the torque-rich Diesel gets a different six-speed automatic that's more responsive -- this is one of our favorite Cruze models due to its excellent fuel economy and spirited acceleration.

Taking center stage inside is a dual-cowl dash layout seen on some other Chevrolets, combining with two-tone color options to create a stylish environment. However, the Cruze uses some plastic trim that seems cheaper and harder than that of its competitors. The Cruze's front seats are a bit narrow, which might be an issue for some drivers, but they offer plenty of adjustment and are both supportive and comfortable. A low cushion for the backseat diminishes comfort for longer-limbed riders, whose thighs will have minimal support. Actual legroom is average for the segment, but the trunk is surprisingly large.

Used Chevrolet Cruze Models
The current, first-generation Chevrolet Cruze was an all-new model for 2011. A few new features arrived for 2013, including a rearview camera and Bluetooth streaming audio. The Diesel model didn't debut until the 2014 model year.

User Reviews:

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  Liked it for 1st year - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By mnflyer - March 19 - 3:42 pm

  I enjoyed my Cruze for the 1st year and a half, even though it had its fair share of issues covered by warranty. It handled well enough and I felt it was a good value. In 2 years I put on 43K miles mostly commuting on the highway. During the warranty period, I had 2 cases of "check engine" light on which were caused by faulty sensors. Also I had a steering issue whereby the steering would slightly stick at highway speeds. It often had a strange groaning sound from the engine. Biggest problem. "AC off due to engine overheat" It took 5 trips to the dealer to fix it. I wanted a car I could drive trouble free for many years and realized this wasnt it. I traded it in for a Hyundai.

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  My favorite car ever! - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By nesreena - March 19 - 6:14 am

  I just completed 40 thousand km in 13 months and i had zero issues with this car, it is a very responsive car with amazing features for its price and range, this is my first car to drive and I never drove before that yet it made me love driving and cruzing with it....

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  Terrible vehicle - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
  By reynolds4 - March 9 - 6:47 am

  I bought this car on 2/11/13 and as of 3/7/13(less than 30 days!) it is in the shop getting a new engine placed. Why? Unsure, the Chevy dealership could not figure out the problem so I get a new engine placed. Lucky me, I get to make my first car payment while it is on a lift in the Chevy dealership. Reliability is gone! I was a former Toyota owner and wish now that I had purchased another one (12 years of absolutely no problems!) I just hope that this car lasts as long as my payments do. Very disappointed with this product. I wish I could just get a refund and be done with this!

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  Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By timberly1987 - March 8 - 6:46 pm

  Where do I start, while I love the look of the car and the gas mileage.. thats all I got.. I have had nothing but problems with it, the e-break doesnt hold and Ive had to stop it from rolling down a hill,. The pins that hold the fuses in all broke and fuses fell out, making my dashboard and electronics not work, my trunk is always popping open randomly, so I cant store anything in it. my rear defrosters dont work, my window striping had to be replaced, the radio sounds horible. No cup holders in the back (MAJOR inconvience) The seat belt strap cannot be used in the lowest setting, it doesnt retract and cuts my neck

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  2011 1LT Cruze is a GREAT Little Car - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By dwalsh2 - March 5 - 8:32 am

  I have now had this car for just over two years and almost 21K miles. I have never had a car that I enjoyed as much. When I first purchased it, there were lots of little "back to the dealer" fixes, but they were all corrected. I am pleased with the mpg, though I know foreign cars of similar size typically get better. I drive a combination of city and highway and typically get about 29 to 29 mpg. I do not feel like I am driving a small car. Recently, I had a rear-ender in which the other driver slammed into me at a pretty good clip. The trunk lid was damaged and the bumper was, but it wasnt very obvious. I was able to drive away, while the other driver was not.

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  I never set out to buy a Chevrolet Cruze - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By southlandhb - March 1 - 4:47 am

  I did not have the intention to buy this car. However, I did have the intention of test driving and exploring a broad mix of vehicles across many makes and vehicle classes. So I drove a lot of cars from Audi to Volkswagen, because like excellent Italian food- you cant know how close or how far you are until youve tasted the good stuff! That said, the Cruze unexpectedly met my expectations offering what I felt was an excellent balance of features, driving dynamics all at a very fair price.

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  1 year, 14k mile review - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By 60rockstar - February 23 - 6:37 pm

  Routine maintenance only zero problems. I purchased an LTZ RS for my son to take to college. On his trips home he is averaging 33 m.p.g. (80% highway, 20% city). The Cruze is feels very solid, like a much bigger car, handles well, and is quiet. I drove it on a two day trip, which included 12 hours through a snowstorm (almost blizzard) across Pa and NY the day after Christmas and it did great in the snow (on factory tires). The car was comfortable for that long of a drive, as much as anything else I have driven. I think GM did a great job with the fit, finish, and styling. My son drove a Cobalt while in high school - the Cruze is nothing like it.

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  2012 Chevrolet Cruze LS 1.8 6 Speen Manual - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By luvmy2012cruze - February 22 - 10:51 am

  Excellent car! This car trumps the competition. I have read the reviews on this car and see a lot of complaints about it, none of which I have encountered. I just rolled over 15k in it and have not had a problem. Many of the reviews I say complain about the turbo in the 1.8 LS......if they read about the car they would know that the 1.8 LS does NOT come with a turbo. Gas mileage complaints.....depends on how you drive I average 34.6 mpg and I am not easy on the car. I drive this car extremely hard and fast, average 75-80mph on the highway, but still get 430 miles to the tank. Not as powerful as the 1Lt and up models, since it does not have a turbo, but I am very very happy with it.

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  2012 cruze - a great value- - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By mnharris - February 13 - 4:44 pm

  So far so good with my 2012 Cruze. Great car on the highway, this is a huge reason why I bought it over the competition. The Cruze feels like a Lexus compared to some others (especially the Hyundai Elantra) very quiet and smooth. So far I average 33 mpg with a 50/50 mix of highway and in town driving. Nothing has broke yet (32,000k) and it feels solid and well built.

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  Lots of Problems - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By bdawg1210 - February 6 - 8:44 am

  My Chevy Cruze currently has 42,00 miles on it and it had been a painful 42,000 miles. I have to take my car in almost monthly to get serviced. Some of the problems I have encountered is the fan not working for the a/c and heating unit, water pump broken causing my car to leak anti-freeae making my car over heat, weird noise coming from front left tire that all the mechanics say is weird because they hear it but cant find the problem, the list goes on. I would not recommend buying any year, make, or model of the Chevy Cruze. I bought the car because I wanted to support a U.S. automaker because all the other cars I have previously purchased were foreign, but I will never buy a chevy agai