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:
Showing 21 through 30 of 474.00-
2014 Chevy Cruze 2LT RS - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
By Dana - October 14 - 11:36 pmI bought this car certified preowned with 24k on it. I have only had it for 3 months and now have close to 32k on her. Gas mileage is impeccable! I was driving 84 miles round trip to work 5 days a week and only having to fill up once! I love the control and the quality of this car. Its my first car Ive bought on my own and I couldnt have made a better choice. I love the TPMS and the oil percentage. Take off and braking are awesome. Almost had an accident last week on the interstate and she went from 70 to 0 without locking the brakes! Overall I would recommend this car to anyone looking for something to commute in. Not to mention it is very fun to drive! And the heated leather seats are amazing when its been a long day at work!
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Pep and Fuel Economy - 2015 Chevrolet Cruze
By Joe - October 14 - 1:52 pmThis car was for my son. Fuel economy and comfort were his main must haves. Through college he was driving a Jeep Wrangler. Very fun but loud, uncomfortable and terrible fuel mileage. Lesson learned. The most important thing I would say is to ignore the exterior noise. From the outside, the diesel is louder than the gas engine but driving down the road, there is no difference. The extra insulation absorbs any diesel noise.
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really nice well built car with alot of optiond - 2015 Chevrolet Cruze
By jeremy - October 6 - 5:21 amWe have had our cruze for two months now and we really like it. It drives great good gas mileage and great style, I have a 5&3 year old and room isnt a problem. And the front seat has a ton of leg room le
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Lemon! - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
By Anonymous - October 5 - 1:34 amI got the Cruze TD and within the first 100 miles my engine light went on. It has gone on 3 more times since then. I did not get a new car to always have it in the shop. I am going to persue the Lemon Law! I did not buy a new car to have it in the shop every few months.
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Typical cheap Americans car - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
By Melissa.ginesi@gmail.com - October 3 - 3:04 pm98000 miles almost entirely highway Under warranty repairs: water pump, radiator, oil pan, stearing column and battery cables. Great for the first three years like the other review, but the A LOT of major repairs after. GM did extend the power tran warranty but after warranty ends the car will go at first major repair. Not a reliable car after 3 years, would not recommend it unless you got a 100k warranty. For your money, you could buy a more reliable Toyota or Honda. GM continues to disappoint the Americans looking for an americn made reliable car.
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GREAT FOR FIRST 3 YEARS - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
By florida len - October 1 - 10:32 pmThis is a very good car for the money and for the first 3 years was totally reliable. After 3 years, 2 warranty repairs were made, and one month later, the car experienced a major oil leak that was fixed under warranty. Also, at 3 years the brakes required mashing the pedal when crawling forward or background when parking. This was fixed under recall/warranty and once again reoccurred 1 month later. While the dealer experience was great, and the repairs were under warranty, the car is turning into a very unreliable vehicle at 3 years, and we are constantly worried about what will go wrong again.
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TOO MAY ISSUES - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
By M Garcia - September 30 - 12:18 pmVALVE cap replaced in 2014 Purge Valve replaced 2015 Car turned off randomly when at a stop Computer panel shut off without warning When idle, car jerks Most recently, car smells like gas inside when car is on and at a stop
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A Cruize without cruise? How can that be? - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
By Paula Hammel - September 30 - 12:50 amI have had my Cruize for 2 years now and I have not had any trouble at all with it. It is dependable and reliable. Only issue I had was that I did not realize that they still made cars without cruise control. I bought mine and assumed that it had it but it did not.
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Check engine light misery - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
By Amity - September 21 - 1:39 pmDont buy. My car has 15k miles and Im in arbitration with GM because its been to the dealership five times in six months with check engine light problems nobody can fix.
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dissapointed in indy - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
By Carman - September 21 - 6:41 amI absolutely loved this car when I first bought it .. honestly I still really like it. I have 51k miles and I am on my third turbo. GM has done a poor job of fixing this issue. I am terrified to take my car out of town as I do not know when my turbo will go out again.
