Driven | 2017 Chevy Cruze Premier
The compact car segment has been dominated for decades by import brands. The second-generation Chevy Cruze rises toward the top with style and refinement.
By TOM VOELK/DRIVEN on Publish Date December 1, 2016. Photo by Martin Campbell. Watch in Times Video »THERE is no shortage of car-buying advice. Auto magazines. Websites. Co-workers. Family members. That guy down the block who’s always working on a (fill in the blank with 3 Series, Camaro, Civic, GTI or Mustang).
It’s my observation — and many auto writers agree — that buyers aren’t so much looking for information as they are validation. Many are stuck in a brand-loyalty rut.
When I’m asked, “Should I buy another Toyota Corolla?” I suspect that the questioner has already just made the first of 67 installments, the average auto loan term, according to Edmunds.
Cars are immensely personal, and it’s unwise for me (or your uncle) to recommend any single vehicle. But allow me to share this wisdom McNugget: The auto industry has changed tremendously over the last 10 years, so research and test drives are critical. Yes, more than one car.
All of which leads me to this conclusion: The second-generation Chevrolet Cruze should be on the list of any buyer looking for a compact car. Even if a Honda Civic, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Mazda 3, Nissan Sentra, Corolla or Volkswagen Jetta ends up in your driveway, you’ll sleep better knowing it, and not the Cruze, is the right car for you. Or maybe you’ll surprise yourself and choose the Chevy.
Available as a sedan or four-door hatchback (huzzah!), the Cruze is what many people want. It’s quiet, comfortable, attractive, efficient, dependable and the tech doesn’t require computer programming skills.
Consumer Reports has Cruze on its “10 Most Reliable Cars” list for 2016. The compact-car competitors? Conspicuously absent.
As I said, things have changed.
Not that the other compacts aren’t good or dependable. And many cost thousands of dollars less than the Cruze, if the suggested retail price is what you’re looking at.
The loaded top-shelf Premier model I tested has a sticker price of $28,995, though frugal buyers can buy a base LS model with a 6-speed manual transmission for $17,850 (but only in white or silver). The sweet spot seems to be an LT with a 6-speed automatic transmission for $22,325. And really, who pays retail?
Friends settling into the Premier’s comfortable, supportive heated leather seats remarked on how upscale the interior looks with its stitched dashboard. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are welcome additions to an excellent touch-screen interface. My sister in Duluth, Minn., would cherish the heated steering wheel. Chevy scrimps, though, with the single-zone climate control, smallish sunroof and tepid Bose audio system.
Auto braking with pedestrian detection and radar adaptive cruise control are now standard on the less expensive (and less refined) Corolla. These are not available on the Cruze, although forward collision alert and lane-keeping assistance are available with a $790 package on Premier models.
The Cruze is powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter 4-cylinder engine. Sipping regular grade gas, it summons 153 horsepower, 177 pound-feet of torque and a mild engine note. A diesel is scheduled to arrive in the spring of 2017.
The automatic transmission, mercifully not of the rubbery, continuously variable kind, uses a familiar PRNDL — park, reverse, neutral, drive or low — controller. I side with the Luddites here: Electric joystick selectors can be unwieldy.
You would be ill advised to drag race for car titles, but with 8.3-second 0- to 60-mile-an-hour sprints, the Cruze will most likely vanquish the opposition. As with many transmissions these days, this one holds onto higher gear ratios to maximize gas mileage.
The Environmental Protection Agency says a Premier should average 29 miles per gallon in the city and 39 on the highway. I came close to Uncle Sam’s 33 m.p.g. average.
What makes this Chevy worth the extra money is the hushed cabin and a suspension that soaks up big bumps. The Civic or Mazda 3 might be a slightly sportier way to go, but the Cruze offers a rich, balanced ride without sloppiness.
But you’ll be test-driving, so you’ll experience it for yourself. Right?
Bring along a tall friend if you do. While the back seat has generous leg and knee room, those over 5 feet 10 inches may get an unwanted hairstyle. The Premier’s rear quarters get heated seats and a 110v household outlet as part of an $865 convenience package.
Six carry-on suitcases should slide into the generous trunk. Expand it by dropping the split seat backs or pay an additional $470 for the hatchback version (available only as LT or Premier, though).
A final bit of advice? Buy the car you love. It might be a little more expensive, but chances are you’ll keep it longer and maintain it better. Just look closely at all your choices first. You may not know what you don’t know.
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