It's the right time to launch a budget-priced family saloon, but ALISDAIR SUTTIEreckons the Chevrolet Cruze could do better
WE’VE HEARD a lot recently about consumers switching from their favoured brands to value versions. From supermarkets to clothes shopping, everyone wants more for their money. Chevrolet must be rubbing their hands with glee as it launches the Cruze saloon.
Where many other car makers are looking worriedly at sales figures, Chevrolet has enjoyed its best ever sales in Europe, clocking up half a million units in 2008. It hopes to boost this figure further with the new Cruze, which takes the American-badged, Korean-built brand to a much higher level in terms of looks and buyer appeal. Chevrolet is also hopeful that the sharp-suited Cruze will open up the wallets of younger buyers and the company car sector.
From the outside, the Cruze more than ups the game for Chevy styling. Other than the prominent “bow tie” badge on the Cruze’s prow, theres not a lot to give away this car’s budget aspirations and Chevy expects most customers to opt for the entry-level LS version that shares its chromed grille with the top spec LT model.
Equipment includes electric windows, a CD stereo, six airbags, stability and traction controls, air conditioning, rear parking sensors and 16-inch alloy wheels. The LT ups the ante with cruise and climate controls, electric rear windows, 17-inch alloys and the option of integrated satellite navigation.
There’s a choice of engines: a 1.6-litre petrol with 111bhp or a 148bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel. A 123bhp version of the turbodiesel engine will join the line-up sometime after the July launch.
You might expect the petrol engine to be the better budget bet, but its 159g/km carbon dioxide emissions put it in a higher tax band than the diesel’s 149g/km. With prices for the Cruze expected to start at around €20,000, it undercuts the Ford Focus saloon by almost €3,000 – and that’s against a less potent 113bhp turbodiesel. The Toyota Corolla saloon looks even pricier at nearly €4,000 more than the Chevy and the Corolla can only muster a 1.4 turbodiesel with 89bhp. However, both the Ford and Toyota sit in a lower tax band.
As for economy, the 148bhp diesel turns in 5.6l/100km, while the 1.6-litre petrol manages 6.8l/100km, which are good (but not outstanding) figures compared to the best that the Ford Focus and the much more expensive Volkswagen Jetta can offer.
All of the Cruze range comes with a five-speed manual gearbox, but Chevy does get a small jump on its rivals by offering a six-speed automatic gearbox with both petrol and diesel engines. However, there are three overriding factors that would incline us to stick with the manual gearbox. The first is the likely high cost of the auto box as an option, the second is that it raises CO2 emissions to 184g/km for bigger tax hit and the third is its sluggish nature. During our time with the Cruze, the automatic not only took the edge off the car’s performance, it also dithered about gear selection, which made driving more of a chore than it should have been.
At least there’s a manual override, though this is not too quick on the uptake either.
The diesel engine is too noisy to manage any better than average for this class of car. Compared to the purr of a Ford Focus’s diesel or the punch of those in the VW Jetta, the Cruzes 148bhp unit doesn’t deliver the oomph we’d expect and is a constant, grumbling companion whatever the speed.
The 1.6-litre petrol is a shade more refined, but still makes itself heard too much and too often compared to rivals’ units. At least the five-speed manual gearbox has a light, easy action, which is just as well, as the driver needs to make plenty of use of the lower gears to keep the Cruze flowing along with traffic.
Things dont improve much when it comes to the driving experience. It deals with corners in an efficient manner, but with none of the verve of a Focus, while the suspension baulks at anything other than a completely level surface. Wind and road noise are competently quelled.
Wind and road noise may be pleasantly absent but that only serves to highlight creaks and buzzes from other parts of the cabin. We heard squeaks from the dash, rattles from the sunroof and creaks from the glovebox in different test cars at the launch, so Chevy has some way to go before it’s on a par with the best in this class.
There’s plenty of space for the driver, with a height-adjustable seat and steering wheel that moves for angle and depth. Taller drivers may find the steering wheel does not quite tilt up enough, as we found it could scythe off the view to the tops of the dials. The dash is good looking and the centre console is a much more attractive affair than those of other Chevrolet models. There’s also plenty of space in the rear seats and a decent boot that can cope with a few large suitcases.
Theres no doubt Chevrolet has taken its game to a higher plane. It offers strong value for money, but Chevy should not be rubbing its hands with glee. Rather, it should be seeking ways to address the Cruze’s cabin quality and refinement. Only then will the Cruze make sense as an affordable alternative to its more mainstream rivals.
Factfile Chevrolet Cruze
1.6 litre petrol
Price: approx €20,000
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cylinder
Peak power: 111bhp
Peak torque: 153Nm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Performance: 0-100km/h: 12.5 seconds
Emissions: 159g/km
Combined cycle fuel economy: 6.8 litres/100km
2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel
Price: approx €20,000
Peak power: 148bhp
Peak torque: 320Nm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Performance: 0-100km/h: 10.0 seconds
Emissions: 149g/km
Combined cycle fuel economy: 5.6 litres/100km