2011 Chevrolet Cruze: GM keeps its word

When Chevrolet was experiencing serious commercial and financial difficulties last year, its leaders kept talking about the Cruze. As though this car would help them get back on their feet. However, when the Cruze was unveiled at the 2008 Paris Auto Show, I must admit that I wasn’t very impressed. Even though this newcomer was surrounded by a pack of journalists taking all kinds of pictures from all kinds of angles, I can’t say that I was too keen on it. I was even more disenchanted when I closed one of the back doors and it let out a loud creak. Oops.

Be that as it may, this model has been available for several months in other markets and has been very successful. In fact, it has even been the best-selling car in its category almost everywhere. Now it’s the United States’ and Canada’s turn to welcome this Chevrolet. Has GM kept its promise? All too often in the past, advertising campaigns announcing the arrival of new models have been impressive, but after promising us the moon, the finished product was often disappointing.

The title of this article has given away the ending, so you know that GM was true to its word. Now we’ll see how it came to pass.

Elegant but simple

The stylists who designed this car weren’t going for flashiness. Indeed, this sedan’s lines are sober (very sober, even), a little bit like the new Volkswagen Jetta. But don’t misunderstand, the car is elegant, sharp even, but its shape is understated. In fact, the most visually significant feature is its front grille with a wide bar in the middle of which proudly sits the famous Chevrolet bowtie. Its very high beltline follows the current trend, while the tail end is somewhat raised. This look helps improve aerodynamics while offering a bigger trunk. Note that the taillights are relatively large and they’re linked by a chrome bar that runs along the edge of the trunk lid, cleverly making the car look wider.

The design of the passenger compartment is quite a bit bolder. For example, the three indicator dials are located in a pod with an upper part that traces the contours of the circular dials, thus adding a little more depth to a relatively sensible ensemble. These instruments are backlit by icy blue LEDs, which also light other interior controls.  As is now the tradition with most of this manufacturer’s products, there’s a central console that houses the audio controls, which are flanked on each side by an air vent. A silver-coloured fixture helps define the spaces. As for the climate controls, there are only two buttons rather than three. There’s one for temperature and one to adjust the fan. The other settings are controlled by buttons situated between these two. The console between the two front seats of course is home to the stickshift, which handles pretty easily, but the lateral stability system deactivation button is on the right side of the console near the passenger’s seat, and I think it could be inadvertently deactivated by the passenger quite easily. All versions of the Cruze have audio and telephone controls on the horizontal spokes of the steering wheel, which is large enough and is very easy to get used to.

The plastics and interior finish are excellent, in keeping with what has become the norm at GM. But there’s one problem: I had the chance to drive a base version that included a fabric-covered fixture on the part of the dashboard facing the passengers. I’m not terribly convinced of the wisdom of this since the fabric could change colour in the sun and even collect dust and other dirt. On other models, this fixture is covered in leatherette, which is a much better solution in the long run.

The front seats offer good lateral support for a car in this category and the support for the thighs is also good. On the other hand, the seatback doesn’t seem to suit all body types. During my first test drive, my co-pilot complained that the upper part of the seatback didn’t offer support in the right place. Personally, I found that there was some pressure in my lower back instead, but after several kilometres, the seats ended up being comfortable. As for the back seats, the bench offers up enough space and the angle is fair. However, the people in the front seats will have to cooperate to give taller backseat passengers enough leg room. Of course, the comfort of the rear middle seat is very iffy.

New, new and more new

Long-time automobile enthusiasts will know that GM had a tendency to patch up previously-used platforms and pair them with upgraded so-so engines. We all know the result of this practice: the Japanese competition was better, so customers abandoned the American giant’s products. The Cruze is making amends by offering the Delta platform, which is a  brand new version bearing a familiar name, like the rear suspension and the engine. The front suspension is new as well, but as with all MacPherson suspensions, there isn’t a lot of room for originality. The rear suspension is very innovative. Sure, it uses a torsion bar, but it’s well put together with pulling arms at each side and another crosswise support to balance it all. The result is noticeable comfort and very respectable handling.

There are two engines in the Cruze catalogue. The one that comes with the LS version (the more economical one) is a 1.8-litre, four-cylinder featuring 138 horsepower and 125 lbs-ft of torque. The other versions come equipped with the brand new 1.4-litre turbo that also features 138 horses, but its 148 lbs-ft of torque is not just greater, it’s very linear, and perceptible even in low gear. This engine is paired with a turbo that revs at very high speeds and is very accessible, meaning that there’s practically none of the lag that normally affects this type of engine. Two transmissions are offered – an automatic and a manual – and both have six speeds.

The gamble paid off

Up to now, everything looks good. The car is elegant and well made, and its passenger compartment is better than the average in the category in terms of finish and presentation. What’s more, it’s one of the roomiest compacts out there. But this car also had to prove its worth on the road, and I admit that I was more than a little worried about the Cruze’s small engine. Indeed, at 1.4 litres, even with a turbocharger, it’s still reminiscent of “econoboxes,” which are synonymous with modest performance.

At this car’s launch, we were given the chance to try models powered by this engine and paired with an automatic transmission. A version with the 1.8-litre engine was also supposed to be available, but circumstances out of the organizers’ control made this impossible. Be that as it may, I was impressed by this car’s consistency in terms of performance, comfort and handling. It’s no sports car, and there are other compacts like the Mazda3 that are better for pure driving pleasure, but the overall balance is impressive nonetheless.

Firstly, this engine is not puny at all, and its output is very good. High marks also go to the automatic transmission, which shifts almost imperceptibly. Moreover, with this automatic gearbox, you can shift in manual mode and it’s just as intuitive and fast. The soundproofing is noteworthy. In fact, this kind of engine equipped with a turbocharger revving in a high gear tends to be a noisy combination, but the engineers used a lot of insulation under the hood to reduce the sounds. The sheer weight of the hood is enough to prove how much insulation was used.

The well calibrated suspension makes for honest and predictable handling while absorbing the imperfections of the road effortlessly. Sure, the test drive took place in Ontario, where the roads are much better than they are in Quebec, but some of the more damaged sections of road during the test drive helped us conclude that we won’t be bounced around beyond reason. Finally, the body and platform rigidity merits mention.

Basically, it’s not surprising that this Chevrolet has been successful in other markets. It’s well designed and accomplished in terms of handling, comfort and the layout of the passenger compartment. Furthermore, the quality of finish is good, but the most convincing feature will surely be its price. The most economical model in the line, an LS with a 1.8-litre engine and a six-speed manual transmission, sells for $14,995, which is less than a 2010 Honda Civic DX, and no more than some sub-compacts. But don’t get carried away by this price, since the other variations are not available at such a great price. Personally, a Cruze LTZ Turbo with a suggested retail price of more than $24,000 would cause me to look elsewhere (like at a Malibu, for example). It seems that the happy medium is the LT with a 1.4-litre turbo engine and paired with an automatic transmission.

Time will tell, but the first meeting with the Cruze suggested that this newcomer will be as successful here in North America as it has been in the other countries. For that to happen, GM will have to convince buyers that the poor quality products that it used to sell are a thing of the past and there’s a brighter future ahead.