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WASHINGTON – For all of its tree-hugging gusto, the upcoming Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle will not make or break the new General Motors Co. No, that role belongs to the much-thriftier but superbly capable Chevy Cruze.
A traditional compact sedan arriving at dealers just ahead of the high-tech Volt, the Cruze is the sort of car the auto maker’s pre-bankruptcy entity could never pull off: affordable, fun, and, according to GM, profitable.
Ward’s tested near-production models of the Cruze last spring at GM’s sprawling Milford, MI, proving grounds, finding the 1.4L turbocharged 4-cyl. engine and its amazingly compact 6-speed transmission a winning combination – except for the powertrain’s momentary trepidation off the line.
Driving the car again here recently, it appears a few extra months of calibration successfully ironed out that hiccup.
In fact, GM North America President Mark Reuss tells Ward’s an uneven balance between high fuel economy and fun-to-drive dynamics was the reason behind a tardy Job One launch at Cruze’s Lordstown, OH, assembly plant.
GM’s patience, which it lacked in its previous life, pays off. Put simply, there is no car sold today in the Cruze’s class that is more appealing.
The Cruze is preferable to both the popular Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, and much of the credit goes to its powertrain and an excellent, cost-effective chassis.
