Just Cruze

By Murtaza Adamjee

The Cruze is available in five colours, and comes with a new, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that starts with a base, manual transmission model. The Cruze is also offered in Chevrolet’s well-known LS, LT, and LTZ packages. Unable to drive stick, I opted for the Cruze LT, with a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, six-speed automatic transmission.

Expected to replace the Cobalt when it reached showrooms in 2010, the Cruze was designed to compete with top-selling compacts. And against the likes of giants like the Toyota Corolla, the Honda Civic, the upcoming 2012 Ford Focus, the Hyundai Elantra, Mazda 3, and Volkswagen Jetta, needless to say, GM had its work cut out. But after taking this ride for a spin, it definitely looks like a solid contender.

At first glance, the Cruze is a handsome car, comparative in size to the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic sedans. And with an exterior that includes a two-stage grille, an arcing roofline, and a side-strake, the Cruze appears to look longer and wider than most of its competitors.

Inside, the Cruze’s quality is enhanced from the car it replaced (the Cobalt) with high line materials, and increased precision finish. The material and soft-touch panels both look good, as does the large LCD monitor that’s expected to come standard. The Cruze also boasts a number of audio and climate controls giving the car a savvy, high-tech feel. In addition, all models are XM Satellite radio-equipped, offer Bluetooth connectivity, and USB connectors. Standard safety features include front-passenger side and full-cabin protection airbags, electronic stability control, and four-wheel disc brakes with ABS.

Chevrolet initially launched the Cruze in Europe in 2009, in an extremely competitive, compact vehicle market before being made available in the United States and Canada in 2010. With a faltering economy in North America at the time, GM felt that the timing wasn’t necessarily perfect.

Over the course of my test drive, I had the opportunity to handle the Cruze under a few different conditions, and was impressed with the way it handled. The car boasts a high level of refinement and great performance. Without a doubt, Chevrolet is redefining the compact car. With a premium feel both inside and out, don’t be too surprised if the Chevrolet Cruze has critics saying this is the best car in its class.