StoleIt

iTrader: (3)

HOLY CRAP!!! That looks awesome. GM is stepping up their game. Hope people realize that.


Consumer Guide's Impressions of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze

It will end up being called the Chevrolet Cruze, and the once-planned replacement for the Chevy Cobalt may be bowing earlier in Europe than it is in the United States, but the new car is expected to help consumers--and General Motors--deal with the wildest market swing in automotive history.

What We Know About the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze

It's no secret that the U.S. vehicle market is undergoing a swift, seismic shift. With unstable gas prices and gloomy economic conditions that seem to get worse by the day, nervous consumers are no longer just deserting big pickups and SUVs, now even thrifty cars and more-economical crossover SUVs aren't selling as well as they had been. It's the biggest market upheaval since the Great Depression.

Automakers everywhere are scrambling to keep up, none more than General Motors. With GM suffering steep sales and revenue declines, the planned replacement for Chevrolet's Cobalt compact car could prove critical to the company's bottom line, and even its overall health. Cruze debuted in the fall of 2008 at the Paris Motor Show, and should go on sale in Europe by March 2009, likely as a 2010 model.

General Motors has announced that North American production of the Chevy Cruze will begin by April of 2010 at GM's plant in Lordstown, Ohio. This time line means Cruze will debut in the U.S. as a 2011 model. The company has said Cobalts will continue to be built at Lordstown for a short time after Cruze production starts, and at least one media report suggests Cobalt production could then shift to Mexico. GM says Cruze will also be built at plants in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe.

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze employs GM's new front-wheel-drive Global Compact Vehicle Architecture, also known as "Delta 2." That makes it a platform-mate of the Chevrolet Volt that is expected at the end of 2010. Cobalt and the outgoing Saturn Astra use the older "Delta 1" architecture.

Sources expect the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze to maintain the Cobalt's general size, but possibly with an inch or two added to wheelbase and maybe overall width. Engineering should be more weight-conscious in light of tough new U.S. fuel-economy mandates and pending new clean-air regulations in California and elsewhere. Look for greater use of lighter materials despite their higher cost, as weight is the enemy of fuel economy and a car's carbon footprint, not to mention performance. Despite the pound-paring, structural rigidity is likely to improve, which should benefit durability, quietness, and perhaps ride and handling, too.

So far, GM has only confirmed a Cruze sedan in base, LS, LT, and LTZ trim levels. But local media reports covering the Cruze press conference at the Lordstown plant said that Ed Peper, GM North America vice president of Chevrolet, described the Cruze sedan as the first of a new family of compact, fuel-efficient Chevrolets. What this means is unknown, but it could point to other vehicles wearing the Cruze badge. Recently the company announced a Chevrolet Orlando concept that is a version of Opel's Zafira. Code named "MPV-7," the small people mover, like the Cruze sedan, is based on the company's "Delta 2" platform and debuted at the Paris show in October 2008. The Cobalt's coupe body style could also be reprised, but with a somewhat edgier, wedgier look than Cobalt.

So far, the company has confirmed two engines for the American version of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. The more interesting of the two is a new 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. The company predicts this optional engine will be rated at 140 horsepower. There is talk that the 1.4-liter turbo's fuel economy could be as high as 45 mpg, presumably on the highway. By contrast, the 2009 Cobalt's base 2.2-liter non-turbo four produces 155 horses and is EPA-rated at 25/37 mpg city/highway in new gas-miser XFE trim. The second engine is a normally aspirated 1.8-liter four that should be good for 138 horsepower. The 1.8-liter unit is likely the same engine that is found in the 2008 Saturn Astra.

The company plans to offer American consumers a 6-speed manual transmission and an optional 6-speed automatic versus Cobalt's 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic. It isn't clear yet if both transmissions will be available with either engine. Gearing will be chosen with an eye to maximizing fuel economy without compromising low-rpm performance. At some point, Chevrolet might add a sporty Cruze akin to the current Cobalt SS, perhaps with the same 260-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder. The decision will hinge on buyer sentiment and how much higher gas prices go in the next couple of years.

Because it may sell for a short time alongside Cobalt, the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is likely to be positioned as a more-upscale small Chevy with nicer appointments, more features, and higher prices. The alternative would be to slide Cobalt down-market by eliminating some now-standard equipment. Either way, the new Cruze will likely mimic Cobalt by including standard features like ABS, antiskid system, traction control, curtain side airbags, and GM OnStar assistance, plus 16-inch tires instead of 15s. Options should also broadly duplicate Cobalt offerings, with 17- and maybe 18-inch tires, various cosmetic add-ons, upgraded audio, power sunroof, Bluetooth connectivity, and leather upholstery. A navigation system could well join the list.

In all, the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze stands to be better than today's Cobalt in many ways. It should thus be a more appealing bow-tie alternative to hot-selling, import-brand compacts like the Honda Civic--and now even the elderly Ford Focus. That and the early arrival time show just how serious GM has become about the small-car market. Considering the company's worsening financial condition with the steep drop in sales, the Chevy Cruze won't get here a moment too soon.

A Notable Feature of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze

Though the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze should be a mostly conventional front-drive small car, we think it may have one or more features designed to maximize mpg. Aside from its smaller new engine and other weight-reducing measures versus Cobalt, the Cruze could conceivably adopt the new low-power lighting, wipers, and audio system being devised for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid compact sedan. This would help GM defray development costs that much sooner, and would also be in line with the Cruze's likely upscale market positioning versus Cobalt. Understand that we can't guarantee any of this right now--but hey, it could happen.

Buying Advice for the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze enters an already crowded field that's bound to become even more competitive. A fast-growing crop of attractive choices is certainly good news for consumers. The bad news is that certain compacts--the Honda Civic for one--are now in such demand that retailers are again padding prices and forgetting discounts. So, as always, it will pay for you to shop the dealer and the deal, not just the vehicle. But all else being equal, you probably won't go wrong with the Civic. It is, after all, a Consumer Guide Best Buy among compact cars. Then again, so is the Nissan Versa. If neither of those strikes your fancy, consider CG's Recommended compacts, the Hyundai Elantra, Mazda 3, and the winsome but relatively pricey Mini Cooper. The newly redesigned Toyota Corolla is unrated but deserves a look because of who makes it. And don't forget that a redesigned Ford Focus is set to debut in early 2010, though we hear it, too, may be introduced ahead of time. As for the Chevrolet Cruze, it could well emerge as a new class star. We'll get back to you on that once we see it a few months from now.

StoleIt

iTrader: (3)

The Basics

Vehicle Type: compact car

Drivetrain

Drive wheels: front

Engine: 1.8-liter 4-cylinder, 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder

Horsepower: 138 (1.8), 140 (1.4 turbo) (GM estimates)

Torque: NA (1.8), 148 lb-ft (1.4 turbo) (GM estimate)

Transmission: 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic

Dimensions

Wheelbase: 105.7 inches

Length: 178.5 inches

Width: 70.7 inches

Height: 58.2 inches

Base curb weight: 2,750 lb (CG estimate)

SparkyJJO

iTrader: (11)

I've been seeing a lot more cobalts around... why are they replacing the cobalt again, instead of just reworking it for a new year model? Probably a reason (good or bad) I just have missed it.

StoleIt

iTrader: (3)

This part:

Codprice

not too shabby! i like it. still has the smiley grill but they managed to get it a little more aggressive at the same time. Theyre going in the right direction.

BanditTA

iTrader: (3)

Everytime GM talks about this on their blogs I complain about not making a coupe. I swear i see five cobalt coupes for every one sedan on the road. I hope they make a dam coupe, they have zero options for coupes other than a camaro. The 40+mpg will be a big plus, maybe a reason for my wife to give up the her cobalt, only if they make a coupe though

kozak

iTrader: (2)

I don't know, I guess I don't see it. I think I like the Cobalt better, the base model gets between 35 and 39 mpg, and then you have the SS which is TC with DI and it has some *****. As for interior appointments I have no idea there.

Spoolin

iTrader: (8)

Looks good right off the bat, took me a while to like the new truck line as well as the Camaro but now I like both, good to see I don't have to wait to have this car grow on me!

mzoomora

iTrader: (36)

Looks like it would be a good looking coupe. I like it a lot for its segment. Now to just get the Aveo better looking.

xbcrguy182x

Only 138hp? Come on GM!

Sopcich04

wont happen, u can bet GM will make it boring

MadIceV8

iTrader: (12)

Looks good and looked great when I saw it in person at the Autoshow last year. Hope it maintains those looks for GMs sake.

Chadder

iTrader: (2)

I'd like GM to at least offer the LSJ in a sporty version. That would make a fun DD.