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The new Chevrolet Cruze will dramatically undercut its chief rival, the Ford Focus, Chevrolet has announced today.

Prices for the Chevrolet Cruze will start at £11,495 for the basic 111bhp1.6-litre petrol model, rising to £15,195 for the top-spec 148bhp Chevrolet Cruze 2.0 VCDi LT. The mid-range 1.6 LS, expected to be the biggest seller, comes in at £12,595, undercutting the equivalent Ford Focus by £4000.

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If they cut Opel free, this is going to be the face of GM in Europe.  Fortunately then, it is a reasonable looking car both inside and out, and being based on the new platform, will hopefully handle reasonably too.

Are they going to do a hatch though?  If not, this is going to severely limit its appeal to the "Focus" market, £4000 cheaper or not.

The Daewoo Lacetti Premiere - oops, sorry, Chevrolet Cruze - is not exactly new. Do we get the Korean, Russian, Chinese, Australian, or American version? Surely the "dodge" market would be nearer the mark.

I don't mind the look of this either.

But it's no good it being £4,000 cheaper than the competition if this car's dynamic abilities and all round quality are below par because people will simply go buy a nearly new Golf/Focus/Astra instead.

Two implications, IMHO:

1)  Even fewer Epica sales

2)  With a few cosmetic changes this is something that's perfectly sellable in the UK as a Vauxhall if Opel goes t*ts up. After all, it won't be that lame if it's a next-gen Astra under the skin, and as we now know the IPRs are with the parent not Opel, so they can do what they like. As I said in previous thread, don't think GM has to let go of Vauxhall's 300,000 sales in the UK even if GM loses control of Opel or closes it.

I dont think the Korean Chevrolets being a lot cheaper than rivals is big news to car buyers. They have always been so, even without taking into account the huge dealer offers. The problem is that price seems to be the only advantage the car has and it lags in all other departments, the Cruze will have to be a lot better than the Lacetti inside out if it expects to gain any decent sales. But there are other issues here, What if Vauxhall/Opel goes *** up, they mostly rely on the same dealerships. What if GM goes bankrupt?? There will be no public US money trickling out of Detroit as goodwill for present/future car owners. Will the Korean Govt. help GMDAT in such a scenario?? or will people end up with cars that they thought were a bargain, would loose much more in depreciation and have very little service back up.

I believe a hatch is coming, along with an estate too.  Don't forget that hatchbacks are only more popular in the UK and a couple of other northern european nations.  In the south of Europe (and its other target markets of Asia, South America and Russia etc) small saloons are more popular due to their 'status' and 'image'.  And with the new gen Astra underneath it will be a good car ..... with the inbuilt handling disadvantage but packaging wonder of a rear torsion beam back axle it will not be as good as a Golf etc but then it is £4k cheaper than a Focus so about £6k cheaper than a Golf.  These things do matter! 

shortbread:

I dont think the Korean Chevrolets being a lot cheaper than rivals is big news to car buyers.

 

You're right on that - but the big news would be if the car still has its price advantage but turns out to be a decent motor as well (that's the importance of the next-gen Astra angle).

Think of the respect Kia and Hyundai have won with the cee'd and the i30.

Greetings from Santander, Spain I've just stepped out after a short first drive in the Cruze and the the first impressions will be on the site shortly. But as most have you have pondered already, my first thought was, where will the new Astra sit in the GME tree? The brief answer is, the Astra better be very good indeed. The styling, build and interior design/quality of the Cruze is very impressive.....

HiltonH:

Greetings from Santander, Spain I've just stepped out after a short first drive in the Cruze and the the first impressions will be on the site shortly. But as most have you have pondered already, my first thought was, where will the new Astra sit in the GME tree? The brief answer is, the Astra better be very good indeed. The styling, build and interior design/quality of the Cruze is very impressive.....

That sounds very promising, I think it will be the Chevy badge that hurts this model more than anything - it will make the car appear as seductive as the Dodge Neon was, and sell about the same numbers in the UK...

Orangewheels:

That sounds very promising, I think it will be the Chevy badge that hurts this model more than anything

I'm not so sure.  The Chevrolet bagde is miles ahead of the old Daewoo badge in kudos and from people I talk to, the general public are taking it more and more seriously.  Couple that with a decent looking car, which the Cruize is, and this could be turning point for Chevy in the UK.

i agree, Chevy is going from strength to strength and with the other little car coming out soon they have a good entry point.  Plus it simply is not true that other countries do not know how to build cars.....they do and with GM invovlement and automotive experience.

I am not sure if this is on the same platform as the new Astra.....but you can see this car starting to take up the market; think about it, in all honesty, it only needs to be nearly as good at handling as the Focus and its good for 98% of that sector.

I could see the Cadi brand maybe being applied to the new Astra platfrom i.e. to get stuck into Audi....that then gives GM the clean sweep; I do not GM will be that interested in Opel......as has been said by roadtester, they own all the IP anyway.....the Insig. could be used in the range with the Chevy or even as a Cadi to start and give it to the A4.

But...I think GM will build Chevy as well as Cadi....in the UK/EU...as we have said, it does not need Opel or Vauxhall for that matter.....and £4K/£6K does count! - put it a different way, buy a Chevy and get a free Rolex or free mega family holiday!! or a free "mega flatscreen TV" or whatever!!.....sounds good doesn't it!!

Ps; (I know off subject but Autocar took the thread off)...but if Daimler get hold of BMW they will take it over......I think then BMW will be turned into a "volume" producer like Ford...with Merc being the upper market models....go Daimler; as referenced I said BMW are one to watch......now watch and see what happens to Toyota....it coudl be nothing, but I seriously think Toyota have mega issues that will come out in due course; its the beginning of the end for BMW as we have known it.....something I said a while ago (!!)...not that I am blowing my own trumpet!!