The Cruze has many safety options, highlighted by OnStar with Chevy says this is a compact ride which has all the amenities of a midsize car with the economy of a smaller craft. No argument there, even in this entry-level model that comes in at under $22,000 before taxes.
Cruze is by no means a head-turner, although it has all the earmarks of a well-built automobile: nice proportions, tight and uniform body gaps and a solid feel.
Once I get beyond the bland, the test vehicle has everything I like to see in a car with the exception of power adjustable, heated seats. Try as I might, I can't get the three-lever manual system to adjust enough to keep me comfortable. I also make a mental note not to wear wide shoes or boots as the brake and gas pedals are very close together and wide footwear could hit both in an emergency situation.
All in all the interior is pleasant if not a homey place to spend time on the road. Materials are top notch -- even the plastic looks good.
Chevy says the four-door sedan will carry five. While it's possible, that centre position in the back is better left as a fold-down armrest for two. Access to the back is tight, and it's difficult to keep pant legs from contacting a dirty door sill in crappy weather.
The 60/40 split rear seat-back folds down easily to increase an already impressive trunk space. The only downside is trunk hinges that intrude into the cargo space and you need to be careful not to crow them when you're loading.
To haul all this stuff down the road, this Cruze uses a tiny, but willing, engine that uses turbocharging to coax 138 horsepower out of just 1.4 litres of displacement. Not bad, but when the car is loaded up, those horses have to work pretty hard to get the mass moving to cruising speed. The six-speed automatic transmission goes seamlessly about its job and doesn't do any gear-hunting on long grades.
This is not a thirsty powertrain; in fact it's downright thrifty. The Eco model has been modified to enhance fuel economy, but it's difficult to detect body differences. An active grille louver system controls air flow, the AC compressor has been modified, wheels are unique and there's a rear deck spoiler and more underbody covering to direct air flow.
Chevrolet figures say the car will get 42 miles per US gallon (5.6 L/100km), but on a highway run between Los Angeles and San Diego we hit 4.7 L/100km (50 mpg) at one point and averaged 5.0 L/100km (47) over the distance.
The highway ride is smooth and the MacPherson strut suspension handles humps and hollows easily without disturbing the car's occupants. It's reasonable quiet, too.
When a car spins out in front of me on an icy highway patch, the rack-mounted electric power steering responds quickly to my demand to go somewhere else. This is one heck of a safe car when you consider all the standards: electronic stability control, traction control, ABS, rollover mitigation and, it seems, an airbag for every body part that might hit something.
The options include OnStar with Automatic Crash Response with Injury Severity Prediction that lets OnStar advisers alert first responders about possible serious injury.
Standard interior features include driver information centre, power windows and mirrors, and an audio system with MP3 playback ability, six speakers and auxiliary input jack. The tester carries extras like power moonroof, a connectivity package and remote start.
That's a lot of high-class stuff packed into a rather bland, albeit award-winning, package. I find it's not a car I can love, nor is it a car I can hate.
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