2015 Chevy Cruze ( N.American version revealed)

[unit-one]

Nice!

 

[Cale]

250lbs lighter

 

[mustafur]

hopefully it isn't a broken mess like the last one.

 

[Omnis]

So it's an ICE Volt. Cool. Looks practical.

 

[The87Dodge]

Of course, we've heard that song and dance before; and not just from GM:

No, THIS is the new world car

 

[FT-1]

No, THIS is the new world carView attachment 396695

I was sat here thinking the 2-door variant could occupy 6 passengers

 

[YSSMAN]

Well, the major points look good:

• Retuned 1.4T (Finally!) - 153 BHP, 177 LB/FT
• 250 LB weight loss despite getting 2" longer (Much needed legroom in the back)
• Diesel will return, but not until 2017

Interesting what they left out of the announcement. No word on what transmission it is using, although fair bet its the same unit (ie, 8-speed auto) from the bigger Malibu that uses the same 1.4T. There's a lot of fanfare about the RS package as well, but, it looks like its strictly cosmetic once again. Maybe they'll offer a sportier upgrade eventually, just like the Focus, but I wouldn't count on it.

Either way, it looks great, just like the Volt that it seems to pretty much be, stylistically. Seems a lot less chunky than the outgoing model. Shame we didn't see the hatchback we're supposed to be getting this time around.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

It'll be interesting to see how closely related this is to the next Astra. It's not a bad looking car, and it has the proportions and similar powertrain options that one might expect from a Americanised Astra saloon.

 

[FT-1]

Cruze Hatchback Revealed

 

[CodeRedR51]

You know, this car is starting to grow on me and if I could get a hatch with the RS package and a 6-speed manual, I would consider it. (Chevy is on my naughty list because of the POS Cobalt I used to have) But that rear bumper is awful enough that I wouldn't consider buying the car just because of that.

 

[TheCracker]

...and you're sure this isn't a 2010 Ford Focus or a 2012 Kia Cee'd?

 

[Legro]

The rear-end looks very Hyundai-ish.

Overall though, they might have just made the most generic mid-2010s hatchback theoretically plausible.

 

[Bo]

The front end is quite sharp and clean, but apart from that it's one of the most uninspiring pieces of automotive design I've seen in the last few years.

 

[Joey D]

Finally, they come out with a hatchback version. I have no idea why it took GM this long to do it since hatchback are the "in" thing right now. It also doesn't surprise me it looks similar to other hatchbacks on the road, there's only so aerodynamic you can get and still be within legal regulations when it comes to car design.

 

[YSSMAN]

You know, this car is starting to grow on me and if I could get a hatch with the RS package and a 6-speed manual, I would consider it. (Chevy is on my naughty list because of the POS Cobalt I used to have) But that rear bumper is awful enough that I wouldn't consider buying the car just because of that.

Same here. If it can deliver on driving dynamics that are on-par with the Civic or the Golf, I think it'll end up being a knockout. This thing is gorgeous, I'm really blown away by how they've managed to bring everything together on this one. Well, except for the pricing and packaging. Since this one is starting just under $22k, and is available only as the LT, I'm fairly sure it'd mirror the sedan's trim packaging. That means no 6MT in the hatchback, and that's absolute sacrilege for the people who would probably be most-interested in getting one.

Here's hoping we get some first drive/reviews soon. I'm chomping at the bit to see if GM managed to get this one as right as they have with the Camaro and Corvette.

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

It's a rebadged Opel Astra. Without the turbo motors it probably won't sell too well.

 

[Northstar]

It's a rebadged Opel Astra. Without the turbo motors it probably won't sell too well.

It comes with the 1.4 turbo as the standard engine...

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

It comes with the 1.4 turbo as the standard engine...

Really? Last news I did read about it said no turbo motors. I guess that GM wants it's share of the success that Fords Ecoboost Fiesta/Focus models have. But if they insist on having the turbo as base model, and skip the ~200bhp turbo from the Astra OPC/GTC and have larger, less potent N/A motors instead..? It won't sell.

 

[Northstar]

It won't sell.

It won't sell because it's following GM's current policy of wanting too much and just hoping people bite no matter what (see Colorado for main example).

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

Not to mention that it's facelifted badgejob from Europe. I guess they didn't learn their lesson after what happened with Saturn.

 

[YSSMAN]

It comes with the 1.4 turbo as the standard engine...

Yes, and it has finally been reworked over the current version, adding a much-needed 20 BHP that goes along with the 200-250lb weight loss compared to the outgoing car. I'm interested to hear if GM cleared up some of the refinement issues, but I do hope that they keep the Jekyll/Hyde nature of the turbo for a little while longer. The old units were stupid fun when you got about 3,000 RPM

Not to mention that it's facelifted badgejob from Europe. I guess they didn't learn their lesson after what happened with Saturn.

Its a different thing entirely, here.

As much as I had championed the Astra when it first came over ages ago, Saturn dropped the ball by not changing enough to meet American tastes. It was, on paper, competitive with its contemporary Golf (remember, we were a generation behind Europe at the time), but couldn't take off with a brand that everyone had a hard time getting behind. At the very least, the Astra was better than the Ion, if not a shade behind the Cobalt.

The Cruze hatchback addresses a major problem for GM in North America. They don't have an affordable hatchback to compete with the Focus, which has sold surprisingly well for Ford. With Honda getting in the game, along with Toyota, I think the writing has been on the wall with it needing to happen. What's interesting to me is that GM is packing all of the goodies into the hatchback, and not the sedan, to start with. That means upper level trims to start (no L or LS model will be available), automatic-only, and the better suspension is standard fare (multi-link is only available on the Premium sedan). Assuming the driving dynamics are baked accordingly, it may very well be the better version of a car that's been around for a year.

 

[Cale]

It won't sell because it's following GM's current policy of wanting too much and just hoping people bite no matter what (see Colorado for main example).

You realized the Colorado and Canyon twins sold over 100K this year right? And that's almost all new customers to the segment...

 

[Northstar]

You realized the Colorado and Canyon twins sold over 100K this year right? And that's almost all new customers to the segment...

Which is why I used it. GM got very lucky as it's over priced. Now it seems they are hoping to get lucky again with the Cruze hatch.

 

[Cale]

Which is why I used it. GM got very lucky as it's over priced. Now it seems they are hoping to get lucky again with the Cruze hatch.

I missed the price how much will it cost?

 

[Northstar]

I missed the price how much will it cost?

It will supposedly start at 21k.

 

[Cale]

The hatch will probably only be available starting at LT spec which already is priced at $21,000 MSRP for the automatic (and probably the N/A 1.8L) When you factor in the improvements to the drivetrain, technology, efficiency, and space the pricing is spot on IMO

 

[YSSMAN]

The hatch will probably only be available starting at LT spec which already is priced at $21,000 MSRP for the automatic (and probably the N/A 1.8L) When you factor in the improvements to the drivetrain, technology, efficiency, and space the pricing is spot on IMO

The 1.4T is standard across the board, the only powertrain option being the transmission, for now (they said they were committed to bringing the diesel back before the end of the decade). Plus...

The hatch, which is powered by the same 153-hp 1.4-liter turbo four-cylinder as the sedan, will be offered in the top two of the sedan’s four trim levels: LT and Premier. But whereas the sedan uses a beam-axle rear suspension in all models save the Premier, the hatchback will have an independent rear suspension both in the Premier and the LT. The RS appearance package also is available on both models.

I'm guessing that, since the LT is the standard variant on the hatch, and the LT and up models are only available with an automatic in the sedan, the hatch will probably be auto-only as well.

 

[Cale]

The 1.4T is standard across the board, now, the only powertrain option being the transmission, for now (they said they were committed to bringing the diesel back before the end of the decade). Plus...



I'm guessing that, since the LT is the standard variant on the hatch, and the LT and up models are only available with an automatic in the sedan, the hatch will probably be auto-only as well.

So it looks like I was right in that GM is not about to start price gouging.