2011 Chevrolet Cruze: Herculean task to match Civic

The 2011 compact sedan makes promising visual impact at Los Angeles show but no test drives

Dec 05, 2009

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Special to the Star

General Motors wants Honda to move over.

That was the word from GM, as it revealed the production version of its all-new Chevrolet Cruze compact sedan at a special press event this week, prior to the Los Angeles Auto Show.

It will go on sale next year as a 2011 model, replacing the outgoing Chevrolet Cobalt as GM's compact car offering.

That will make it a vitally important product for the company in Canada, as the segment consistently ranks highest of all car categories by sales volume.

So far this year, the top sales spot belongs to Honda Civic. That's the vehicle the designers and engineers chased, according to vehicle line director Chuck Russell.

"If we're serious, we have to beat Civic," he says. "We have more interior space, more amenities, better materials, and in handling and fuel economy, we've done it."

The interior is certainly impressive, and if the performance measures up – the event was just a look, with no chance to drive it – it will be a contender.

Similar to the larger Chevrolet Malibu, it uses a "twin cockpit" dash design.

The car on display was the highest LTZ trim line, with two-tone leather seats, as well as top-end features including navigation system, Bluetooth and automatic climate control.

Russell says that base-level buyers won't suffer: they'll still get the soft-touch, two-tone dash, or if they prefer a single colour, it'll be plastic with a matching cloth insert.

The only appearance downgrades, besides cloth seats, will be a painted gearshift surround instead of a patterned one, and the LTZ's clear plastic instrument cluster bezels that radiate red and blue lighting will be replaced with solid ones.

It's sized differently than the Cobalt it replaces. Its wheelbase is longer and it's wider, which should give it improved stability, but it's not as long overall. Passenger volume increases – 2,690 litres for Cruze, compared with 2,469 for Cobalt – and the massive trunk is 31 litres larger. In human terms, rear-seat legroom is impressive for a compact car.

Very unusually for the segment – indeed, for pretty much anything outside of luxury vehicles – it will have 10 standard airbags. Along with two front and two curtain bags, there are also side airbags in the front and rear seats, and for the driver's and passenger's knees. Electronic stability control is standard.

Another nice feature is a relatively thin A-pillar alongside the windshield. On many cars, they're so thick they obstruct vision. It's all in how you design and build it, Russell says: "It will meet roof crush standards. You don't have to put in a thick pillar to do that."

Two engines will be available, both four-cylinder: a 1.8 L producing 136 hp and 123 lb.-ft., and an optional turbocharged 1.4 L that makes almost the same number of horses (138), but considerably more torque – 148 lb.-ft., at a low 1,850 rpm. The idea behind the turbo is better fuel economy at cruising speeds, but with a power punch when required.

Both engines will run on regular-grade fuel, and both come with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

Asian and European sales started earlier this year. We were supposed to get the car three months earlier than the on-sale date now scheduled, but production was set back, officially to "get it right."

Rumours included difficulties with suppliers, especially for the engines, and the company's bankruptcy. If those were factors, GM isn't saying so.

It's getting favourable reviews in countries where it's already on sale. Its Herculean task now is to win over a Canadian market where Civic, Corolla and Mazda3 regularly occupy the top three places and where domestics have lost their lustre, as well as an American market that it might have more easily conquered had it been available during last summer's cash-for-clunkers rebate scheme.

Price will be a deciding factor, but GM won't reveal any numbers until well into next year. The best I could get was "it will be competitive with Civic," which starts at $15,990 for the 1.8 L sedan.

Cobalt is also sold as a two-door coupe and higher-performance SS. GM's tight-lipped reps would only confirm that there won't be any Cruze convertible, so I expect we'll see a two-door at least, and possibly a hotter version to tackle Civic Si.

Whether it'll topple Honda remains to be seen, but if a first glance is any indication, watch for this one to hover seriously around the three that now sit at the top of the charts.

Toronto Star