Car Auto Concept

Chevy Cruze came this past Monday morning when a cherry red sedan pulled up in front of The Dupont Hotel where we had stayed the night before. I got behind the wheel and Chuck Russell, compact car specialist for GM, rode in the front passenger seat. We slowly crept our way out of the city and picked up I-66 and headed west to our first destination.

Immediately, I sensed something very different about the Cruze. It is quiet, roomy, the seats are very comfortable and the car is packed with such niceties as nine-speaker Pioneer sound system, OnStar with turn-by-turn navigation, power windows and locks, six-speed automatic transmission and, in the case of this car, a 1.4-liter turbocharged Ecotec four cylinder engine.

That engine gives out plenty of pep despite its tiny size. When power was needed it was abundantly provided and, mercifully, the engine didn’t scream when I stepped on the accelerator. One of the few things that does need adjustment before the assembly line is cranked up (and Russell promised would be adjusted) is that there is a bit of battle being waged between the turbocharger and the six-speed transmission. At times, the engine would hesitate ever so slightly as the transmission shifted in response, something that a bit of software tweaking should resolve.

Minor Tweaks

Two other complaints I had involved the air-conditioning unit which, when put on full blast was annoyingly loud, giving out a crackling noise instead of the normal whoosh. The steering column didn’t engage immediately when I shifted it, needing an extra adjustment to get it right. Russell assured us that these problems would be corrected before the assembly line got moving. For those reasons alone I’ll provide a follow up review within the next few months.

Back to the drive: the cabin is large and offered plenty of legroom for my six-foot frame and room to spare for rear passengers. GM says that the Cruze is considered a midsize by the EPA due to its interior room, but it is a compact. I had to remind myself that I was driving the Cruze–not the midsize Malibu–as the room and ride are not far off that range.

Cruze electric steering is responsive as the sedan handled sharp turns with little effort. The rear end stayed on track at all times including when taking a second drive around the scenic Virginia horse country another journalist and I decided to test the brakes. At a speed well above 50 mph my fellow driver slammed on the brakes which quickly brought the Cruze to a safe, straight stop. The attendant clunking noise as the Cruze came to a stop assured us that the ABS system had kicked in with Stabilitrak doing its job too.