2012 Chevrolet Cruze LTZ 1.4 turbo from North America

Summary:

Good Chevy (Opel) product in the U.S.

Faults:

Nothing went wrong during the 500 mile rental duration.

General Comments:

Miles ahead of previous GM small cars (Cavalier, Cobalt).

Although the engine is turbo charged, don't expect NHRA top-fuel 1/4 mile times, as the 1.4L engine has such a small bore & stroke, torque is not substantial. However, due to the turbo, what power the engine does make is available from very low RPM to about 5000 RPM, making the car very good for average use.

Entry and exit at the driver's seat is a bit cramped. At just 5'8" tall, the seating position put my head right next to the door jamb (B-pillar), causing a substantial blind spot and producing a bit of claustrophobia... and serious concerns the side air bag would keep my head from cracking against the door jamb in the unlikely event of a side impact.

Got 35-37 MPG during 500 miles of mostly 70-80 mph highway driving. The ride was adequately smooth and fairly quiet for a small car.

Expensive wheel/tire set-up on the LTZ and low profile tires increase the chances of rim damage.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 16th March, 2013

2012 Chevrolet Cruze from North America

Summary:

Boring

General Comments:

I had this car for one week as a rental. The car had about 17K miles on it. Based on the reviews I was expecting more.

First, the seats are horrid. You are forced to slouch so that your ribs are nearly touching your hip bones.

Then there is the suspension. Body roll is well controlled, but the rear end is so under-sprung and under-damped it kept hitting the bump stops on even smooth roads; bumpy roads necessitated slowing well below the speed limits.

Steering feedback is, well, kind of like an old school video game.

Brakes modulated well.

Mileage was good; I got 36 MPG in mixed driving.

Acceleration is what one would expect. Overall power seemed biased to low end torque over high end power.

The car was quiet and smooth with minimal vibration.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 10th October, 2012

16th Nov 2012, 22:05

I thought the Cruze was supposed to be such a great car. Sounds a lot like an Impala. Boring, and uninspired.

17th Nov 2012, 13:20

The Cruze is a compact sedan, identical to the Chrysler 200.

18th Nov 2012, 16:54

The Chevrolet Cruze is a compact sedan, although it's big enough that many would consider it a mid-size car. However, it has nothing in common with a Chrysler 200. It's certainly not identical. It has Daewoo roots and was sold outside North America under a Holden badge. I compared it to a Chevrolet Impala because the reviewer said it was 'boring', and until the introduction of the redesign, the Chevrolet Impala is almost as boring as the Toyota Camry.