Cruze Eco is How Eco?

[JRMichler]

Saw a new Cruze Eco on the dealer lot today. The option list included $685 for the Eco driver package:

6 way power seat
Rear parking assist
AND
Remote start!

[Mustang Dave]

Remote start for fuel economy. Yeah, right.

[99LeCouch]

Must've been the badge-engineered automatic Eco. Mine doesn't have any weighty/wasteful options like remote start or a power driver's seat. I bet that bourgeois decadent car even has the 25 lb spare tire option! Filthy greenwashing corporate pigs!

I bet somebody buys that car, drives the snot out of it (the AT loves to rev the engine), idles it (uses 0.85 GPH on cold startup, warm idle is 0.15 GPH) cold a lot, then will badmouth Chevrolet since it won't get anywhere near rated fuel economy.

The manual Ecos with a dedicated driver can meet/beat EPA highway at will. The automatic Cruzes have shown to struggle to get their EPA ratings. That includes the automatic Eco.

[JRMichler]

Went by the dealer lot again (walking, so infinite gas mileage). They have three Cruze Eco's on the lot. All with remote start, automatic transmission, and optioned up to $22,000 list.

[99LeCouch]

Apparently they didn't get the memo that half of Eco sales are manual transmission. Reports on the Internet say that roughly 20% of Cruzes sold are Eco models, and half of those are manual transmission. So 10% of all Cruze sales are MT Ecos. They're missing a marketing opportunity by only having optioned-up AT Ecos on the lot. There are a good number of folks like myself who want a decently-equipped domestic fuel-sipping car with a stick-shift. And the sales numbers for the Cruze Eco MT are reflecting that.

The dealer I got mine from had 2 other 2012 Eco MT's and 6 Eco AT's on the lot, 4 2011's and 2 2012's. Based on anecdotal evidence, I'd say the MT versions were keeping pace with the AT versions. Mine was on the lot for 4 days before I got it, and MSRP was a shade over $20k with no options. I wouldn't have even looked at it if the MSRP was higher than $20.5k.

[redbag]

Originally Posted by JRMichler

Went by the dealer lot again (walking, so infinite gas mileage). They have three Cruze Eco's on the lot. All with remote start, automatic transmission, and optioned up to $22,000 list.

My local Chevy dealer had a white ECO that had an option i didn't want -- he was able
to horse trade it to another dealer for a pretty blue one I like. The 17" wheels realy pop -- kinda looks like a HotWheels car.

So, if it isn't on the lot -- they may still be able to get it for you.