2011 Chevy Cruze Eco / XFE will have 1.4 turbo, 42 mpg (US) hwy rating

[mhmitszach]

Correct me if you think I'm way off base but I see no appeal to this car. Yeah, it has a turbo but paired with a 1.4 liter engine in a car with very little aero, it's just going to be another Cavalier reincarnation. I don't know about anyone here, but as far as I'm concerned a Chevy Cavalier is easily one of the poorest made American cars in recent past.

The body of this car is so boring. Compare it to the Ford Fiesta with its sportier look, bigger engine, etc. AND it gets the same if not better fuel economy.

I was originally excited to see what GM was going to do with the Cruze and now it just looks like another econo box without any appeal to any significant market. It's not "beefy" enough to appeal to younger men. It's not nice enough to appeal to housewives. Etc. I understand that there are some people looking for economy but you can get that in a car much more appealing than this.

Someone back me up or tell me I'm completely wrong. I just woke up and feel grumpy

[gone-ot]

...grumpy, just remember there are two sides to every 'isle' of thought.

...P.S.--the grandkids call me Grumpa (Grumpy+Grandpa)

[cfg83]

mhmitszach -

Aesthetically not liking it is fair. Except for the drivetrain, I think the Volt/Cruze share a lot of parts. In this picture the profile seems close :



Here's some old blab on it :

2011 Chevrolet Cruze First Drive on Inside Line (April 2009)

Known internally as project J300, the Cruze is the very first GM car to be planned from its green light back in late 2006 as a totally global model. It's taken GM awhile to set up something as brilliantly cost-effective as this car, but it's finally here and there is now no looking back. Here's hoping it's not too little, too late.

Engineering for the J300 project has been headquartered in Germany at GM Europe's headquarters in Rüsselsheim, Germany. All design work has been led by the international team in Incheon, South Korea, at the former Daewoo facility, with designers Dave Lyon and Taewan Kim presiding (love the BMW 3 Series-style taillights also found on the recently sexed-up Citroën C5). Cruze production is cranking full steam at a plant in Bupyong, South Korea, and will soon also rev up in St. Petersburg, Russia, and Shenyang in China.
...
The image of the car depends on the market you're talking about. In Southeast Asia (and perhaps in China as the Buick Cruze), it's a family's dream car. In Korea or Russia and Eastern Europe, it's a solid midmarket player, a clear notch above the Korean brands or VW-based Škoda. In Europe and Australia, the Cruze is the smart, well-finished alternative with big-car room and small-car practicality. For us in North America, the Cruze needs to steal customers from the Japanese, the Koreans, and from the Ford Focus.
...

I'm taking a wait and see approach. If the problems it has are liveable (all cars have issues, it just depends on how much $$ it costs to fix them), then maybe I'll pony-up for one someday.

CarloSW2

[gone-ot]

...it's "wait & see" here, too.

...I *like* the idea of XFE, but why not extend it to ALL models as well as automatic transmissions?

[MetroMPG]

I generally don't even bother talking about a car's aesthetics. Too subjective to be meaningful.

What other mods do you think it needs?

Professional quality "openable" Kamm bodywork on the trunk behind the greenhouse. Passenger mirror delete / inside replacement.

[MetroMPG]

GM is upping the ante - now they're saying the Cruze Eco will have the best fuel economy of any non-hybrid available (in the US market):

GM contends will make it the most fuel-efficient vehicle on the road outside of any hybrids when it launches late this year.

And instead of carrying a hybrid cost premium of $2,000 to $3,000, the Cruze Eco will be priced “in the heart of the compact car market,” said Chuck Russell, vehicle line director for the Cruze.

Because the cost of the changes run in the hundreds of dollars per vehicle, “you can offer it at a price most people can afford,” Russell said.

Source: freep.com | Detroit Free Press

[MetroMPG]

That means they've got to beat the Smart Fortwo: 33/41 city/hwy.

I can see them edging out the highway number, but I doubt they'll beat the city figure.

[gone-ot]

...GM will claim: "...4 dr vs. 2 dr..." in the fine print.

[Daox]

Well, theres also the Jetta TDI out there that gets 30/42 (automatic) and 30/41 (manual). I'd be blown away if they beat that.

[cfg83]

MetroMPG -

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

GM is upping the ante - now they're saying the Cruze Eco will have the best fuel economy of any non-hybrid available (in the US market):

...

Ok, here's another detail :

Cruze Comes To Town: Chevy unveils 40-mpg Eco model and RS package — Autoblog

Chevrolet will use the 2010 New York Auto Show to reveal a few more details about the production Cruze sedan going on sale this fall. Specifically, the Big Apple is where Chevy will formally unveil the high-mileage Cruze Eco model and RS trim package (inset). The Chevrolet Cruze Eco is propelled by the new turbocharged 1.4-liter Ecotec inline four-cylinder. This engine, combined with a six-speed manual transmission, is not only the most powerful unit available, it's also expected to yield a hybrid-like 40 miles per gallon on the highway. In order to help achieve that lofty number, the Cruze Eco gets drag-reducing shutters that close off the lower grille at higher speeds. Also contributing to the car's elevated fuel efficiency are a deep front air dam and under-body panels. The 1.4 turbo is rated at 138 horsepower and a healthy 148 pound-feet of torque.

Pretty neat. I think I can see the shutters in this picture :



CarloSW2