And here is what Motoring.co.za has to say
http://www.motoring.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=5174913
September 23, 2009
Take a look at the new Chevrolet Cruze on the move.
Penelope Cruze, Tom Cruze, Chevrolet Cruze. The first two you can't buy, the third has just been officially launched by GM South Africa with a rainy run through the Zululand hills and a mixed reception from us motoring journalists
The Cruze is yet another one-platform 'world car'.
The car was first seen here at the October, 2008 Johannesburg International Motor Show and launched in Europe in March 2009. For now we'll have four models with a choice of 1.6 and 1.8-litre petrol engines, the latter with an auto alternative, and next year will come a two-litre turbodiesel that sounds very promising.
The Cruze, a C-segment four-door sedan with a coupe-style curved rear end and a 500-litre boot, is yet another "world car", a de rigueur feature/phrase trotted out by a growing number of mass-production automakers which, while sounding rather grand, merely means one platform, a limited series of generic engines and big cash savings. For the automaker, that is.
The car has the famous Chevrolet bowtie on the crossbar of its Chevrolet "family face" but it's no more an American car than I'm a Cherokee Indian, though I do like a good pow-wow around a camp fire
Mixed reception from the journalists on the launch in Zululand. It was designed by Daewoo (like the Spark, Aveo etc) with input from Opel, is assembled in South Korea and uses Opel engines similar to those in the new Opel Astra range (which we might also get sometime in the future).
Units for sale in the US will, however, be assembled on the home front. That still won't make the Cruze Yankee Doodle Dandy but it will give the US auto industry something to do. They won't be made in SA.
Apart from the two petrol engines, the Cruze (the play on "cruise" is obvious; less so is my take, which is that cruz is Spanish for cross and perhaps represents the bowtie badge) will be sold in SA in L, LS and (1.8 only) LT – all of which will be explained shortly.
The 1.6 is capable of 83kW/153Nm, the 1.8 104kW/176Nm, figures that sound pretty sporty but just ain't, and that's where the above-mentioned "mixed reception" comes in. Frankly, the 1.6 is flat, needs third gear on even a modest gradient and accelerates like a tortoise with cramp while the 1.8 (I drove the six-speed auto/manual sequential version) is more sprightly but its engine is noisy and over-eager to drop a cog at the mere touch of foot on pedal.
WHAT THE SHEETS SAY
Other journos on the launch preferred the quietness of the 1.6 over the extra urge of the larger engine but the bottom line is that, if you live on the Reef and fancy a Cruze, take each model for a good test drive and keep the extra R18 000 at the back of your mind. Try the manual shift on the auto – it's one of few that holds on to your selection and is delightfully smooth.
Chev's launch info sheets say the 1.6 will accelerate to 100km/h in 12.5sec (anybody's guess what that might be up in Jozi) while the 1.8 needs 10. The same sheets lists 6.7 and 6.8 litres/100km respectively for the two engines but the trip data computer on the cars I drove (and we weren't rushing – a lot of the trip was in low cloud and mist) gave the lie to that.
The 1.6 manual (nice five-speed box, by the way) returned 9.4/100 and the 1.8 auto 9.8 – neither of which particularly good. The diesel, we were told, will require 5.6/100.
Despite all that, the Cruze really is a pleasant cruizer – once it gets up to speed.
The exterior of the Cruze, GM says, is defined by an arching roofline that extends from the windshield to the slim rear pillars. This and the relatively short rear deck give the coupé-like profile that, the automaker claims, is a first-of-a-kind styling for a vehicle in this class. The shell is free of mouldings or trim but the aftermarket catalogue has a slew of stick-on bits if you want to glam the car a bit.
SEATS FOR FIVE
Distinctive headlight clusters with jewel detailing sweep well back and over the wings; the tail clusters each form a plump horizontal figure eight.
Move into the cabin and you'll find seats for five, though rear legroom could be better. Audio and aircon are standard across the range – dual-zone on the top-end 1.8 model – and the sound system includes tuner and CD player. It's MP3-compatible and has an auxiliary socket for an iPod or MP3 player.
The baseline 1.6 L has two front and two side crash bags; LS and LT adds curtain bags. Other active safety measures include anti-lock brakes on all models, traction control on the higher-specced models.
The LS and LT models have vented discs at the front and solid discs at the rear, the baseline L has front vented front discs and rear drums but all models have four-channel ABS. The power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering needs less than three turns lock-to lock.
Here are the rest of the specs for each model range from the…
Cruze 1.6 L…
60 litre fuel tank.
6.5JX16 alloy rim fitted with 205/60 tyres.
Tilt adjustable steering column.
Colour coded door handles and bumpers.
Sports type front seats with height adjustment for the driver.
Power windows and power external mirrors.
Alarm/immobiliser and self-locking deadlocks with remote-control opening and locking.
Comprehensive trip data computer with a graphic info display.
...through the Cruze 1.6 LS and 1.8 LS…
Telescopic adjustment for the steering column, six-CD front loader and six speakers.
Rear disc brakes.
Front fog lights.
Rear centre head restraint.
Triple info graphic display.
...to the Cruze 1.8 LT…
Six-speed auto/manual-sequential auto transmission.
Traction control.
7JX17 alloy rims and 215/50 tyres.
Leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and cruise controls.
Leather seats.
Rear parking radar.
Rain sensing windscreen wipers and power folding mirrors.
Auto lights-on function.
A sunroof is an option.
The Chevrolet Cruze is covered by a five-year or 120 000km warranty, a five-year corrosion warranty and a three-year or 60 000km service plan. Service intervals are 15 000km.
Prices
Cruze 1.6 L - R174 192
Cruze 1.6 LS - R186 126
Cruze 1.8 LS - R204 133
Cruze 1.8 LTa/t - R244 440
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