2015 Chevrolet Cruze: Smart for Price and Great on Gas

For so many years, foreign companies have dominated the compact car industry and had a strangle hold on this segment of the automotive industry. In recent years the domestic automakers have given the masses more compact vehicles than ever before to lure many shoppers away from the foreign models. This has come as the price of gasoline has gone up to astronomical prices as well as a result of the lack of market share the domestic builders were able to possess.

With all this in mind the leader for the compact car class is the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze. Offering a great deal more features and high tech equipment than the foreign competition the Cruze has an attraction the younger car buyer is going to love along with offering a very quiet cabin which is usually only found in the midsize and luxury sedan models. For 2015 the Cruze offers a new exterior style and a few interior upgrades to make the car more comfortable and attractive. Along with these improvements the Cruze adds Siri Eyes-Free and OnStar 4G LTE with Wi-Fi hot spot to give the tech lovers more of what they have been clamoring for.

Most cars in this class offer a premium on handling knowing these cars are destined for a life of navigating city streets, according to Miami Chevrolet. The Cruze instead offers a much more comfortable ride with great steering balance and a very forgiving suspension. This gives those who have longer commutes a much more enjoyable ride while trudging off to the workplace on a daily basis. By including the quiet cabin into the driving experience, Cruze owners will be able to create their own oasis of enjoyment while driving to wherever the road leads them.

There are three excellent engine choices offered for the Cruze, two gasoline powered engines and one that runs on diesel. The two gasoline engines are able to be attached to a six-speed manual or automatic transmission with the diesel only is paired with the automatic. The manual transmission for the Cruze offers a more energetic performance and better fuel efficiency for the gasoline engines.

The first of these engines which is found on the base model is a 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder engine that offers 138 horsepower and 125 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine when mated to the transmission shows up with a fuel efficiency of 25 city/36 hwy mpg for the manual and 22 city/35 hwy mpg for the automatic.

The next engine shows up as 1.4-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine that offers 138 horsepower and 148 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine is equipped with an Eco drive mode to help increase the fuel efficiency and save the owner some money at the pump. The fuel efficiency numbers show up at 26 city/38 hwy mpg for the manual and automatic not in Eco mode and improve to 28 city/42 hwy mpg for manual in Eco mode and 26 city/39 hwy mpg for the automatic in Eco mode.

The diesel engine that can be had for the Cruze is a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel inline four-cylinder engine that brings in 151 horsepower and 264 lb.-ft. of torque. With impressive power for such a small vehicle this engine gets things going. The fuel efficiency for this model comes in at 27 city/46 hwy mpg. The diesel engine does require an emissions fluid to be refilled every 10,000 miles which is a factor to consider.

Chevrolet has made good use of every inch of space in the Cruze by offering an interior that is roomy and enjoyable. This interior space is so vast that it moves just this part of the car into the midsize sedan class. All of the controls are intuitively placed and materials and trim are enticing and enjoyable to experience. As the quietest cabin in the compact sedan class, occupants will be amazed at how little outside noise actually gets inside.

On the outside the Cruze has gained a bit of the refresh to be more stylish like the Impala and Malibu models. This gives the Cruze a longer look and feel which adds to the overall theme of having a more comfortable and enjoyable ride instead of just great handling. Add the smooth look to the car and its wide stance and there is not really any doubt why this car is the leader in its class.

For the Cruze, the standard features span across six trim levels. The base LS starts out with premium cloth seats, Bluetooth connectivity, a six-speaker audio system, keyless entire and a six-month trial of the OnStar system. The drawbacks for this model include the exclusion of cruise control, and being the only model that uses the 1.8-liter engine. Regardless of the trim level that is chosen the Cruze includes ten airbags including a driver and front passenger knee airbag offering more safety than most other models.

The optional equipment offered for the Cruze does vary by the different trim levels. These options include a navigation system, a rearview camera, a nine-speaker Pioneer premium audio system, a power driver’s seat, Wi-Fi hotspot capability, a power sunroof and a remote vehicle starter. The RS model offers a sportier look and a package by adding a rear spoiler, lower bodywork, fog lights and different front and rear fascias to give the car a more track ready appearance. Adding to the ten airbags additional safety features that can be bought on the Cruze are blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alerts and rear parking assistance.

Starting at the base LS model the Cruze opens at a price of $18,600 with the manual transmission with the automatic adding about $1,100. Heading to the top end LTZ model the Cruze asks for a price just over $25,000 when powered by a gasoline engine and the diesel model will fetch a price just above $26,000. At these prices and the inclusion of a great deal of ride comfort, the Chevrolet Cruze is one of the best compact cars for anyone to enjoy especially those with a long commute.