2014 2.0L Turbo Diesel Cruze is here!

[tjbell]

to bad they make diesels so expensive to fix because of all the emissions, i worked on a Bluetec Mercedes benz e350 the other day, the exhaust ha 4 or 5 cats, 4 or 5 sensors and what looked like 3 high pressure injectors

[gone-ot]

"Clean Air" is getting too costly to breathe.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by tjbell

to bad they make diesels so expensive to fix because of all the emissions

True story. Emissions controls went too far, sacrificing lots of the dependability comparing to old-school Diesels and reducing the advantage on fuel savings.

[tjbell]

look at all the old IDI IH engines and even the older GM/Detroit engines, so simple they can run, if started, with no electricity what so ever. mechanical fuel injection was cool

[elhigh]

Huh. In 1984 you could have a Chevette Diesel which delivered - wait for it - 42 mpg!

Granted it was a Chevette and 0-60 was best measured with a calendar. But in 30 years we've managed to stand still?

Rather than have all the luxurious content that makes the Cruze probably outweigh the Chevette by a cool 500 lbs, could I just have 100hp, a little better crash resistance than the Chevette, and air conditioning? Can I go back to just a no-frills basic car that gives good mileage? Even a new base Yaris makes a loaded Chevette look pretty sad, and still won't go as far on a gallon. I think it's time to de-content some base models and look for mileage gains by carrying around less dead weight.

[gone-ot]

With due repect to GE, this (sarcastic) motto sounds somehow appropriate:

"PROGRESS is our most important BY-PRODUCT, we do more by MISTAKE."

[niky]

Originally Posted by elhigh

Huh. In 1984 you could have a Chevette Diesel which delivered - wait for it - 42 mpg!

Granted it was a Chevette and 0-60 was best measured with a calendar. But in 30 years we've managed to stand still?

Rather than have all the luxurious content that makes the Cruze probably outweigh the Chevette by a cool 500 lbs, could I just have 100hp, a little better crash resistance than the Chevette, and air conditioning? Can I go back to just a no-frills basic car that gives good mileage? Even a new base Yaris makes a loaded Chevette look pretty sad, and still won't go as far on a gallon. I think it's time to de-content some base models and look for mileage gains by carrying around less dead weight.

You want something Chevette-sized instead?


Hyundai Accent CRDI

Of course, the fuel economy figures should be taken with a grain of salt since I didn't have several tanks to average off of, but they're pretty much what you can expect. Over 60 mpg (US) at a steady 50 mph, and nearly 50 mpg at over 60 mph. I've heard from owners of the previous generation (which was so much like the Chevette, it became a taxi-fleet favorite) that 40-50 mpg is possible in city driving.

Still bigger than the Chevette, still more crashworthy, and still a bit too fast. It'll hit 60 mph in around 10 seconds with the automatic, and under 9 seconds with a stick.

[gone-ot]

Don't believe that model is available in USA.

[elhigh]

I see now that others before me have already pointed up the non-progress of the Cruze's mpg compared to the old Chevette Diesel. And the Chevette's paleolithic level of "comforts" compared to the Cruze.

Thanks for pointing out the Hyundai, but no sale. Regardless of how good they've become in the years since, my late 80s experience with Hyundai poisoned me against ever owning one again.

It would take an amazing search and possibly an act of God, but I wonder if someone could take hold of a Chevette Diesel and make it perform comparably to the Cruze Diesel. Light turbocharging to get past some of the cold molasses acceleration, upgraded sound, aircon, etc.

I'm blown away to see that even though the manufacturers are claiming to place a priority on fuel economy, still none are fitting fender skirts. Not even on the Prius, where everything takes a back seat to aero efficiency and fuel economy.

[niky]

The Accent could be sold in the US with a diesel (or the Rio, since they're basically the same platform) if Hyundai-Kia felt like Federalizing their diesels.

Hyundai has had its issues in the past, and it still has them now, but diesel is one area where they're strong, and their units are relatively reliable.

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A modernized Chevette would be something, but I don't know how kindly the old 1.9 would take to that much extra boost.