Test Drive Chevrolet Cruze since 2009 Sedan

Firstborn

This handsome is the first car, built on the new GM global platform called Delta II, which will give life to a whole range of products under different brands. For example, the next generation of Opel Astra, whose global debut we expect autumn in Frankfurt. And the new platform always means the use of advanced technologies, higher reliability and best consumer qualities. Therefore, it is not surprising that on most Cruze markets will change the very popular Lacetti. Although just in Russia Lacetti will remain, and it will cost a little cheaper than new items. Finally, it is Cruze that in this summer will stand on the conveyor of the Russian GM plant in Shushary under St. Petersburg, where Chevrolet Captiva and Opel Antara.
Evaluate Cruze I happened in one of the most beautiful places in the north of Spain.
A fresh look
A person named Tevan Kim, who created Cruze's appearance, and which is now the Vice-President of the GM Dat Design Center in Korea, the company has seen, even when he was a student. And he studied in Mecca car design of Turin. Obviously, the European, but the original style, which was distinguished by the work of Kim, provided him with a place in Chevrolet immediately after graduation. Now he summarized what created a multinational team of designers from Germany, USA and Australia, putting a final point in the discussion on how the Cruze first-mentioned model of a new model range should look. Rear lights are somehow reminded about the Honda Civic sedan or a new BMW seven? Full those! If this is reproached, then weak. In general, Cruze is unique, in his appearance, freshness is felt, a young hand, if you want.
The brand belonging is obvious at first sight on the front, decorated with a golden cross Golden Butterfly, as they now prefer to call the Chevrolet emblem in the company itself. The massive grill of the radiator is divided into the body color bar. Muscular wheeled arches, successfully designed and organically inscribed in the front of the headlight, as well as a large windshield tilt angle All this ensures the dynamism of the exterior, and in addition, a very good aerodynamic resistance coefficient (0.31).
When looking into the profile, you immediately understand that the dominant element of the design is the roof line falling to the stern, which, in combination with a relatively short lid of the trunk, gives a sedan similarity with the trendy 4-door coupe. By the way, the characteristic concave line on the sidewalls on the plan should be the highlight of the new corporate style Chevrolet. It's funny that the body panels do not have neither moldings or any other decorative elements that, I would say, gives the car a noble view.
Pleases and accuracy fitting body parts. According to the manufacturer, the gaps between the doors and wings, wings and the hood, and even the headlight and the bumper do not exceed three millimeters. I did not check with the ruler, but it is so on the eye. I hope our hands under St. Petersburg will not spoil the first impression, and will work with the accuracy and accuracy of the Koreans, which are now producing Cruze.
Back to the Future
I will say honestly earlier in the Korean C-class of such high-quality and stylish interior, I have not seen. Original, brave, even cosmic all encountered. But what I found in Cruze was not.
I'll start with the fact that Cruze took over Corvette this tissue (or vinyl, depending on the configuration and seat of the seat upholstery) insertion on the front panel. For the first time, such a decor appeared on the first generation of the legendary American Muscle-Car, as early as the 50s of the last century. Impractical, can get it? In the evening, for a glass of good Spanish wine, a company representative assured me: Will not! We checked, and just in case, these inserts were treated with a special composition, which protects the fabric from premature aging. But how harmoniously perceived the interior! After all, the same material and the seats, and on the door sidewalls. Hence the feeling of high costs, which occurs in the Budget Salon by definition Cruze.
The high class of finishes is confirmed by millimeter gaps between the parts of the central console. I did not notice that they swam at least in one place, no matter how hard it tried. By the way, Corvetovsky, sports in spirit decor is customary to be called a double cockpit, and it may well become a kind of business card Cruze.
Of course, the deep wells of the tachometer and speedometer in the style of Alfa Romeo will no longer surprise anyone, but the bulk neon backlight features a dashboard from all seen earlier in classmates. Pure and bright luminescence of white and blue ice colors provide, of course, LEDs. Stylish, tasteful!
Take a look at the photo of the salon. And you agree that the combination of a V-shaped insert in the lower part of the steering wheel, designed in the same spirit of the central console and round ventilation deflectors, microclimate and audio control knobs introduces a special charm to the Cruze interior. True, much will depend on the configuration, although the overall mood in any case will be preserved.
Well, finally, well-thought-out ergonomics: the main bodies of management are in the area of \u200b\u200bdirect visibility and reach, and only the appliances flap glasses are slightly difficult to read information in sunny weather. There are no problems with a convenient and proper boarding driving. The steering column is adjustable both in height and by departure, and the seat itself is successfully profiled and endowed with all the necessary adjustments. There is a place in the rear seats, because compared to the Lacetti the wheelbase has grown 85 mm. From here and quite a decent volume of 450 liters luggage compartment. Many space for small things: Pockets in the doorway, a roomy glove box, several compartments on the tunnel between the driver and the passenger and at the bottom of the central console.
It seems I have posted my own non-relief travel baggage. It's time to the road.
Cantabria with breeze
Bright appearance, outstanding interior What about drive?
In this regard, special revelations for me, alas, there was no. The first cause of gamma gasoline power units. These are two motors of 1.6 and 1.8 liters, which are well acquainted on other models. Thus, the 1.6-liter engine swore directly from Lacetti, and virtually no change. The second, 1.8-liter, is beautifully familiar with the Opel models of the same Astra, for example. With this version, installed in addition to the 6-speed ACP, my acquaintance began with Cruze.
But stop! I'm just obliged to make a small digression and say a few words about the place of test drive.
So, the autonomous community of Cantabria is located in the north of Spain, its shores are washed by the waves of the Cantabrian Sea (so the Spaniards call their part of the Biscay Bay). So the Cantabria is divided into two large natural zones of sea, with a mild climate and an unusually picturesque landscape, and the mountain is as beautiful, but more severe and therefore inconspicuous. As a matter of fact, the whole province is mountains dissected by green valleys, which goes to the coast. The famous River Ebro takes his beginning here, which is believed to be the name of the entire Iberian Peninsula. At a relatively small territory, 6 national parks and reserves. Clean sandy beaches stretched to 110 km from the east to the west. The intimacy of the Atlantic Ocean determines the wet and mild climate here is not harsh winters, and the temperature rarely rises above 25 degrees. So the Spaniards, giving the Costa del Sol to foreign tourists, prefer to spend the summer holidays here. In greenery and coolness, admiring the beauties of Santander of the capital of Cantabria, its surroundings, or descending into the famous caves of Altair.
Returning to the topic: Features of the local landscape and almost always free roads made it possible to completely estimate the driving quality of the car. After the first kilometers behind the wheel of a 1.8-liter Cruze with a machine gun, I, confess, began to be slightly sad. The car does not shine dynamics: the motor works smoothly, I would say too smoothly. It pulls from the bottom, but it is not capable of hanging at high speed pickups. And inside, however, noisy. Not from tires or extraneous sounds. With this just all right. The roar is coming from the engine compartment: a sound per hundred, acceleration on the ruble. In addition, the reaction to work as an accelerator seemed to me in charge of proof, sluggish. Yes, and the 6-speed automatic activation of a lightning reaction is no different. From the place you will be touched, but then all the acne disappears somewhat. In part, it is possible to correct the situation by transferring the ACP to the sports mode of operation. But the solid characteristic of the power unit does not change, and noise inside is even more. And this does not fit with quite informative steering and fairly tight suspensions, thanks to which the body is almost not cubed. In the turns of Cruze very tenaciously holds for the road fabric. True, I would still say about sports settings of the suspension, because the car demonstrates clearly insufficient turning.
On the other hand, all of the above speaks of good active safety, because even in the critical situation, Cruze remains the machine projected and even, to a certain extent, forgiving the usual driver's mistakes. In addition, there is a stabilization system and other numerous electronic guards that will help in a critical situation. And Cruze's brakes did not cause any complaints: the effort on the pedals intelligible, the power of the calipers is enough, even if they dramatically slow down from a speed of 180 km / h. I tried himself when, on the highway, the hot spanish was later reacted to the narrowing of the bands and for some reason decided to get up like the inspected.
The second day of the event I decided to start with acquaintance with the practically basic version of Cruze, with a 1.6-liter gasoline engine and a 5-speed manual gearbox. Oddly enough, I liked this version more. First, in the cabin quieter. Secondly, the responses to work accelerator is much more clear, the clutch pedal is quite informative, and with the selectivity of MCP any problems. Yes, on dry numbers of overclocking until hundreds, this modification is slightly slower, but it seems more dynamic. Lack of power Feels except when accelerated from 80 to 120 km / h 1,8-liter version solves such a task success.
And now I will once again express the chagrin about the fact that the Russian market will be deprived of the Cruze diesel modifications. A version with a 2.0-liter turbodiesel, the most powerful in the gamma, I liked more than others. Motor develops 150 hp And good torque in 320 nm. With a pair with him, the same 6-speed automatic behaves much more adequately (although the company does not report exactly for some reason). Such Cruze is able to please the dynamics. And, very surprisingly, better noise insulation. It seems that the rate was done precisely on diesel, which in Europe will certainly prove to be more sought after. Be that as it may, the engine pleases the absence of the so-called turbo-pit and good pickup in the entire range of revolutions.
We wait
As already mentioned, Chevrolet Cruze will soon begin to produce in Russia. But the salons of official brand dealers it will decorate, most likely, in the fall.
Unknown while prices. It is clear one Cruze will be more expensive than Lacetti, whose production has been established in Kaliningrad, at the power of the autotor. But for some reason I have no doubt that both cars will be in demand by the consumer.
Santander Moscow
Andrei Osipov
Photo Chevrolet.
 

A source: Magazine Automotive News [May 2009]