First Drive Review
The Chevrolet Cruze was the bow-tie brand’s bestselling model worldwide in 2010. Standing on the latest Opel-developed compact-vehicle platform, which it shares with the Opel Astra and Buick Verano, the Cruze is comfortable, solid, and capable—a far cry from its U.S.-market predecessors. Now, in an effort to add even more sales to the charts—and more cash to its coffers—Chevy is adding a hatchback to the Cruze’s European lineup.
There are three primary reasons to add a hatch to the lineup: size, flexibility, and style. The hatchback is 3.4 inches shorter than the Cruze sedan. That’s nothing in the U.S., with its largely standardized parking spaces, but can make a huge difference in Europe’s crowded cities where parking spaces are often unmarked and you have to make do where you can.
The added versatility makes a good family car better. Despite the Cruze’s small exterior dimensions, the interior is spacious and well laid out. Rear headroom is increased a bit with the hatch, and long journeys are a pleasure, thanks to the smooth ride and low noise level. The seats are comfortable, and the dashboard adds some sportiness with its aluminum-style appliqués and blue-greenish lighting. The Cruze is definitely a cruiser, though, and doesn’t encourage spirited driving. Our test car, a German-spec vehicle that we sampled on the roads around Frankfurt, exhibited considerable body roll and somewhat uncommunicative steering.
Turbos Wanted, Any Fuel
What’s more, the car was (under-)powered by the quiet and unobtrusive but spiritless naturally aspirated 1.8-liter four-banger. For now, this is the pinnacle of the gas-engine pyramid in Europe, although the 1.4-liter turbo we get in the Cruze sedan here will be offered soon. Coupled to the five-speed manual’s tall gears, the 138-hp 1.8 turns in a performance that can charitably be described as mediocre. It feels burdened if you turn on the air conditioning, particularly under high load, and it struggles to take the car to its claimed 124-mph top speed. Torque is a meager 130 lb-ft, slightly higher than the U.S.-market 1.8’s 125. More than the turbo 1.4, though, we’re looking forward to trying the 161-hp, 2.0-liter turbo-diesel, with its 265 lb-ft of torque. It will debut in European Cruzes and eventually make its way here in 2013.
As for style, Chevrolet toyed with several approaches for this Cruze derivative. Designers considered a few profiles with a more-upright rear window, but settled on a swoopier roofline. Styling is a subjective matter, but we like it. The hatchback adds tension to an attractive but somewhat conservative design. Add the Chevrolet Cruze to the list of reasons we wish more of our American friends would jump on the hatchback bandwagon.
