Auto box boosts Cruze appeal

The Cruze is available in two hatch and four sedan models with a choice of a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre petrol engine that pushes out 86kW and 155Nm to give it a top speed of 185km/h (hatch) and 190km/h (sedan) and a claimed fuel consumption of 6.7l/100km.

click to enlarge

The turbocharged 1.4T L/S ECOTEC petrol engine now benefits from the addition of auto transmission to complement the existing six-speed manual. This perky engine develops 200Nm and 103kW, for which Chevrolet claims a combined fuel consumption of 6.8l/100km/h.

The top of the range auto version has the highest top speed of the range, topping off at 204km/h and capable of a zero to 100km/h sprint in 10.4 seconds.

I recently spent a week in the company of the newly launched auto shift model and enjoyed it immensely. Designed more for family comfort and frugality than squirting performance, the cog-swopping of the new auto option is smooth and fairly rapid in normal auto mode but it also offers the choice of shifting to manual mode, which is useful for overtaking and bits of naughty fun on quiet, twisty roads.

click to enlarge

The automatic, although nearly R10,000 more expensive than the manual sedan, is sure to become the preferred option for daily commuters, particularly the unlucky ones who have to trundle in and out of the centre of Cape Town via the N1 or N2 (which a recent survey showed to be the most jam-packed city-suburban links in the country).

I was impressed by the well-sealed, spacious cabin and the Chevy's new Mylink Infotainment system with its swanky Colour Connected Radio (CCR), complete with icon-based menus much like an iPad, Voice Recognition via your phone, and a CD playback function.

click to enlarge

Luggage space is more than enough to accommodate the bags and toys of a family of four trip, or to swallow dad's monthly wine and beer order - and it can be further enlarged by fold-down rear seats.

An extensive menu of family protection safety features include electronic stability control (ESC), ABS brakes with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) and traction control plus body features which combined earned the Cruze five-star ratings from both Euro NCAP and the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Where the spruced up family-pleasing Chevy also moves up a few notches is in the exterior styling department where eye-catchers include new projector type fog lamps, LED daytime running lights and a spruced up fascia and grille.

The sedan models also have a new boot lid and tail lights. To finish off the extra sparkle on the 2015 upgrades are newly designed 16-inch and 17-inch alloy wheels (the 17-inch is an optional extra on all LS models).

Although the Cruze competes in a tough, highly competitive segment of the market it has the looks, performance, comfort, safety features, quality finish and competitive pricing to square up to the likes of the Toyota Auris/Corolla, Hyundai 130 Elantra and VW Jetta/Golf.

To add to its attraction all Cruze variants come with price-inclusive three-year/60,000km or five-year/90,000km service plans, a five-year/120,000km warranty and roadside assistance, plus a five-year/unlimited km anti-corrosion warranty.

The models and price are:

Hatch:

Chevrolet Cruze 1.6 LS - R248,300
Chevrolet Cruze 1.4T LS - R265,200

Sedan:

Chevrolet Cruze 1.6 - R230,400
Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T LS - R247,200
Chevrolet Cruze - 1.4T LS - R262,500
Chevrolet Cruze - 1.4T LS A/T - R 272,400