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2016 Chevy Cruze To Offer All-New 7-Speed Dual-Clutch Transmission

When it launches here in 2015, the all-new 2016 Chevy Cruze will be the only vehicle in its class to offer a seven-speed dual-clutch (automated-manual) transmission (DCT). What’s more, the D2XX-based Cruze will be one of only a handful of vehicles in its class to offer a dual-clutch gearbox to begin with.

Only Ford (Focus), Mazda (3), and Dodge (Dart) currently offer dual-clutch transmissions in their compact vehicles in North America. However, all three of those contenders have six speeds, rather than the seven in GM’s new DCT.

2016 CHEVY CRUZE TRANSMISSION VS. THE COMPETITION
MODEL: 2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE 2015 FORD FOCUS 2015 DODGE DART 2015 MAZDA 3 2015 TOYOTA COROLLA 2015 HONDA CIVIC 2015 VW GOLF 2015 VW GOLF GTI
TRANSMISSION TYPE: DUAL-CLUTCH DUAL-CLUTCH DUAL-CLUTCH DUAL-CLUTCH CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TORQUE-CONVERTED AUTO DUAL-CLUTCH
AMOUNT OF SPEEDS: 7 6 6 6 CVT CVT 6 6
GM's new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission for the all-new Cruze

GM’s new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission for the all-new Cruze

The all-new seven-speed DCG is the result of a joint development project between General Motors and Chinese joint venture partner Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC). The new transmission will be driven by a range of new four-cylinder Ecotec engines with direct injection and turbo-charging, delivering “best-in-class fuel economy, ride comfort, emissions, and quiet performance”, according to The General. And combined with a diminished curb weight, the all-new Cruze will also deliver a fuel economy improvement between 14 and 21 percent compared to the first-generation model. And that’s what we call a competitive advantage. We just hope the new DCT gets a cool name when it launches in North America.

Qualifying notes:

  • The 7-speed DCT will either be an option, or standard on high-end models of the 2016 Cruze. However, the vehicles and respective transmissions seen in the table above represent the high-end/optional transmission option or the transmission available on the high-end trim level of the respective model.
  • As always, the competitive environment could change by the time the new Cruze rolls around, and the competition can introduce new product with new transmissions. As such, our data is accurate as of September 15th, 2014.
  • Speaking of competitors, here’s some context about them:
    • Ford Focus: 6-speed PowerShift Automatic with SelectShift Manual Control (included in the SE Appearance package and standard on range-topping Titanium trim). Lesser models get a 5-speed manual.
    • Dodge Dart: offers a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission only on the top-end trim level or as an option on lesser trim levels.
    • Mazda 3: the 6-speed SkyActiv transmission is optional, and is a very interesting unit. Much like GM’s new 7-speed DCT, it is all-new and was engineered with efficiency plus shift speed and precision in mind. But it was also engineered to counteract the effects of a traditional dual-clutch gearbox, which sometimes have a displeasing effect on their drivers, such as when the driver lifts their foot off the brake and gas pedals, expecting a “creep forward” effect, but the vehicle starts to roll backward since the clutch packs are disengaged. It will be interesting to see if GM’s unit accounts for a similar behavior.
    • Toyota Corolla: offers a 4-speed automatic in the base model, a 5-speed manual, and the power-sapping CVT as an option on mid- and high-end trim levels.
    • Honda Civic: the Honda Earth Dreams continuously variable transmission (CVT) is standard on all Civics. It might be fuel-efficient, but that’s all the power-sapping unit is good for.
    • Volkswagen Golf/Jetta and Golf GTI/Jetta GLI: while a 5-speed automatic is standard on the all-new 2015 Golf and Jetta, the 6-speed automatic transmission is offered on some mid- and high-end models. The high-performance Golf GTI/Jetta GLI offer a 6-speed manual transmission as standard equipment; the 6-speed dual-clutch DSG is an option. And, as Joe’l pointed out in the comments, the $27,000+ Jetta Hybrid does ship with a 7-speed dual-clutch (DSG) transmission.. but but at that price point and in that extremely low-volume model, it might as well not count.
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Comments

  1. Interesting read, thanks for the post. This new generation Cruze continues to look more and more promising to me. 🙂

    Reply
    1. This is an unprofessional article and it’s biased. Quit bashing the other car brands that are better than Chevy. We all know the jetta handles better and the civic and the corolla are dependable and quality vehicles unlike chevy. Trust me, Honda and Toyota have superb quality and the cars don’t feel cheap like a chevy does. Like someone else said, this is just another rental car. It’s not that revolutionary like you’re acting. I’ll take a jetta, civic or corrola ANY day over this. Lasts longer and the corolla comes stock w/ LED projector headlights!

      Reply
      1. Lol talk about bias… the Jetta is a hunk of crap, the honda is severely underpowered. The d2xx cruze has a way better chassis than either (German engineered) and the new engine is an absolute gem

        Reply
  2. Doesn’t VW offer a 7-speed DSG for the Jetta Hybrid??? Isn’t the Jetta Hybrid in the compact class like the Cruze?

    This vehicle isn’t a direct competitor but it has 7 gears, its an automated manual, and its in the same segment…

    Reply
    1. Technically, it does, and the article has been updated with your input. Thank you for that.

      But at nearly $28,000 for the Jetta Hybrid, you might as well not mention it. Meanwhile, the DCT in the Cruze will be mainstream and attainable.

      Reply
  3. Welcome news! I love my 2014 Cruze1LT RS — BUT — absolutely hate the craptastic 6-speed slushbox with its’ untrainable, mindless, always-getting-in-the-way program map. It’s so infuriating to drive that I prefer driving my 2012 Cruze LS with 1.8L motor and 6-speed M-32 manual transmission instead. The 2014 with just 800 miles on the clock is parked until further notice. It’s that bad………..

    As far as I’m concerned, a DCT Cruze can’t happen soon enough.

    Reply
    1. Perhaps the dealer needs to refresh the computer. We have 2 cruses , 2011LTZ RS 6 speed auto and a 2014 LT2RS with a 6 speed auto. The 2011 my wife derives and its mostly in town driving , lots of stop and go . the car works perfectly .My son has the 2014 since June , and like most young men drives more assertively . He had a 5 speed 2010 cobalt and so far , although misses the std shift, commented on how well the auto cruze works.
      I drive a 2013 AWD 4 Equinox . it works great as well , has 100k on it . it did shift more abruptly at first but after about 5k it began to shift more smoothly and not upshift too quickly in city driving.
      I would try taking your cruse to the dealer and ask him to flash the computer .

      Reply
      1. Thanks for sharing your observations and input. Yes, I plan to have yet another GM/Chevrolet shop look at my 2014 Cruze to see if there are any updates or revisions available that might improve the performance of the transmission in manual mode. The first two dealerships I took the car to said there’s nothing wrong with the transmission’s behavior and why would I want to drive it in manual mode anyway?

        “They all drive like that”, said the one Service Manager.

        Well, maybe they do and maybe they don’t, but it’s not acceptable to me. In manual mode the computer often overrides my shift selections and flashes up the infuriating ‘Shift Denied’ (Changement de Vitesse Refusé) on the DIC which is in and of itself a safety issue. A simple blinking red idiot light would have been a better and less intrusive way to communicate the computer’s refusal to allow a user-selected shift. I’m not hopeful that the third GM/Chevrolet shop will give me any better news. This is the first car I ever owned that has me swearing out load at it while I drive down the road … and I’ve owned and driven 60 to 75 different makes and models of cars and trucks in my lifetime.

        If the problem’s not sorted by the end of the week, I’m trading it in for a 2014 Cruze with manual transmission: either LS or LT.

        Reply
  4. Here we go with chinese supplied components of american cars!

    Reply
    1. Now, now. Just because it was jointly engineered by GM and SAIC doesn’t mean it will be sourced from China.

      We know that assembly of the next-gen Cruze will stay in Lordstown, OH. And though that’s totally different than parts sourcing, who said that the DCT for the American-built model will be soured from China? It could just as well be made at Spring Hill.

      Reply
  5. Mazda does NOT use a dual-clutch. They still use a torque-converted automatic, only they redesigned the unit to allow torque converter lock up much sooner in the rev range. This increases efficiency and makes for a more direct, linear feel similar to DCT and MT. The unit also does not suffer from transition and downshift latency seen in DCT.

    So not a DCT, but not all that conventional either.

    Good article if you search google: motor authority mazda rejects dsgs

    Reply
  6. Any insight as to whether or not this transmission will make it to the next generation Verano?

    Reply
  7. Fuel consumption ecotec turbo intercooler petrol engines all : 1-5 km/l on highway,below 1 km/l in city,AVG below 1 km/l

    Reply
  8. Fuel consumption ecotec turbo intercooler petrol engines all : 1-5 km/l on highway,below 1 km/l in city,AVG below 1 km/l forever.

    Reply
  9. GM, the Cruze and it’s fanboys are obsessed with the Jetta. The photo above of the rear end of the Cruze show it is a pretty good copy, this time, of the Jetta’s rear end. Too bad it’s a copy of the current Jetta, LMFAO. For 2016, the Jetta once again moves FAR ahead of GM with a complete, FRESH design. And I’m sure that the VW will continue with a fashionable, clean interior vs GM and Cruze’s tacky/flashy mess. Oh and under all of the “looks” of the car, VW will continue to handle like a smaller Audi. And the Cruze will ride and handle like…..just another GM rental car.

    Reply
  10. Make a correction. Mazda 3 uses a conventional automatic transmission, not a DCT.

    Reply
  11. Report Ecotec turbo intercooler petrol engines all : over 100 l/100km in city ,20-100 l/100km on highway ,overload ,easy wreck forever from all gm customers.

    Reply
  12. A 14-21 percent improvement in fuel economy with this new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission as the last Chevy Cruze Eco got 42 miles-per-gallon highway as a 14-21% improvement 47.88-50.82 as that’s very similar to the mileage of the last Toyota Prius as you don’t even need to really think about getting a diesel or hybrid if you can squeeze out 48-51 mpg mileage; hopefully General Motors and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) will develop similar systems for other GM products especially given how most European bang their chest about how DCT being better than conventional automatic transmissions (which might happen especially as GM is building Cadillac cars including the new CT6 in China).

    Reply
    1. No warranty company will honor a dual clutch in any car even the company. Where you got it from

      Reply
  13. And it ended up with a 6 speed slushbox….

    Reply

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