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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Safe, Reliable, Efficient - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
By revjimmy - May 14 - 11:07 amMy 12 Cruze Eco is sneaking up on 30,000 miles, and I have no complaints. To date, Ive driven it all over the South and Midwest over its lifetime, it is averaging 33.4 MPG, and thats with a LOT of city driving. With one exception, I havent had it in the shop once for service other than routine and recall work. That one exception was no fault of the car - an adult buck whitetail deer ran out in front of me while I was going 70 MPH, and even then, the car excelled - there was no frame damage, I was completely unhurt, and though it cost my insurance company a good chunk of change, the car was repairable to factory spec.
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Loved my cruze until now! beware - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
By rae_xo - May 11 - 7:22 pmTraded my piece of crap dodge avenger in for another piece of crap. thought maybe getting a chevy would give me a better piece of mind. Got my cruze used with 32k miles and ive had it for 7 months now. The gas mileage is a complete joke! Ive never gotten over 35MPG even driving highway! Lately it lags shifting gears and take a few minutes to actually do so and it has also had alot of idling problem! chugging while sitting at red lights and drive-thrus. each dealership i go to tells me there is nothing they can do about it, but ive seen so many people with the same problems! please save your time, energy, and money
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Hands down-- Great car - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
By njadz - May 3 - 4:40 pmOver the past 10 years have driven the Mazda 3, and some assorted european models overseas. Test drove the Focus and the Cruze this go-round and like the Handling is superb, shifting (manual) is a breeze -- lots of getup and go with the turbo.... great gas mileage. Recommend getting some blind spot sticker mirrors for your side mirrors if you do a lot of city driving... they only cost 99 cents and help out a lot as the side mirrors arent as big as the focus. Pros: No road noise even at highway speeds. 5 star safety (10 airbags). Comfortable, smooth ride all around (if you dont believe it read kelly blue book review). CONS: Brakes are not as tight as Ford. immediately.
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Worst Car Ever !!! - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
By ezt1 - April 27 - 4:46 pmI purchased this car 3 month ago, since then i have got back pain and also i have a terrible pain in my right leg and is worst every time a ride this junk. Seats are so hard and external padding is too high, i use a cushion but i continue in the same way, i tried to trade in to a different car but in the process i can lose more than $4000.00. Also when i turn on the air conditioning comes a chemical odor from the air vents, i have to open all windows until it disappear. I DONT RECOMMEND THIS CAR. I decided to buy this car because i have always been a GM fan, all my cars in the past were from this company except a Fusion that was terrible too.
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Great all-around car - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
By nathanto - April 10 - 12:19 pmour organisation purchased 5 Chevy cruzes at the beginning of 2013. I personally drove 3 of them for extended periods of time. In the first year of owning these cars, we put roughly 30,000 miles on them. We never had any serious problems with the vehicles. There was only one time that a light came on in one of the turbo diesel cruzes and it was just the self-clean feature for the engine. If that ever happens, just let the car run for about 30 minutes at 2000 RPMs.
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Best small car yet - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
By blomidon2013 - April 7 - 7:19 pmMy wife and I have been driving cars for 45+ years. Until 2013, we had not bought a Chev for well over 25 years. Before buying a Cruze, we had an Elantra, a Focus, a Volks Golf, and a Dodge Caravan (to name the last 4). We test drove the Elantra, the Focus, Mazda and Toyota, and decided on the Cruze 6 speed standard. We have not been disappointed 10 months later, and have put approx. 20,000 miles on the car to date, with no problem to date.
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First time chevy owner - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
By amw17 - March 26 - 10:29 pmOverall, the Cruze is a awesome commuter vehicle. I wish it had a little more torque on the freeway but I guess I cant expect much with a 4 cylinder vehicle. Minor issues with rear brake noise. Sun-visor coming apart where mirror folds. Satisfied with performance and look of vehicle.
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Great Little Car - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
By flrfselscrs - March 24 - 8:03 amI bought my Cruze new in August 2011 and have driven it 53,000 miles. So far there have been no maintenance issues. Ive only had to change the oil every 7000 miles or so, and replace the tires, which are inexpensive. In addition to costing me very little, the cars performance meets my needs. On the highway, I get 32-37 MPG, but my overall average is 27.5. It has performed admirably in all weather conditions (including heavy snow with a set of winter tires) and even on an autocross course. The cars tiny turbo is a must for me its not terrifying to accelerate onto the highway in a Cruze like it has been in other small cars Ive driven. Overall, I love this little car.
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NO MPG EITHER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
By macrobert - March 5 - 7:55 pmNo highway mileage.Best i can get is 27.7 this is hwy with cruse control set at 65. After a week at the dealer The dealers final words were ."I WISH THERE WAS SOMETHING BETTER I COULD DO FOR YOU "but gm says there is nothing wrong with the car .
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Smell - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
By ehib83 - March 4 - 10:30 amEverything has been great about the car, until I got the first oil change. After the oil change and my 20min drive home, there was an awful smell coming into the car from the heat vents. I thought they spilled oil on something. It went away and then came back about a week later. Took it in to have them look at it and they found nothing. Now the smell is back again and I am having them keep it over night and figure out what the smell is. It no longer is as strong, but there is a faint smell of chemical coming in, and I dont need my kids or myself smelling this when the winter is so cold.
