Insurance Group: 22
MPG: 50.4
CO2: 147
0-62 Mph: 8.5 secs
BHP: 161 BHP
Range: 665 miles
PROS: This model comes with plenty of equipment included as standard, and the boot is certainly spacious enough to carry plenty of luggage for those who do not travel light.
CONS: The alternatives to the Cruze make it difficult to justify when the prices are compared, and the ride doesn’t fully cope with what British roads have to throw at it.
One of the plus points about this version of the Cruze is that the diesel engine is the best available in this model, and runs smoothly and quietly while offering plenty of power when required. The performance delivered by this engine is certainly better than some of the other engines in the range, and a 0-62mph time of 8.5 seconds means that it is no slouch, and the top speed of 127mph is more than enough for all but the most demanding of drivers. The engine and its performance is probably the biggest selling point for this version of the Cruze.
The adjustable steering wheel means that it is quite straightforward to get a comfortable driving position, but the ride is a little bit too firm and delivers far too many bumps through to the cabin. Driving aids do make the car easy enough to drive, but it is still not as nippy or as good to drive as many of its competitors.
The Cruze is quite an attractive car on the whole, and having the alloy wheels included as standard with this version does help to project the image of a good car. The sloping bonnet and light formation give a hint of the American heritage of the Cruze, and the tapering of the windows towards the back of the vehicle works very well. The inside of the cabin is quite reasonable, but the sheer number of buttons on the centre console could baffle many people.
There is certainly no scrimping in terms of the equipment on this particular version, with the executive pack including satellite navigation and Bluetooth connectivity as standard. Cruise control can certainly come in useful on long journeys, and the leather seats are certainly a welcome addition that adds a little bit of luxury to the vehicle.
In terms of the ability of the Cruze to carry passengers, it can accommodate four people with ease, but the fifth person may find that the wide transmission tunnel down the middle of the car makes positioning their feet quite uncomfortable. The boot space is very good, and the rear seats fold flat for those occasions where people will have a larger load to carry. The typical alarm and immobiliser are included with the vehicle, and the unique fit stereo should help to reduce the attractiveness of the vehicle to thieves.
The Chevrolet Cruze was awarded five stars in the Euro NCAP safety test, and achieved a particularly high safety rating of 96% for adult safety. The typical range of airbags that will inflate in an accident also help to make this a very safe car, as does the number of driving aids that are included as standard.
The list price for this vehicle is £19,295, and although there is a lot of equipment and leather seats included in this price it is hard to say that this delivers value for money. The fact that the Cruze is in a particularly competitive class also shows up the weaknesses of the vehicle, and comparisons with the Volkswagen Golf and Skoda Octavia do not reflect the Cruze in a good light.
In terms of the economical performance of the vehicle, the fuel performance is quite good at an average of 50.4mpg, and the insurance group is also quite competitive. Depreciation has always been a problem with Chevrolet vehicles, and the three year warranty is accompanied by a year’s roadside breakdown assistance. Although the Cruze is a decent car, there are so many competitors in the class that can offer more for less.
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