Topic: 2011 Chevy Cruze

[DrJay]

"Talks about both Cruze and new Focus as trying to move up in price and compete head to head at equal price with Civic etc."

This would seem to me to be exactly the wrong thing for GM to do. You would have to come up with something pretty spectacular to turn the heads of typical Toyonda buyers or create any converts in this class period. Conversely Honda/Toyota et al would have to do something colossally dumb for them to lose their Vulcan Death grip on the segment. It would seem that the focus has the best chance of turning the Toyonda death grip into more of a sleeper hold and even then the Quality better be there or it will be a short lived success. Ballsy on the part of GM to try and go head to head but I don't think the cruze is the platform to do it.

[Ontariodriver]

This car and like the Aveo look so Koren now IMO. I guess they start kind of about there with the new GM face. But have to agree and I can remember who. But it does look dated against the Focus.

[DrJay]

Cruze kinda looks like an angry Cobalt.

[Erik]

From what I understand the Cruze is roomier both in interior volume and trunk space, plus much better equipped than a comparably priced Corolla/Civic.

[TopGun]

This car and like the Aveo look so Koren now IMO. I guess they start kind of about there with the new GM face. But have to agree and I can remember who. But it does look dated against the Focus.

Holy crap does it ever.

Then again, I couldn't understand why people bought Corollavics over the last gen Mazda3 given the looks and the driving experience...but they did!

[rrocket]

This car and like the Aveo look so Koren now IMO. I guess they start kind of about there with the new GM face. But have to agree and I can remember who. But it does look dated against the Focus.

Holy crap does it ever.

Then again, I couldn't understand why people bought Corollavics over the last gen Mazda3 given the looks and the driving experience...but they did!

Fuel mileage would be my guess...

[toolatecrew]

This car and like the Aveo look so Koren now IMO. I guess they start kind of about there with the new GM face. But have to agree and I can remember who. But it does look dated against the Focus.

Holy crap does it ever.

Then again, I couldn't understand why people bought Corollavics over the last gen Mazda3 given the looks and the driving experience...but they did!

Past reliability plays a big part too.

Past Mazda compacts have not all been terrible but they certainly don't have the record of the Corolla or even Civic. This is not to say that the Corolla Civic going forward will keep that up . Simply to say that its a huge body of past eveidence to overcome.

Yet a another big hurdle for the Cruze. Reliability on a new model takes several years to be estabilished. Even if the Cruze is comperable or better than Civic Corolla it will be a number of years before its known. They are totally different cars but the public is still going to (in their minds) be comparing Cobalt Cavalier reliability to Civic Corolla. No amount of advertising by GM will change that. Only time can change it.

[DrJay]

 

But it's time they don't really have since what time they do have is heavily borrowed.

[MKII]

Both new Focus and Cruze are better C-segment entries from GM and Ford N.A. and it is about time. In no way will either car threaten Toyota or Honda hold on this segment. But for sure both the Cruze and new Focus are worthy C-segment competitors.

Interesting blog new Focus vs Cruze
http://www.autorivals.net/sedans/2012focusvs2011cruze/2012focusvs2011cruze.htm

[dougjp]

Both new Focus and Cruze are better C-segment entries from GM and Ford N.A. and it is about time. In no way will either car threaten Toyota or Honda hold on this segment. But for sure both the Cruze and new Focus are worthy C-segment competitors.

Interesting blog new Focus vs Cruze
http://www.autorivals.net/sedans/2012focusvs2011cruze/2012focusvs2011cruze.htm

Thanks MKII, that's an interesting site and their review pretty much sums up the way I think of these two.

[Mitlov]

Both new Focus and Cruze are better C-segment entries from GM and Ford N.A. and it is about time. In no way will either car threaten Toyota or Honda hold on this segment.

Maybe not in Canada, but I really do think that the MkIII Focus has the potential to become the best-selling small car in the United States--particularly if the fuel economy of that direct-inject engine is as good as I think it's going to be.

I think the Cruze will be a respectable seller for GM but nothing earth-shaking.

[Erik]

Maybe not in Canada, but I really do think that the MkIII Focus has the potential to become the best-selling small car in the United States--particularly if the fuel economy of that direct-inject engine is as good as I think it's going to be.

I think the Cruze will be a respectable seller for GM but nothing earth-shaking.

Which is exactly what GM needs right now. It needs a respectable performance to be taken seriously again. Actually challenging for a leading spot will be a few years off yet, at the very least.

[Dante]

Both new Focus and Cruze are better C-segment entries from GM and Ford N.A. and it is about time. In no way will either car threaten Toyota or Honda hold on this segment.

Maybe not in Canada, but I really do think that the MkIII Focus has the potential to become the best-selling small car in the United States--particularly if the fuel economy of that direct-inject engine is as good as I think it's going to be.

I think Focus might become Canada's best selling C-segment car 1-2 years into the sales cycle once the awareness builds up. Mazda3 did not have some of the advantages Ford has and yet there were times when it outsold Civic/Corolla and it was a perennial 3rd place the rest of the time closer to the top sellers in terms of volume. Having both hatch and sedan versions will certainly bring in more buyers. I can see it stealing buyers from every other manufacturer but mostly Mazda.

[DrJay]

Both new Focus and Cruze are better C-segment entries from GM and Ford N.A. and it is about time. In no way will either car threaten Toyota or Honda hold on this segment.

Maybe not in Canada, but I really do think that the MkIII Focus has the potential to become the best-selling small car in the United States--particularly if the fuel economy of that direct-inject engine is as good as I think it's going to be.

I think Focus might become Canada's best selling C-segment car 1-2 years into the sales cycle once the awareness builds up. Mazda3 did not have some of the advantages Ford has and yet there were times when it outsold Civic/Corolla and it was a perennial 3rd place the rest of the time closer to the top sellers in terms of volume. Having both hatch and sedan versions will certainly bring in more buyers. I can see it stealing buyers from every other manufacturer but mostly Mazda.

Me thinks it has already been said but in order for any of that to happen especialy here in Canada GM is going to have to come up with one killer Warranty ...

[Ontariodriver]

Me thinks it has already been said but in order for any of that to happen especialy here in Canada GM is going to have to come up with one killer Warranty ...

80,000 Bumper to Bumper. May bring over a few loyalist from Toyota and Honda. The simple truth is there are to many GM Buyers out there have been burn by GM to make any real impact. This car needs to be as good if not better than a corolla or the Civic and then GM needs to get the word out to make any in roads in the Corolla or Civic sales.  Fords Reputation Is not doing to do bad. So the Focus should do OK. Since they got over the 2000-2002 bump in the road. But that can be easily loss. I think people will opt for the Focus over Mazda 3. Because NA's are not keen on the Mazdas, Peugeot look which is so Euro 90's anyways.

[Snowdog]

Fords Reputation Is not doing to do bad. So the Focus should do OK. Since they got over the 2000-2002 bump in the road. But that can be easily loss. I think people will opt for the Focus over Mazda 3. Because NA's are not keen on the Mazdas, Peugeot look which is so Euro 90's anyways.

Not sure if you are saying we are not keen on Mazdas, or the new smiley face.

Mazd 3 was the second best selling car in Canada for a couple of years, so we like Mazdas. But the Smiley look... Ugh I hate that. Ford all the way.

But it isn't just looks. For Mazda to make my list, they have to get the Sky-G engine (Mazdas 2.0L DI engine) here sooner rather than later.  Even then, I don't think they will match the NVH work done on the Focus.

[johngenx]

GM just needs to make a few bucks on each one they sell, and THAT will be such a giant leap for them.  They've had such a long stretch of losing money on everything non-truck based thanks to their marketing strategy of being the low price alternative.

The Cruze (ugh, name) might do pretty well.  Many compact buyers are going to base their decision on comfort, not aggressive styling.  If the car has "mass appeal" GM might turn some profits with it, setting the stage for future advances in smaller cars.

[Ex-airbalancer]

The Cruze  might do pretty well.  Many compact buyers are going to base their decision on comfort, not aggressive styling.  If the car has "mass appeal" GM might turn some profits with it, setting the stage for future advances in smaller cars.

[Ontariodriver]

f you are saying we are not keen on Mazdas, or the new smiley face.

Mazd 3 was the second best selling car in Canada for a couple of years, so we like Mazdas. But the Smiley look... Ugh I hate that.

The Peugeot looking ones yes.

[Leviathan]

GM just needs to make a few bucks on each one they sell, and THAT will be such a giant leap for them.