Chevy Cruze Eco - Page 4 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

gone-ot · 09-26-2011, 02:56 PM

...the "listed" curb weight of the Eco Cruze is 3,009 pounds...but, that's for the M6 model, not the A6 model, which is closer to 3,200 pounds!

99LeCouch · 09-26-2011, 03:02 PM

It's meant to be a "small midsize" car rather than a "large compact". This car has a very solid feel to it. The doors close with a solid "thunk", the hood is weighty, and the ride over bumps is quite composed. It's also not thrown around by a mid-corner bump. Handling is fairly composed as a result. In terms of driving feel and passenger space, it feels akin to a mid-90's 3-series.

Driving this car is very different from driving a 2012 Elantra. The Elantra does not feel anywhere near as composed or as solid as a Cruze. The Elantra is noisier, bumpier, worse-handling over broken pavement, and just feels less substantial. Well, considering the heaviest Elantra is still 250 lbs lighter than my 3000 lb Cruze Eco, there's a reason for that. It's all in GM's marketing the Cruze as a more efficient alternative to a larger car instead of a cheaper Sonata like Hyundai is marketing the Elantra. GM wanted the Cruze to occupy a niche of it's own instead of playing second fiddle to a larger car like Hyundai is doing with the Elantra.

gone-ot · 09-26-2011, 03:11 PM

...agree! We 'replaced' our 1999 Malibu with the 2010 Cruze and both the wife and I agree, the "interior" space is about the same.

cfg83 · 09-26-2011, 04:30 PM

99LeCouch -

Quote:

Originally Posted by 99LeCouch

...

I don't think they'll do any mods to the Sonic since they have the Cruze to sell. With the diesel Cruze slated for next year as the Eco-D, they're pushing the Cruze Ecos as the fuel-efficient cars in the lineup. Making a Sonic Eco would undercut their marketing of the Cruze.

...

Yeah, that sounds like the marketing that killed the Civic HF for many years in favor of the Civic Hybrid.

If I were GM I would engineer a Sonic Eco and keep it in my back pocket. Maybe just swap in a thrifty drivetrain from an Opel Kadett. If the competition ups the MPG ante or the price of gas skyrockets, fire back with a Sonic Eco.

CarloSW2

gone-ot · 10-10-2011, 09:20 AM

...here's info on Cruze engine DFCO (both manual & auto trans):

GM News - United States - News

99LeCouch · 10-10-2011, 06:11 PM

The DFCO is pretty nice. On larger hills, the DFCO can be engaged for up to a minute.

tjts1 · 10-10-2011, 06:50 PM

I'm not sure why this is news. Every EFI car build in the last 30 years has had DFCO. Maybe the GM engineers got more aggressive with DFCO in the eco cruze. Would be nice if they implemented that on all their cars.

gone-ot · 10-10-2011, 07:07 PM

...it's not just on the Eco, it's on all of the Cruze models--both manuals and automatics.

...and, it's a function of the engine, not of the transmission.

pete c · 10-10-2011, 08:13 PM

If I'm not mistaken, DFCO has been pretty much universal since OBD2 came out in the mid nineties, isn't it?

Nice ride, btw. Too bad the safety nazis won't let them build a similar car that weighs a thousand pounds less.

99LeCouch · 10-10-2011, 08:22 PM

My old Buick didn't have DFCO. It would reduce the injector pulse widths a lot, but never completely cut them off.

It's possible the DFCO in the Eco MT is more aggressive since the older GM AT's let the engine basically idle when going downhill. IIRC the 6T40 in the AT Cruzes is similar. Don't quote me on that, however.