This is the Chevrolet Cruze, the firm's new small family saloon, which will make its first appearance at the Paris Motor Show in October.The Cruze is the first in a long line of new Chevrolets that will include the Volt electric car, the new Camaro and a small city car based on the Beat concept. The Cruze will be built on Chevrolt's new Delta platform and will take the company in a new design direction with bolder styling cues.
The wrap-around headlights and new two-tier grille are key features of the car's design, and likely to continue across future models. Other important design cues include a crisp rising waistline, compact rear and sweeping front-wing lines that help to make this small saloon one of the best looking in its class.
The Cruze will go on sale worldwide in 2009, and will battle it out in the UK against the Ford Focus and Honda Civic. Three engines will be available at launch, producing between 110bhp and 148bhp.
The most popular engine choice is likely to be the 2.0 litre common-rail turbodiesel producing 148bhp, but there will also be 1.6 litre and 1.8 litre petrol engines, producing 110bhp and 138bhp.
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Re: Revealed: Chevrolet Cruze
At last.... A DIESEL ENGINE!! Something GM has needed in North America for a long time. Now I can get rid of my gas guzzling Acadia 14 mpg.
Re: Revealed: Chevrolet Cruze
It looks better than the Lacetti as it's overall more modern, but I'm still unconvinced about that grille. Still, some photos can be unflattering so I'll reserve my judgement for the Paris Motor Show. It may surprise me!
Re: Revealed: Chevrolet Cruze
The next all-new Astra (and Saab 9-1) will also be based on this Delta 2 platform, and considering the current Astra's Delta '1' platform doesn't have multi-link rear suspension it handles and rides very well, so there's no reason why this Chevy shouldn't do well dynamically, regardless of whether it's got a torsion rear or independent set-up.
Mind you, platform sharing doesn't always mean the same standards of handling/ride. Just look at the Focus compared to a Mazda 3 and Volvo C30/S40/V50! Or the current Golf against the inferior A3!