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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  Chevy Cruze is bad - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
  By John Rochester - December 27 - 5:01 pm

  Do not buy a Chevy Cruze. It will always break down.

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  Major Health and Safety Concerned Vechicle - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Margaret Williams - January 19 - 8:14 pm

  I own a 2014 Chevy Diesel Cruz, I am also the mother of a 16 month old and currently 3 months pregnant with our second child. This car was purchased as our commuter vehicle for my work and taking our child to daycare. As of December 30, 2015 there was a failed seal and gasket with the exhaust system which allowed exhaust into the cabin. There were no light indicators or faults with OnStar to show the balance of exhaust in and out of the engine was unbalanced. The car has been in the shop from June 20, 2015 until the current date of January 19, 2016 on 6 different occasions (every month from June 2015 to January 2016) for multiple sensors and full exhaust system replacement for over 90 days in the shop. GM/Chevy and the JN Chevrolet dealership have been unhelpful, disrespectful and made light of all of our concerns with the condition of the vehicle. Recently, Chevy has only offered us $500 dollars toward the purchase of another GM vehicle. This is unacceptable since I was sick possibly due to inhaling the fumes for over a month without any warnings.

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  Excellent transportation - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Peter Creary - January 2 - 2:05 pm

  Fun car to drive. Very guiet inside. In my opinion manual transmission is the way to go. Drove Las Vegas to Boston on a three week trip and return very comfortable. Im 6ft. tall.

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  Dont buy it. - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Marissa - January 2 - 12:11 pm

  Ive had wayyyyy too much trouble with this car in the past year. Im at about 74,000 miles at the moment but its just recall after recall and problem after problem. I feel like Im at the dealer every other month. Im currently at the dealer getting a new turbo charger, last month the hoses were leaking and something was cracked, month before it was something else that I cant even remember. Its all been covered but its also all been a headache.

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  Sitting at dealer ship again - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Michelle - December 26 - 10:17 am

  Our cruze is only 2011 and I know I have brought our car to dealer 5 times this makes six times in 3 year...IAM SO PISSED ALL I CAN SAY RIGHT NOW IS WOW...Every time its something close to the engine but not close enough the pawertrai kicks in...[non-permissible content removed]

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  On way to junk yard - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Your mom - December 16 - 10:12 am

  trash car. repair constantly. put two radiators in. 6 serpintine belts. a/c comprssor. transmission. motor. 4 alternators. new horn. new rear axle. new heaedlights. car is nightmare.ipractically built my own car. i put 32,000 dollars into this car. car is not spacious. my daughter doesnt ave enough room.

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  2012 Chevy Cruze Eco - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Dan Schnura - December 15 - 10:13 pm

  The point of this vehicle is to get you from point a to b and get great gas milage. To start with the cruze has a very good price, you dont get much but what do you need, its a family sedan. I wanted the chrome rims (not sure if there real chrome, i think its plastic) and the metallic red paint. It does look good, it has some sporty lines and curves but can still be seen as a family sedan. The interior is good, nothing special, has a great bass if your into that. The aux cord is extremely easy to use and the radio cranks. The gas is great, Ive never gotten 43 mpg but 38.5 mpg does me well. Then we move to the things that the cruze really isnt made for, performance. The ride quality is fine, it has nice front shocks and the rear is a multi-link independent rear suspension. The suspension seems like it would have a lot of easy aftermarket support if your into spicing your sedan up. But I have beat the crap out of the cruze, from driving and drifting on gravel roads at speeds around 80mph sometimes, jumped it in a parking lot once and drove on a pretty deep mud/gravel road. I live where the houses are spaced out and the roads are bumpy, curvy and hilly. I went for a fast drive down a road thats narrow and bumpy, a road rally type road, the road is fast and has sudden turns. But the engine heats up after heavy use fast. The radiator and fan were running for a while after this drive. The acceleration is great for a 1.4 liter turbo eco engine, but the engine needs some work, the turbo lag is horrendous, you floor it, wait a few seconds then the engine launches to a high rpm and its screaming. I find the shifter amazing and really useful, i use it for traffic and messing around, i feel as though thats a must for the car because the transmission sucks, only when your actually using the shifter correctly does the performance improve. Another thing is the brakes are amazing, for a few hours, (there useless as hell in heavy rain and snow), then the become trash. They obviously over heat and start to vibrate terribly, but all that is under heavy use. Overall, Ive driven to florida without a problem, beat on some gravel and puddle roads with the kids, and use it to get to chicago on the weekdays. It does seem to wanna get to the 43 mpg easily but I havent reached it. Its a great family car, first starter car and oddly a great platform for some type of racing or preformance vehicle, it has a lot of potential in that aspect.

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  Car needed a new clutch at 4 years and 40,000+ - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Jane Silver - December 14 - 2:34 pm

  I have driven standard shifts for over 40 years, several cars, etc. NEVER has the clutch had to be replaced. Ever! Of course a new clutch is not under the warranty, so that is $2000 (yes $2000), and if not under warranty they wont provide you with a rental car. Thank goodness my dealer gave me a loaner. Also why is it taking 2 weeks to get a new clutch? This is very scary to me and I have to warn other owners that this DID happen - and it should not have. I have had good mileage - 30+ in town, 35+ highway.

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  Good car - 2015 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Kerry McCormack - December 10 - 9:49 am

  Ive had my 2015 Chevy Cruze for just under a year now. Ive got around 7k miles on it and really enjoy it. The car drives really well, good handling and "tight" driving feel. The seats are comfortable and the cabin is versatile when it comes to folding down seats to accommodate cargo. The car is good on gas, but I think Chevy can step up their game and push it to do better. I very much like the design of the car and the solid ride it has. Ive taken a couple of road trips with it and it proved to be quite comfortable. I was looking for an efficient car that easy to drive/park as I live in the city. Ive had zero problems so far and would recommend this car to others. The Cruze has been great.

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  A great compact car! - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By NYdriver - December 6 - 8:29 am

  This is a compact car, so all comparisons should be made with respect to other cars in this class. Ive owned it for just over a year now, so I had some time to evaluate it properly. Overall it is a great value for the money my comparisons (test driving also) included Civic, Corolla and Elantra. The engineering is clearly superior, as is the interior design. The 1.4 l turbo engine has adequate power for all situations. You wont win a lot of races, but you wont be put to shame either. The transmission shifts smoothly when accelerating, and the wet clutch (not torque converter) engages firmly throughout. You dont need to race the engine, just keep it at 1800-2200 rpm and let the surprising torque pull the car forward. Occasional 2-lane passing is quick, Ive never needed more than 3000 rpm. In slow traffic, between 15-30 mph though, the software has difficulty making up its mind which gear it would like to be in, so being gentle on the gas helps with not jerking the occupants around. Overall fuel economy so far has been 33.6 mpg, with a lot of slow, city driving. On highway trips with an 80/20 mix (20% city driving) I got 38.2 mpg combined. Going with the flow, not at a snails pace. Not bad! Using ethanol free gas helps by about 8%, which is worth only on long trips, when range has often indicated just over 600 miles on a full tank. The interior design is superb for the class, with controls well harmonized. Two long legged adults fit up front with plenty of room and comfort to spare with 4 long legged adults, at least some negotiations are mandatory. This is however compensated by the unusually roomy trunk. It feels bottomless vs. other cars in its class. The ride is quiet, but on rough pavement theres noticeable road noise. It is a compact car, though, not a Buick or Caddy! It does very well handling uneven pavement, heavy snow and slick roads. Test it in an empty parking lot and youll be surprised! The cars heats up quickly on frigid days, and cools just as fast on hot and humid days. The radio, Bluetooth, USB and OnStar work beautifully, and the overall driving experience is above what one would expect from a compact car. If my experience changes with time, I will update this report. So far, I am very pleasantly surprised and have no reason not to recommend giving the Cruze serious consideration if you are looking to buy a new compact car.