Topic: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze: More Compact Car for the Money

[Erik]

You are kidding, right Dan?

[Jaeger]

It seems to me GM did supply those car mags with specially prepared samplers. In real life though a heavy car is heavy on fuel.
http://www.youtube.com/user/consumerreports#p/u/7/3h_g9U4MAKY

I seem to recall that the Cruze didn't do anywhere NEAR as well as its EPA numbers in the recent C/D comparison test.

Who are they paying off at the EPA?

Or did they submit a ringer for the test?

Jaeger

 

Yes, none of the other cars in that test did well in observed economy - they all posted pretty poor numbers (though it must be said, none did WORSE than the Cruze) - but it has become fashionable to single out ONE participant to the exclusion of the others and deride its poor performance.  Thought I'd give that strategy a try on for size here.

[EV Dan]

I don't recall what the Cruze scored in that magazine test, maybe someone can re-post, but in the CR test it lost to the new Elantra AND the Sonata, the latter being a class bigger and heavier. Draw your own conclusions:

[Jaeger]

^^^ Ouch.  Going from recollection, the C/D test resuts for observed economy ranged from 18 - 21 mpg, with the Cruze being a bottom-feeder.  If I'm wrong, someone will no doubt correct me.

Jaeger

[rrocket]

^^^ Ouch.  Going from recollection, the C/D test resuts for observed economy ranged from 18 - 21 mpg, with the Cruze being a bottom-feeder.  If I'm wrong, someone will no doubt correct me.

Jaeger

The must have been dipping into the turbo to find the much needed TQ.  That's my guess.  Be thankful they didn't test the NA version.

[Bubba]

^^^ Ouch.  Going from recollection, the C/D test resuts for observed economy ranged from 18 - 21 mpg, with the Cruze being a bottom-feeder.  If I'm wrong, someone will no doubt correct me.

Jaeger

The must have been dipping into the turbo to find the much needed TQ.  That's my guess.  Be thankful they didn't test the NA version.

They just did: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/11q1/2011_chevrolet_cruze_ls-short_take_road_test

[rrocket]

^^^ Ouch.  Going from recollection, the C/D test resuts for observed economy ranged from 18 - 21 mpg, with the Cruze being a bottom-feeder.  If I'm wrong, someone will no doubt correct me.

Jaeger

The must have been dipping into the turbo to find the much needed TQ.  That's my guess.  Be thankful they didn't test the NA version.

They just did: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/11q1/2011_chevrolet_cruze_ls-short_take_road_test

Holy crap!!  Surprised GM actually let one of these out to the Press.....

[Jaeger]

Holy crap!!  Surprised GM actually let one of these out to the Press.....

When they read the review, they might wish they had.

This next bit is an all too-familiar tune with recent GM products.  Seems to be their only real means of attaining decent fuel economy:

"But those numbers are merely information. Behind the wheel, the Cruze feels even duller because of a transmission that prefers high gears to forward progress. Dip your foot deep into the gas pedal, and you’ll get a one-gear downshift. If you actually want to move—say, into traffic or out of somebody’s way—the accelerator needs to be floored to provide high-level motivation. Shifting in manual mode doesn’t offer much improvement, as the system is slow to respond."

I absolutely, positvely could NOT live with a transmission that behaved in this fashion.

Jaeger

[TopGun]

Glad I read the entire review and not the excerpts from the usual suspects.

Case in point: the latest Volkswagen Jetta, which has been critically maligned for its beancounter design but is selling better than its more-upscale predecessor.

Exactly.  We get what we deserve.  All people care about is a low price, good kit, and a good epa mpg.  Does the transmission description matter if they sell them and make money?

[color=blue]For the average commuter, the Cruze is all that and a bag of chips. Those inclined to make every day a Fangio day will be disappointed, though. [/color]

So there you have it...can someone remind me what the intent of the this car is?  Seems to fit the bill perfectly.

But if GM wants to make it to the top of the economy-car pile, it needs to improve the intangibles, such as driving enjoyment.

Rubbish.  The sales segment leader Corolla will put you to sleep.  The Civic sold way less volume with the great handling double-wishbone suspension.  And I recall the Cruze outscoring the Elantra in the driving dynamics department.

[Jaeger]

Glad I read the entire review and not the excerpts from the usual suspects.

Pretty funny, since you then proceed to do nothing but.... wait for it.... wait some more..... quote excerpts. 

You somehow managed to miss the best part of your last excerpt, though - can't imagine how that happened - allow me to rectifiy:

"That brings us back to that bit about comparing well on paper. Despite the attractive exterior and high-class interior, some of the Cruze still feels as if it were designed by the old GM, which would engineer cars to a benchmark that, by the time the GM product came out, had already been advanced by the competition. This could be due to the fact that the Cruze is already old, having debuted in the rest of the world back in 2008. The Cruze is so much better than the Cobalt that Chevy is justified in ditching the old name, but that’s not saying much. And if you’re shopping on price, as many of the buyers in this segment do, the Cruze will make you a happy customer. But if GM wants to make it to the top of the economy-car pile, it needs to improve the intangibles, such as driving enjoyment."

Jaeger

[Sir Osis of Liver]

 

And if you’re shopping on price, as many of the buyers in this segment do, the Cruze will make you a happy customer

.

This is the important part. The sales leaders in this class have never been exciting. They are cheap with decent content and relatively reliable.

But if GM wants to make it to the top of the economy-car pile, it needs to improve the intangibles, such as driving enjoyment.

This bit is only important to a few car nerds and auto journalists. The previous Jetta by all accounts was a better car, but sold in small numbers to people who appreciated them. The current one is selling much better due to a lower price and more features at the cost of driving dynamics and interior quality.

[TopGun]

Pretty funny, since you then proceed to do nothing but.... wait for it.... wait some more..... quote excerpts. 

You somehow managed to miss the best part of your last excerpt, though - can't imagine how that happened - allow me to rectifiy:

.....

I see why you think it's the best part.  It's a lot of hate and is completely irrelevant as I (and now SirO) pointed out.

[Jaeger]

Pretty funny, since you then proceed to do nothing but.... wait for it.... wait some more..... quote excerpts. 

You somehow managed to miss the best part of your last excerpt, though - can't imagine how that happened - allow me to rectifiy:

.....

I see why you think it's the best part.  It's a lot of hate and is completely irrelevant as I (and now SirO) pointed out.

Well, as Sir O is fond of pointing out, just because it's unimportant to YOU doesn't mean it's unimportant to everyone.  And for the sake of clarity, I didn't say it was the most important part of the excerpt - I said it was the best part. 

Sure glad I read the whole article instead of just excerpts by the usual suspects. 

So, how about that Cruze mileage, eh?

Jaeger

[TopGun]

I see why you think it's the best part.  It's a lot of hate and is completely irrelevant as I (and now SirO) pointed out.

.....
And for the sake of clarity, I didn't say it was the most important part of the excerpt - I said it was the best part. 
....

 

.....
So, how about that Cruze mileage, eh?
....

It's better than my RX-8 I'm sure.  Not everyone chooses their vehicles the same way many US ethnic ladies groups do.   

[rrocket]

It's better than my RX-8 I'm sure.  Not everyone chooses their vehicles the same way many US ethnic ladies groups do.   

Well considering how GM had been touting the excellent mileage of the Cruze, I don't think he's out of line for pointing out it's not that great...

[Erik]

Nope. Just like I was not out of line for pointing out that the Elantra sucked Just as bad.

[rrocket]

Nope. Just like I was not out of line for pointing out that the Elantra sucked Just as bad.

But still better than the Cruze!!

[Erik]

Depends on how you look at it. Don't have the numbers in front of me, but didn't it do worse compared to it's EPA specs than the Cruze? The no * mileage numbers!!!

[rrocket]

Depends on how you look at it. Don't have the numbers in front of me, but didn't it do worse compared to it's EPA specs than the Cruze? The no * mileage numbers!!!

So if the Hyundai gets 32 MPG, but deviates 30% from the EPA numbers and the Cruze gets 29 MPG but only deviates 15% from the EPA numbers, the Cruze is better??   

The Hyundai gets better gas mileage in the tests I've seen...regardless of deviation from EPA numbers.  I'm talking absolutes...and the Hyundai gets better gas mileage.  Period.

[Erik]

And has a better power to weight ratio, and is slower.