2011 Chevrolet Cruze Review - Kelley Blue Book

the cruise is the latest compact from Chevrolet the same brand that brought you the cobalt and the Cavalier before it in many ways Chevy's previous small car offerings struggled when compared to icons like the Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla with the Cruze Chevrolet has stepped up its game producing a car with the features safety style and efficiency needed to take on the best in class hello and welcome to our comprehensive Kelley Blue Book review of the Chevrolet Cruze you'll like the chevrolet cruze if you're in the market for an attractive refined and fuel-efficient American compact as a bonus the Cruze is also among the roomiest cars in its category if resale value is high in your list of concerns both the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla are better bets than the Chevrolet Cruze in motion the cruises well-sorted suspension provides a nice balance between ride comfort and dynamic handling steering system features electric power assist instead of a traditional hydraulic system helping improve vehicle efficiency the system also delivers good steering feel with varying levels assist easing steering efforts when parking but increasing efforts for enhanced stability at freeway speeds the base 1.8 liter engine found in the LS trim does a fine job offering reasonable acceleration and good fuel economy that said we prefer the 1.4 liter turbo engine found throughout the rest of the cruise line up while both engines produce similar horsepower the turbo motor offers more torque and is more fun to drive even though we noticed a hint of turbo lag when accelerating among our favorite features is the cruises 10 standard airbags in addition to the usual bevy of airbags the cruise also features rear side impact bags typically only found a much more expensive vehicles as well as airbags that protect the knees of front seat occupants another favorite is the rs appearance package revised fascias rocker moldings fog lights a rear spoiler and a unique gauge cluster give the cruise a nifty sporty look of course we'd prefer a package that actually improve performance and handling but this should tide us over until Chevy decides to build a cruise SS from a stylistic standpoint cruise is a big leap from the compact Chevrolet's that preceded it a substantial split grille distinct round wheel arches sharply drawn body lines and an arcing roofline all contribute to the cruises athletic look we especially like how the squarish headlights stretch rearward blending with the car shoulder line building off the standard Cruze exterior the Eco trim features a lowered ride height and numerous aerodynamic enhancements including an active lower grille shutter that closes at higher speeds its wind cheating design and low-rolling-resistance tires help it deliver highway fuel economy in excess of 40 miles per gallon one of the cruises finest assets is its interior with a modern design easy-to-use controls and extensive use of premium soft materials the cruises cabin creates an impressively upscale atmosphere adding to the premium vibe are attractive contrasting interior treatments and available leather seating surfaces compared to most of its competitors Cruise is longer wider and taller giving it a slightly larger footprint on the road but also allowing for one of the largest interiors in the compact category consequently head and legroom is ample for both front and rear seat occupants while not quite the largest in class the Cruises trunk offers more than 15 cubic feet of luggage space along with standard full down rear seats the bass LS trim includes most of the basic buyers one including air conditioning filth and telescopic steering wheel power windows remote keyless entry and a six-speaker audio system with CD player and auxilary input standard safety features include stability and traction controls 10 airbags and GM's OnStar system with automatic crash notification among the features offered on higher cruise trims or cruise control aluminum wheels power mirrors bluetooth a USB audio interface and remote vehicle start buyers who opt for the highest LTZ trim also enjoy rear parking sensors and auto dimming rearview mirror and dual zone automatic climate control stand-alone options offered on the cruise include navigation a moonroof and a premium Pioneer audio system the base LS trim is powered by a 136 horsepower 1.8 liter 4-cylinder engine and paired with either a standard 6-speed manual or an optional six-speed automatic transmission all other trims feature a turbo charged 1.4 liter four-cylinder engine producing 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque the 1.4 liter engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission in all cases except the Eco trim which is also offered with the standard fuel economy focused 6-speed manual City fuel economy numbers are in the low 20s with the 1.8 liter engine and in the mid-20s with the 1.4 liter but both engines deliver highway fuel economy in the mid 30s solid figures for the miles champ is undoubtedly the Cruze eco trim which returns a little less than 30 miles per gallon in the city and around 40 miles per gallon on the freeway the base Chevrolet Cruze LS trim as a starting price around $17,000 move up to the lt1 or Eco trim and the price increases to around $19,000 the top-of-the-line LTZ trim starts under $23,000 but with all the option boxes checked that number swells to nearly $27,000 to find out what consumers are actually paying for the Chevrolet Cruze right now we suggest you check the KB be fair purchase price over time we expect the Chevy Cruze to hold its value reasonably well outpacing residual values for the Cobalt it replaced but trailing the strong resale numbers of the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla and that's our comprehensive Kelley Blue Book review of the Chevrolet Cruze

Channel: Kelley Blue Book

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Rating: 4.7621145 out of 5

Keywords: Chevy, Chevrolet, Cruze, compact, sedan, rs, eco, 2010, 2011, video, videos, cars, car, kbb, kbb.com, Kelly, blue, book, Kelley, chevy cruz review, chevrolet cruz review, chevrolet cruze review, chevy cruze review, Chevrolet Cruze (Automobile Model)

Id: bqY3z54AnAs

Length: 6min 14sec (374 seconds)

Published: Fri Dec 10 2010