Compact cars are one of the best options for daily use because they are affordable, they offer good fuel economy and most of them are good choices for new buyers who are buying their first car. Probably the most popular cars in this segment are the Hyundai Accent or Toyota Yaris but Americans also have their own products here and the most well-known one is the Chevrolet Cruze.
Chevrolet Cruze first introduced in 2008 on the same platform as Opel Astra. As GM was targeting Europe with it, the Cruze was available with a range of petrol and diesel engines.
Engines were from 1.4 to 2.0-liter and fortunately, none of those low displacement engines came to the Middle East while the UAE market received the 1.8-liter version with offers the same performance as some of the benchmarks of the segment like Kia Cerato and Toyota Corolla.
GM introduced the second generation of Chevrolet Cruze in 2014 but it never came to the Middle East. And if you want to get a Chevrolet Cruze in the UAE the only option available is the first generation.
Chevrolet Cruze built in three different bodies, a four-door sedan, a five-door hatchback, and a five-door station wagon but the station wagon model is not available in the Middle East market.
In terms of design, it is completely different from what we have seen before from General Motors and especially Chevrolet and also it is not the most beautiful car in this segment that you can find, but the overall design is not that bad with big grille and aggressive headlights and simple front bumper.
On the side, it is as simple as possible and the only thing to mention is a curved roof and a line that started from the front fenders and finished at the taillights.
The design of the rear is completely different between the hatchback model and sedan and probably from this view, the hatchback looks way better. somehow the sedan version reminds some Chinese cars and we cannot say that it is better than some of its rivals like Hyundai Accents or Toyota Corolla. Buyers also can choose between 15-, 16- or 17-inch alloy wheels.
Inside the cabin, the situation is better with the steering wheel that is handy and nice and sports instrument cluster. The quality of the cabin is not the best in class but there is nothing to complain about rather than a big amount of cheap hard plastic on almost every surface.
In terms of space while the headroom is good, when it comes to rear foot space Chevrolet Cruze is not as good as some of its rivals like Toyota Corolla or Kia Cerato.
In terms of equipment, the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze comes a standard with USB port, optional CD changer, manual or automatic air conditioner, cruise control, folding rear seats, power windows, keyless entry and start, optional sunroof, 7-inch touch screen with Bluetooth, and MyLink infotainment system, rear parking sensors, electric mirrors, and leather steering wheel.
In the UAE, Chevrolet Cruze uses a 1.8-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine with 140 horsepower and 176 nm of torque. The engine can be connected to either a 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission.
The Cruze can Sprint from stand steal to 100 km/h in 11.5 seconds and reach the top speed of 198 km/h. The average fuel consumption is also 6.8 to 7.8 l/100 km.
While Chevrolet Cruze is not a fast car in the straight line but it offers above-average handling in the corners and it reminds us of the Ford Focus. It is not a very fun car to drive but the steering feels responsible and the brakes are also predictable and acceptable. the suspension handles bumps well as there is Independence MacPherson suspension up front and a non-independent torsion beam at the rear.
In terms of comfort, while there is no complaint about front passengers, The ride may be a little harsher for rear passengers especially on the models that are equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels. The bigger wheels can make a ride even firmer.
One Chevrolet Cruze is a good combination of practicality, economy, and performance but it definitely is not the best choice in this segment as there are some very strong and more successful Rivals like Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic but it can be a good option for people who are looking for a cheap compact car for daily use and also they want to be a little bit and they're looking for a car that has a more distinct design rather than something very popular like Toyota Corolla right now you can buy a second hand, Chevrolet Cruze, in the UAE with around AED 30K to 40k.
My wife has a 2018 diesel 1.6 chevy cruze. She loves it for fuel economy and space in the trunk
The Chevrolet Cruze is an average affordable car, but eversince GM left south africa, the people they entrusted their products with is useless and never minded to their commitment to the product, especially Reeds N1 in Parow.
I was given the opportunity to purchase my very first brand new vehicle in 2017. Living in in GM town, raised on GM vehicles of course my choice was GM. After looking at cars on line I decided to test drive the Cruze and fell in love with the smooth comfortable ride immediately. After driving clunkers for the better part of 25 years, it was an amazing difference. In the past I had owned the Sunfire and Cavelier but owning brandnew is just something so special. Something I could really call "my baby" lol. Well guess you can tell thiss lady loves her car!!!
I'am looking to purchase a Chevrolet Cruze. Thank you for writing this article. I really enjoyed reading it.
Nicely
can't go 70 mph , cause transmission get to hot an thier no explanation
Are the 2021 Chevy Cruze available in the United States?
You need to proof read a little bit more btw.