’11 Cruze Quick Review

The buzz around Chevrolet is an all new compact sedan with high expectations. The 2011 Chevy Cruze will arrive at dealerships sometime this year. The Cruze will be replacing the Chevrolet Cobalt.  The Cruze marks the first compact car to reflect the higher-quality approach GM has taken with many other models’ interiors. The Cruze has been sold in Europe and Asia since 2008; the North American model is assembled at the Cobalt’s former factory in Lordstown, Ohio.

The Cruze gets two new GM four-cylinder engines: a 1.8-liter and an optional turbocharged 1.4-liter. Compared with the base engine’s 136 horsepower, the turbo upgrade’s 138 horsepower seems negligible, but it raises the torque output from 123 pounds-feet to 148 pounds-feet, which should make a big difference in off-the-line acceleration. The Cruze’s styling isn’t daring, but it’s distinctive in this class and a big improvement over the bland Cobalt. Unlike the Cobalt, which also came as a coupe, there are no plans for additional body styles as of the start of the 2011 model year. The Cruze’s cabin has higher interior quality than the Cobalt. Interior choices include interesting rough-hewn woven trim or more conventional leather-style appliqués on the dashboard and door panels. Leather seats are optional, as are accent-colored center panels. For safety, the Cruze is the first affordable compact car to include 10 airbags standard. In addition to the required front pair, there are seat-mounted side-impact airbags for all four outboard seats, curtain airbags to cover the side windows on both sides and knee airbags for the front, which protect the occupants’ legs and help prevent them from sliding forward that would make the other restraints less effective. The Cruze includes a standard electronic stability system.