Look at it. Just look how versatile it appears. And the roof rack container just yells “I’m ready for anything.” We want, no, need this Chevrolet Cruze Wagon. So much so that we’re currently looking up one-way flights to Europe. We may never return.
Wordless Wednesday: The 2013 Chevrolet Cruze Wagon America Doesn’t Get
Comments
I would so buy this ughhh, who cares about the crapy armrests… 🙂
The armrest in the Cruze isn’t that bad, though it still does not compare with any of the ones offered by competitors. The serious problem is in all GM Gamma II cars. I sat in a Sonic at our auto show and my right arm was literally more comfortable running beneath and around the armrest than on top of it, and I’m of average size. “Idiotic” design would be putting it delicately. When they sell poorly GM will probably cross its statistics and conclude that Americans just don’t want B-class cars, when in reality GM doesn’t know how to build one.
If GM does not know how to build a B-Segment then please explain why the Sonic sold more than the Yaris and the Fit – COMBINED! – last year?
Fit = 49,253
Yaris = 30,590
Sonic = 81,247
Aparently 80,000 people think the armrest is just fine, or more realistically, an armrest is not a deciding factor for chosing a vehicle by the majority of people…
You conveniently left out the Nissan Versa. I believe it is vastly outselling all others in the B-class right now. ….. but, we would not argue that the Versa is a better car than the Sonic would we? Or could it be about the price and not necessarily the quality of the car?
Versa sold 113,000 units last year. While 32,000 more units is nothing to sneeze at it does show that the new Sonic is competitive in the segment it competes in.
And you are right. The Versa does undercut the Sonic by $2000 and is most likely the main reason the Versa does outsell the Sonic.
And the Yaris starts at $14,300
Fit starts at $15,400
Sonic starts at $14,100
And these competing cars are well into their product cycles, so let’s see where the Sonic is in 2-3 years. But whatever the sales numbers, GM could have much better results if it would not drop the ball on the details. The same is going to happen with the Encore. It will be presented as a success, but could have been much better. Upgrade the armrest and engine/transmission, and it becomes a hot seller (if the price is held down).
Interesting that the Honda Fit is in the discussion. That’s another car that does not fit American men very well, but for entirely different reasons. I believe most of these cars, including the Sonic, were designed in Asia where people are much smaller. There are lots of Hondas, Toyotas, and Hyundai/Kia cars that I find downright uncomfortable, and I’m only six feet tall.
One of our technicians at work bought a Sonic — for his young daughter. These tend to be blue collar folks with a history and/or relationship with a dealer. I would love to see sales numbers adjusted on a per dealership basis. Might tell a different story.
I do not mind the interior of the Sonic (it’s on my short list and goes to the top if I can get the 2.0L Turbo in one) and I am 6’4″ and 220lbs. But then my current daily driver is a Cobalt SS/SC that doesn’t even have a center armrest…
Too bad so many more would not buy it or they would bring it here.
If they made it look taller and like a SUV people would be all over it. Americans as a whole are just not in love with the wagon.
Case in point while the Cavalier wagon did little the HHR too its place and sold in 6 figures for years.
I like this car and it is a shame it will not be here but too few buyers have killed how many wagons now. The CTS is going away soon as did the Magnum and so many more.
What ever happened to the Insignia sport tourer & pumped up 4×4 estate similar to Subaru’s Outback & Volvos XC 70? I liked the look of that, is it sold just in Europe or has it been quietly dropped.
(Insignia CrossFour)
I agree with Scott in that if it were taller, more SUV like (AWD), then it would sell well here in the USA.
I have an HHR that is ready to be replaced. I was interested in the GMC Granite and they scratched that. I been mislead over the last couple years that the Cruze hatch was coming to America. Now we are not getting the Cruze wagon, again. F%$# GM and all their loyalty crap. They just lost a 40 year customer. Hear that Ackerson. Go back to AT&T!
So what’s your choice now? Juke? Mini Clubman? No automaker can expect to cover every desire of every buyer. Buick Encore is a good substitute for the HHR but I guess you would just rather play armchair Auto Industry Expert…
mislead by who???????
Please provide a GM press release on the production announcement of the Granite/Cruze hatch/Cruze wagon. Or even an exec who said they were coming.
There is none.
Take your hate elsewhere and let us discuss the merits of GM sanely.
I have a HHR SS now and will have it for while longer. I just went to the auto show and while there were many cars I liked there were few I would want to or could afford to own for a daily driver. Just not much interest in much that is out there.
I have hopes the small Opel hatch comes here with the 276 HP Turbo or the VF replacement get a ute here.
I do have to admit after owning a HHR and also a Terrain it would be hard to go back to a lower wagon. The tall roof does add a lot to the carrying ability. I am not in it for the truck aspect as the usability factor. I also like sitting up in the Terrain. Nice to see over the other SUV once in a while.
Scott, I think you epitomize the converted wagon customer. It’s about visibility. Also, the roads here are comparatively wide and straight, so handling curves, where SUVs fail, does not rank high in importance. (It should, because it’s an essential aspect of safety in being able to avoid collisions without rolling your car.)
So how could GM sell a hatch/wagon in this environment? They simply need to cater to people interested in HANDLING AND SPORT, but who also want the cargo flexibility. This should be easy if GM would simply develop and implement the right power-train for the market. Mazda, Ford, VW, and Subaru have all done this and I don’t think their hatchbacks are having any difficulty selling. Even Hyundai is in the game with its European-designed Elantra GT, though I think its sales are really driven by the Hyundai warranty.
It also helps if the hatch/wagon has features that improve its flexibility. If GM wants in quickly it should simply do something special. I’ve stressed the importance of power-train, but they could also get out in front by adding, for example, a folding front passenger seat (as per the Encore) and optional roof rails (as per the HHR). And they absolutely must get rid of their cost-cutters. Skimping on details is not the way towards a better bottom line. It just shoos away the high-end customers, the ones more likely to buy the higher profit trim levels. (This is why I am VeranoHatch instead of CruzeHatch.)
But GM cannot go overboard and approach this market with a Cadillac (as it did, and failed). Cadillacs are too expensive for this type of customer — folks that would tend to be younger and/or have a more active lifestyle. These are people also more likely to care about fuel efficiency. (I know this because it describes me and several others I know who all bought hatchbacks.) The people who don’t care as much about fuel include the hot-hatch buyers, and these can be easily covered by offering a hot-hatch trim level, as we have seen from Mazda, Ford, Subaru, and VW.
You can see in an HHR? I rented one of those for a week and hated it! I had so many blind spots it was insane. Do you have blind spots? When it first came out I really wanted to get one so I rented one to check it out for a long test drive. What year is yours? Is it possible the blind spots are less in newer models?
If they gave us this wagon in a diesel, I would buy two! AWD would be a great addition for those of us with a lot of snow. But then again, I *love* wagons!
An actual person who states the obvious on why no one builds a non niche market wagon which fail every time someone tries to introduce them.
Camry/Accord/Civic/Crown/Corona/Corrola/Magnum/Taurus All failed and gone. And there were many others. We are left with the niche Suburu and high end lux mobiles which barely sell any volume (MB/BMW). Even Volvo has killed its wagon which is what I think of when I think of Volvo.
Whoops-Suburu no longer offers a wagon. Just 3 CUV’s.
Its about carrying ability. Today’s soccer mom/dad need the functionality of a CUV. And if you do not have a family then MAYBE a wagon would be an option but there are few buyers out there that would be without kids and in a wagon.
Damn! That wagon back really transforms the rather plebian Cruze to a nice looking vehicle!
The latest news on the Cruze has really soured me on buying one. The only thng that would have swayed me was a wagon and it is a very handsome thing IMHO. So the diesel will only be available in the highest trim level, requires urea exhaust treatment, the fuel economy is just fair, no manual, and lets face it it isn’t a very big car. the Mazda 6 diesel is bigger, faster, higher mpg, no exhaust treatment needed, better looking, and I just saw that Consumers Reports rated Mazda 2nd only to Lexus for reliability. They even thought to use a timing chain so you’re not changing that belt all the time! the Cruze is a warmed over Opel, the Mazda rethought from the ground up to be the best it can be. Seems to me that Cruze is in for a rough time, Not from the VW Jetta but from Mazda.
Seriously WTF? I don’t understand the financial impediments to bringing this car to the US, are they afraid it will cannibalize Equinox sales? What good reason is there not to have a better product portfolio? Cruze wagon would bring over VW Jetta/Passat wagon and Subaru customers to Chevy.
Wagons don’t sell in enough volume to sell here, PERIOD…
Subaru might actually get competition if we had access to this, especially in AWD. I know I would replace our aging Subaru with one in a heartbeat! But alas, Bejma is probably right. Wagons just don’t sell well here.
But I have a question: If wagons don’t sell well, then why are there a million damn Subarus on the roads?
Suburu no longer sells wagons
VH, lets hope your wrong, that is to bad… I forgot to check the armrest in the Sonic at Chicago show. Hopefully GM human factors staff is looking at all the ranges of human usability and balancing out the right heights for the various users that might drive the car… At the end of the day we all like to rest our elbow in a comfy spot…
Yaba, how could I be “wrong.” I posted my experience in the Sonic …. right after getting out of many other vehicles with satisfactory comfort. After the Sonic I sat in the Spark. Though its armrest was just as skinny and uncomfortable, the location was low enough to serve the intended purpose. Nevertheless, it should also have a center armrest, like the one in the MINI Cooper, or none at all.
This was my first look at a Spark. I was disappointed in the lack of cargo space. The rear seats don’t fold into a usable cargo area. This tiny car was intended for mom, dad, and two small kids to get around in the city with no stuff. Nothing else. Hot hatch from GM? MINI buster? We can dream.
Isn’t it funny how someone at GM can approve the business case for the Chevy SS in America but not the Cruze wagon?
Insignia pumped up will be called Country Tourer
So the Country tourer (sounds nice) is still an on going project then & hasn’t been quietly dropped. GM have been looking at this market for sometime I remember they was considering the Holden Adventure estate & Cross pick up as Vauxhalls for a while, perhaps they just picking the right moment to launch it.
Now that is a good looking Chevrolet for once!!!!!!!!!!!!! But the donkeys running GM arent smart enough to produce it for the US!!
The loss of HHR, although fairly low volume due in no small part to its’ retro styling, leaves a large hole in the Chevy lineup with no serious, low price entry for small families (Sonic 5 is too small for these buyers and the jump to Equinox LS from Cruze LS is $5000). Chevrolet could really use this in the USA. Or totally restyle the Orlando (no more ice cream truck look) and bring that here.
The Cruze hatch was said to be coming to US more than once in articles in Newspapers and internet. Then either a few months or days later word came down not in US. Some of you may not be interested in hatches or wagons so be happy you found a sedan you like. Good for you. The lack of the Captiva, Trax, Cruze hatch or wagon would have satisfied my vehicle needs. However, as a US citizen I get to pick from none of the above. That’s frustrating. What GM vehicle should I purchase? Don’t say Equinox/Terrain. Too big and gas mileage isn’t good enough. Will not buy vehicle that gets less mileage than my HHR. Not with gas close too $4-a-gallon.
‘The Cruze hatch was said to be coming to US more than once in articles in Newspapers and internet.’
Seriously? I also have read on the internet that big foot is alive.
Again, where has GM said they were doing those cars in production? Just because “someone” says that something is going to happen does not mean that GM has announced it.
VH, I dont doubt your frustration… I think there are definate improvements the Sonic could recieve… I dont know that everyone is crazy about styling aspects… I too sat in the Spark but at Chicago show there were too many people to make any judgments… The Vinyl seating was hmmm interesting…
Its interesting at the end of the day many of us want a strong hatch/wagon in the GM stable. I actualy bought a used 2011 HHR to replace an old Blazer I had for 12 years. While I considered the Sonic and sometimes wished I had got one the space available with seats down in HHR is awsome… But the back seating for passengers is horrible in a shocking way…
Dear 62vette, Google Cruze hatch US and see what’s there. Many of the threads are from this blog! If only official GM releases are valid info, then why does this blog even exist? Weren’t you the one that questioned, not too long ago, if Subaru even still sold vehicles in US?
Here is what you said;”I been mislead over the last couple years that the Cruze hatch was coming to America. Now we are not getting the Cruze wagon, again. F%$# GM and all their loyalty crap. They just lost a 40 year customer. Hear that Ackerson. Go back to AT&T!”.
Per your statement GM lost a 40 year customer because GM is not going to build the hatch or station wagon. Sorry, but your statement sounds like you heard that GM STATED they were going to sell the hatch/wagon and since they went back on that you hate them. Perhaps I misunderstood.
No idea why you brought up the Suburu statement, but yes, around here there are virtually no Suburus.
Look, I don’t want to fight with anyone! I am extremely disappointed that after all these years of purchasing GM products and telling other people how good a product they make, I find nothing in the GM product line that fits my day to day needs. I would love a Camaro but it’s not practical at this time. I would hate to go to another brand but, that is the reality of the situation. I have a accrued a large credit on my GM card and it looks like I won’t be claiming it. The fact that these vehicles exist but are not available is frustrating to say the least.
So because a company does not make a product you want they are a bad company and deserve some hate? Anyways.
I do believe that when the new Cruze comes out that a hatchback will be available. Will it sell? Questionable. I look at a vehicle like the Civic, which to me is the quintessential hatchback. No longer available in hatchback. If a honda cannot sell a compact hatch how can anyone expect GM too.
Anyway that is my opinion on the data I see out there not what I think I want.
They do make Spark/Sonic and Volts in hatchback.
If you do want a compact wagon good luck, because there are not many out there. (are there any? Subaru does not make one anymore)
Guess we agree to disagree. We’re all GM fans, anyway. Only would like access to vehicles that already exist. Not asking for the moon and stars. Would be interesting to see them import some of these vehicles for one year and see what happens. Nothing ventured nothing gained. If they don’t sell just stop. They import and export all around the world.
The issue is spending the money to federalize a vehicle from another country to be sold over here. It is not as easy as just bringing it over. It would be nice if that were true, but unfortunately it costs Millions of dollars to convert a vehicle sold other places in the world if it was not already designed that way.
I wish someone would put some focus on commonizing global vehicle safety standards. It doesn’t make sense that different countries have different standards for safety. For instance, Europe has a very detailed pedestrian protection requirements. Does that mean that Europe cares more about it’s people that it requires vehicle changes to help protect them? It just baffles me…