While Chevrolet is showcasing a modest refresh to the Chevrolet Cruze as we know it in New York City, there’s a completely all-new model rotating around a turntable in Beijing. To make it more confusing, both represent 2015 model year models. But it’s clear that the one in China is pointing at what’s to come for Chevy in its native market. And it looks… well, it looks to be… um… unoffensive?
Some of you may look at this new Cruze as your next perfectly anonymous commuter car, with just the perfect amount of modesty you’ve been looking for in a compact. Others have voiced their opinions as the next-gen 2015 Cruze being some sort of Dart-Elantra-Focus-Corolla thing, and a bit of a misstep in the design department.
So, if you have an opinion, vote in our latest poll below.
Comments
It’s the illegitimate child of an affair between a Kia Optima and a Honda Civic, so of course it’s hot!
Nobody expects GM to think or stand on its own two feet. As usual, the only time you will get your breath taken away is during the sticker shock.
I tend to agree with the love child scenario and once over the initial shock of how different it is from the first one it tends to grow on me. I reserve final judgment upon seeing it in other colors though. The only thing that I have any real issues with is the damned “me too” pie hole grille they put on it. For such a small car these huge pie holes of a grille just look sort of awkward to me.
Now GM is saying that this is a China only Cruze and that the NA version will have a longer wheel base, and altered design.
This is odd. We live in the era of the world car. Also, this new Cruze is fairly large for the segment. Why would a new design language be altered so quickly?
Personally, I think Detroit is reacting to all the bad press.
Definently not. As someone who loves the design language of both the Focus and current Cruze, i can do without two Focuses.
Well this is not the sexy poster on the bedroom wall class so we need to be realistic here.
The car is not bad but not all that exciting as is every other car in this class.
Now lets start with the nose of this car. The nose is the most difficult to design in this class with the new global regulations.
Not only do they have to make the nose aerodynamic but they also have to keep it short and tall. The reason for the short is to save weight and use more space for interior room. The hoods today have to meet standards of hood to engine clearance. This I why all of them are going to the tall flat grills in the nose. The taper of the fenders and lights are to make up for the aero losses of the nose. It is a small box they can work in anymore and because of that they are all starting to look alike. If it is not looking like this now it will be soon enough. If not you will pay a price in weight or aero drag.
The sides are average but the key here is they focused on the interior and head room for the front and back. The high sloping roof gives more space and while not the most visually stimulating it is the most practical of which this class is built on. The side body line carried from the Impala is nice but I think they should have made it longer similar to the one on the Opel Astra. They could have moved it at least into the rear doors to give the side more shape and style.
The body line low helps stiffen the side of the car and is used in most models today. Today many body lines are not just for style as they give strength to lighter panels.
The rear is the best part of this car as it is really well done and the best carry over from the Impala styling.
Now what we can’t see is the lighter weight and the more efficient engines that may put this car near 55 MPG in a Eco model and much higher in the standard model.
Also the features and trim inside will be as good of better than anything on the market. The present car is one of if not the most quiet on the market so that should really help sell cars.
To build and design cars in this segment it is tough. Not only do you have to meet the expectations of the customers but you also have to meet the regulations for safety and MPG. Today you also have to have nothing less than a 5 star crash rating too.
Building large cars is easy as you have so much more to work with. You have room to style and protect people much easier. In a small car the two box is not one many expect much in styling so they focus on MPG an usable space.
In this segment it is all about efficiency of space and fuel. It is a lot of reliability and price and it is some on styling.
You get too stylish and the risk the growth of weight and the space inside shrinks. You also lose MPG.
This is more an appliance segment than anything else. The Civic turned it into one years ago. Yes you can go out and build a damn good looking car but then it fails to meet peoples expectations of a car in this class.
Lets face it if you love cars a car in this segment is not on the top of you list of must buys. The people here are just worried about paying the loan off before they have repairs. They are concerned they can fill it up and make it a week on $4 a gallon gas with out going bankrupt. They want to make sure they can get themselves in here and their 1.8 kids and a dog with out sitting on top of each other.
These folks are not Camaro buyers they are family people who just want the basics of a car to work for them and if you can make it quiet, comfortable, reliable, efficient and affordable they will love it all the more.
The thing we must look at is Chevy makes more than one car for a reason and they know one car is not longer fits all. This is a car for some and the average buyer but not all.
This car will sell 250,000 units in NA a year and I hope it may even get over 300,000 units as this is the kind of car that makes it possible for GM to build the other cars we love as this one pays the bills.
I think if most of us here are honest it is no opinion as it is not our kind of car. It is not totally bland but it is neither totally hot. It is a good family car that will attract the majority buyer who is not a gear head just as Honda, Toyota and Hyundai have been doing for years in great numbers.
are you done? try venting every now and then. 1500 words to say “eh it’s okay..
Get over it. At least he knows something and the comments made are pretty much spot on, even if a little long winded.
FU!
Short enough?
LOL!
Thank Paul, Thumbs up!
He knows what he is talking about and may even work in some capacity of auto development from his rather succinct (even long for some of you non-reading types) summary of what is going on.
Thanks.
..>He knows what he is talking about and may even work in some capacity of auto development from his rather succinct (even long for some of you non-reading types) summary of what is going on.
Thanks.>>
Rice Rice baby!
Hopefully comes with coffee can attached.
Well, at least it doesn’t look like a mini-malibu or mini-impala like the current one.
Not bad looking. The side could be more taut with a stronger and longer character line. But like Scott said, those shopping for a compact economy car are more interested in interior space, fuel economy and price. I’m waiting to see how much weight it loses. And of course how much better fuel economy the new engine and transmission give the car. Word is a big jump.
A Japanese company (Honda) has benchmarked the next Civic against Astra.
GM looks across Detroit, copies Ford.
My segment favorites are Astra GT, Mazda 3, and Elantra.
This Cruze aimed at Ford & VW, and it sucks.
I like the profile down the sides. The back is okay. Ehh. The front looks too small for the rest of the car. It’s not up high enough, if that makes sense. Would have to see in person. Probably never will but I’ll ask my Chinese friends hot it is.
I wonder what they’ll do in the US. Hatchback? Not the wagon. Ew. Leave that in AU. But bring to me the hatchback!
As long as it’s turbo. Like 250-300HP at least. I’m planning to downgrade from my G6 GT. It will be weird.
I don’t know waht it needs. A little more of an edge. The existing Cruze was nice, just a bit too conservative.