Review: A tale of two Chevys – the 2012 Cruze LT and Cruze Eco (part 1)

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One thing I simply love about this job is the opportunity to be surprised. Considering the new batch of efficient cars, I was pleased with Chevrolet’s progress in this segment, especially with the Cruze. If you are shopping for a quality small sedan, I think the Chevrolet Cruze is an excellent candidate.

Here’s why:

Over the course of two weeks, I drove a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze LT in California and a Cruze Eco in Colorado. Honestly, I did not have great expatiation’s for either vehicle. I had briefly driven one a year back and it was okay – but nothing special. The interior looked nice, but I was doubtful it could compete with the new Hyundai Elantra and the always-good Honda Civic.

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My Chevrolet Cruze in California was a near top of the line, ‘LT.’ Its LT-2 package came with navigation and a six-speed automatic transmission. Prices for this model are around $24,000. For that money you get leather, XM, one touch power windows and, most importantly, the turbocharged 138 horsepower 1.4 liter, four cylinder engine that makes an excellent 148 lbs-ft torque.

It sipped gas with a 26 mpg city and 38 mpg highway rating. I averaged just about 27 mpg.

Gripes? Well, I am not a fan of some of the cheap interior components. The poor fit of the plastics on the dashboard falls behind the competition. The legroom in the back is on the tight side and the six-speed automatic transmission is slow in shifting and it can get hung up when abused. Still, the automatic is much better day to day than the Ford Focus’ dual-clutch automatic.

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I think the Chevrolet Cruze looks a tad boring, but this is a car that looks better in certain colors. The metallic blue looked particularly good on the Cruze. There’s something about the headlights and nose that reminds me of the Impala or Malibu – which are not entertaining to look at.

The whole thing comes down to fun for me. If you can’t have fun with your car, I would rather take public transportation. Fortunately, Chevrolet squeezed some fun out of this practical runabout. Add the excellent Pioneer Premium nine-speaker stereo – and you’re rockin’ the Kasbah.

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That 1.4 liter, turbocharged engine and flat cornering ability (despite the simple Torsion beam rear suspension) give the Cruze a playful spirit. I enjoyed zinging it around corners and liked the rush of turbo buildup. Despite having a turbocharger, it’s not particularly fast. My 0 to 60 mph times were about 9 seconds flat. Still, that’s acceptable for the class. The performance is very quick in traffic.

All in all, the Chevrolet Cruze LT was a good machine for a reasonable amount of dough.

Ahhhh, but what about the frugal brother the Chevy Cruze Eco?

Please come back tomorrow for part 2.

Nathan Automotive media, racing, vehicle evaluation, wrecking yards, and car sales are just a part of Nathan Adlen’s vehicular past. He writes out of high octane passion! To read more reviews by Nathan Adlen or just to enjoy more of excellent writing please visit him on at his examiner.com page HERE.

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