By Derek McNaughton, The Ottawa Citizen - Almost every press car I evaluate fails to achieve the fuel economy ratings posted by either the manufacturer or Transport Canada.
There are exceptions, of course, and driving behaviour (read, cement foot) has more impact on missing the mark than anything else. But when an automaker goes out and assembles and markets an entirely unique model whose primary selling point is stellar fuel economy, the vehicle -- when driven by anyone but the most hedonistic -- had better be darn close to achieving those economy targets, lest we all come to think official fuel ratings are as entertaining as "Vince" and his Slap Chops.
The 2011-Chevrolet Cruze Eco certainly advertises fuel economy that might seem laughable: 4.6 L/100 km highway and 7.2 city -- numbers that lay waste to the real economy realized by many hybrids, which also happen to be more expensive and only slightly less complicated than a Mars Rover.
But here I am cruising at 120 km/h on Highway 416 near Ottawa and the instant-economy readout is bouncing between 4.3 and 5.5 L/100 km at steady throttle. Who's laughing now? While I'm surprised to see the rpms as high as 2,000 at this speed because the Eco has a supposed "taller" sixth gear with the manual transmission, I'm nevertheless burning fuel at a rate as good as a diesel engine.
The manual transmission, besides achieving better economy than the available automatic, is also the best way to extract every ounce of what available power is on tap from the 1.4L turbocharged four cylinder -- 138 horsepower and 148 lb-ft of torque. Those are not big numbers for a car equal to the size of a BMW 3 Series, but the easy-shifting manual and light clutch make the car feel adequately responsive. There is some turbo lag when you're really hustling the throttle, but the turbo's power band is low and long enough through the rpm range that you feel the added boost at precisely the point where it's most needed for daily urban driving.
Even through my 25-minute urban commute, I was able to score between 6.5 and 7.5 litres/100 km over five days, though much of that commute is 70 km/h along an uncongested parkway. Still, the numbers only added to the satisfaction of this bright and cheery compact. I was making up for all those years as a net carbon producer.
The $19,495 Cruze Eco (which the kidlets came to call the Cruzeeko) is lighter and more aerodynamic than its Cruze sibling, which also starts at $19,495, (though it gets an automatic for that price). The Eco also uses lighter, more stylish wheels, as well as the same low-roll-resistant Goodyear tires used on the electric Volt.
In all, GM says 42 changes were made over the base model to reduce weight, with a net gain of almost 100 kilos over the regular car. The Cruze Eco weighs 1,365 kilograms, which isn't exaclty Keira Knightly thin, and is about 150 kilos more than a Hyundai Elentra, but the weight has no detrimental affect on ride quality or interior noise.
Easily one of the Cruze's more endearing attributes, the ride is supple yet firm, feeling more German than GM thanks to Opel's involvement. If the hard seats matched the superior suspension, it would be easy to think Cadillac engineers designed the undercarriage. The Cruze interior, too, is more upmarket than econo, though my right knee constantly bumped into the heater control knob, and some digital readouts are dated. Still, the cabin is pleasant and visibility is good.
The back seat is useable and the trunk isn't just an afterthought.
The Cruze Eco may not offer all the glitz and glamour that comes with owning a hybrid, but it is completely honest about its real fuel economy -- and achieves its miserly-like state for thousands less than the nearest hybrid. That's a win-win combination for me.
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