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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Superb car !!! - 2015 Chevrolet Cruze
By Deep - August 3 - 2:00 pmI bought this car in May 2015, I am driving this vehicle.. it is Great car so far, good features,
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Love my Cruze - 2015 Chevrolet Cruze
By BJB - August 2 - 7:58 pmGreat car for a great price. I have a lot of bang for the buck. Consider this car.
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Love it! My first gm product. - 2015 Chevrolet Cruze
By TW - August 1 - 12:37 pmJust picked up my cruze a couple weeks ago. I always drove Chrysler products all my life. After my dodge Caliber fell apart, I got this cruze. Love the room, comfort and performance. Especially for a car of this size. If gm keeps making cars like this, I doubt Ill be going back to Chrysler again.
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It exceeds the expectations I had. - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
By Carl Arellano - July 27 - 1:08 amI drive 63 miles one way to work, flat and mostly freeway, in Kern County, CA. 41 miles per gallon average overall at 35000 miles in 11 months. The car gets over 50 mpg on flat freeway at 70 mph. If you drop to 55 mph, you can exceed 60 mpg. The car has been perfect to this date. Fantastic power in acceleration can really move to pass or to accelerate to freeway speed. I have driven it on I 5 over the Grapevine several time, it moves with the air conditioner on high with no problems and holds speed on cruise control going up hill on the Grapevine without any problems. Great looking car. An easy parking car. Only problem. my daughter broke the passenger side vanity mirror cover, otherwise a car that met all of my expectations, especially for fuel mileage since I am putting on about 40 k a year.
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Review at 90K Miles - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
By Paul - July 18 - 4:15 pmIve got just shy of 90,000 miles on this car at this time. It has been absolutely trouble free. Just replaced original Goodyear tires just last week. Two recalls, minor issues, both taken care of while the dealership replaced the tires. (BTW, dealership beat Discount Tire by $100 for equivalent tires.) Im averaging 37 miles per gallon. Yes, I said averaging. Brakes still good, no shudder or fade. Engine still runs great. I replace the oil regularly using only Mobile One. I especially recommend using high quality oil with any turbo-charged vehicle because turbos tend to keep spinning once you stop the car. Shut the car off too quickly and you shut the oil flow to the turbo off. I let it sit for a minute before shutting off. Good advice for any turbo engine if you want the turbo to last. MyLink infotainment system is great although a little slow on screen response. Overall, this is by far the best car Ive ever owned, and being almost sixty years old Ive owned quite a lot of cars. I highly recommend this car.
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A Car You Can Trust! - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
By redshiftrider - June 24 - 9:49 pmI purchased my 2014 Cruze as a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle with 5,800 miles on the clock. Im happy to say Im nothing but satisfied with the car. It does exactly what it was meant to do. Its affordable, reliable, efficient, and is equipped with enough technology for the average person to be happy. Its not overly flashy, or trying too hard like some of the foreign mid-sizers. Its just an honest, handsome, well proportioned little car. I average 32-33 mix of city and highway. Havent had a single mechanical issue yet. But what about safety you ask? I sold these for over a year and heard horrendous accident stories. Not a single injury. It does what it says, and it does it well.
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15,000 mile review - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
By jaycro - June 2 - 6:59 amThe Cruze diesel is amazing! Highway fuel mileage is over 50mpg if you drive at 70mph. Good acceleration,decent handling and ride qualities combined with nice leather interior are hard to beat in its class After 15.000 completely trouble free miles it has only been back to my dealer for free oil service and tire rotation
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solid car - 2015 Chevrolet Cruze
By chevyfan1982 - May 21 - 10:35 pmI traded my chevy spark for the cruze and was pleasantly surprised. it is the most solid, smooth, and quiet cars I have ever driven. The outside looks like a leveled down bmw but with more character, the inside feels way more upscale than any chevy I ever owned. I feel more confident as a driver because of the driving dynamics, handling, excellent acceleration and breaking. Im so glad I discovered the cruze.
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Solid build quality, safe and handles great. Great buy! - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
By carchadnh - May 21 - 2:39 pmPurchased a 2014 Cruze LTZ about 7 months ago now. This is really an amazing car - much better than I would have expected from Chevy. I had one of these as a rental for about a week and was so impressed that I test drove a couple more and ended up buying one. The car has REALLY solid handling, its very quiet on the highway and knowing I have 10 airbags around my family is awesome. The technology works incredibly well - from the automatic climate control (which turns the fan down when you make/answer calls!) to the voice recognition for phone/radio commands ("Play song X"!)and the great OnStar app with remote start/unlocking/panic button from your phone.
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HORRIIIBBBBBBLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEE - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
By bhenders123 - April 30 - 6:32 pmThis was the worst experience I have ever had with a car. I bought it and within a year and a half (20,800 miles) I had to replace: the blower motor the coolant system the positive power cable the negative power cable the ABS power cable the radio power cable and the ABS sensor harness on both sides. That is horrible for it being that new and the largest concern is I had all these problems and the light never came on. THAT IS SCARY! I almost could break because of the ABS issue.
