Community Question: What Do You Want To See From The 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?
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On June 24, we will be shown Chevrolet’s latest offering for the cut-throat compact-car segment. After years of compact-cars that fell short of promises (Cavalier, Cobalt) the current Chevrolet Cruze ushered in a new era of what Chevrolet was capable of. And it showed.
The current Chevrolet Cruze has sold over 3.5 million units worldwide, and the bowtie brand is confident their followup will be just as successful.
Among the reworked exterior and interior styling, there are plenty of new technical bits forthcoming. A newly developed seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is slated to handle shifting duties, while the latest in Ecotec engines will grace the 2016 Cruze under the hood. That includes a new 1.5-liter four-cylinder producing around 113 hp and 108 lb-ft of torque.
The 2016 Cruze will also have a larger footprint, with added interior space, but will weigh significantly less, thanks to General Motors’ D2XX platform.
It seems like a recipe for a successful 2016 Cruze launch. Sleek styling, a reworked interior cabin, new powertrains specs and, no doubt, greater fuel economy.
But, we turn it to you. What do you think the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze needs to stay competitive in the compact-car segment? Is it all-wheel drive? A go-fast variant? Maybe a hatchback body style? Be sure to cast your vote in our poll, and discuss your thoughts in the comments down below.
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I question the need for a hatchback. I know there are those who would love it but hatchbacks don’t make up a much of the sales percentages for those who have them here in North America. I see way more Mazda sedans on the road and only the odd hatchback. Same goes for the Focus. I realize there is a need for one for some people, but is there enough to make sense. That’s the question.
A performance offering would be nice. Make it a Cruze RS/SS, lowered sports suspension, a couple of driving modes and paddle shift on the steering wheel.
All wheel drive would be a great feature but since Ford’s Fusion only has 10% AWD sales approximately, and don’t bother to invest in a smaller AWD car, I question the sales numbers versus price increase. It would be great, but would it be realistic for volume sales?
If GM were to add AWD, more performance and make it a hatchback, why wouldn’t someone just buy an AWD SUV? It would be similarly priced, same added drivability, and have the same hatchback area for cargo.
I would like to see an all-around camera system like some of the other competitors have. Also add a window’s down/up feature when you hold the lock button on the FOB for 5 seconds. Add a little more back seat space (1-2″ leg room). Just little things.
I don’t think people that considered the Focus ST would get the Escape Titanium would they?
No they probably wouldn’t, but what is the market size/demand for the ST verses an Escape? Ford has no problem throwing money into R&D and their performance vehicles yet they have not brought AWD to the Focus. Why is that? It would cost a lot of money to develop an AWD platform in the Focus. How much more would a person be willing to pay for that? Perhaps $2000. Would they sell enough AWD Focus’s to justify the cost of developing an AWD for the Focus? Sales of the Fusion AWD say it wouldn’t be likely or no profitable enough to do.
Don’t get me wrong, I would be great to have AWD small cars. But a RS Cruze can already top out at $30,000 CAN (and it no longer has any front suspension mods like the RS did in 2011), so an AWD would likely be in the $32-33,000 CAN………….. for a Cruze. Are there some who would buy it? Yes. Enough to justify the R&D, production costs, etc? Well, again Ford has not brought it to the Focus and they have no issues spending money on performance edition vehicles.
A bit wider and longer , though the longer appears to be taken care of , for 2016 . Enough with the swooping up the beltline through the rear side window , which will also compromise the rear window visibility considerably ! GM appears to be wanting to hit Hyundai and other imports with the same inane styling . The current beltline is right on the money and will continue to be a big seller in China because of it . A hatchback and performance model based on the hatch would be appreciated.
Improved quality is what I am hoping for. The current version has had below average markings in Consumer Reports almost every year it was built and the one I owned was a disappointment. GM has been on a roll as of late, besides their trucks, with the quality rankings. I hope they can keep it up with the oncoming group on new cars, especially the Cruze.
While the first generation Cruze had the best power to efficiency ratios of its time, I believe that the 2016 needs to improve and be best in class again. People in this class do not usually buy because of brand loyalty. They find the best deal out there. They want the latest technology, best efficiency, and a noteworthy amount of power all in a stylish and comfortable package. As for a hatchback, I say save that for Buick. However, the Cruze should get a Wagon variant.
1.2L Turbo I3 with 130HP and 150LB-FT- 35 City and 50 Highway
1.3L Twin-Turbo Clean Diesel I4 with 150HP and 215LB-FT- 40 City and 60 Highway
1.6L Turbo I4 with 200HP and 220LB-FT- 30 City and 45 Highway
6 Speed Manual or 7 Speed DCT
Standard Stop/Start, Variable Valve Lift, Variable Valve Timing with Intermediate Park, and Grille Shutters
We will likely only see:
1.5L I4 with 110HP and 105LB-FT- 30 City and 40 Highway
1.4L Turbo I4 with 145HP and 175LB-FT- 32 City and 42 Highway
GM has been holding back lately and it is time to show the industry of what they can really do.
Suggestions for 2016 Chevy Cruze
-LED tailights
-LED foglights
-Heat and vents front seats
-HID proyected headlights
-1.6L Turbo I4 with 200HP and 220LB-FT Variable Valve time and direct injected, (limited version)
-Seven speed DCT with pedal shiffter
-Smartkey acces with push bottom start
-A SS version with 2.0LTurbo I4 with 272HP and 295LB-FT
In my opinion the 2016 Cruze should get a hatch,sedan and sport wagon variants. It should get an RS powered by the 1.6 210 hp and SS with the 2.0 275 hp or more and both RS and SS with the AWD. for the rest of the engine the Cruze should get the 1.5 113 hp, 1.5T 166 hp 1.4 145 hp and diesel engines from opel such as the 1.6 CDTI 136hp and the coming 2.0 CDTI 170.
I would love to see a more powerful engine and a sport package like they did in the past on the J-Body’s maybe a SS version. Miss the days where there was the cobalt SS turbo/supercharged. I only drive sport compacts so it would be great if the next gen Cruze comes with a more powerful engine and manual transmission on top of the line models. Did you know you can’t get a Cruze LTZ with a manual transmission. I was, ended up buying a sport compact from the competition.
I think a performance variant is important for several reasons. In this segment, some first time buyers need a little ‘halo’ to draw attention to their purchase, and appear a cut above. Like it or not, Chevy is competing not only for this sale, but future sales after this one. Certain buyers would opt for a Focus RS or a Subaru STI just for that cache. I think another important aspect is that the car should be world class in a small package. At the Chevy store I work in, I have several long term customers that have purchased a Cruze as either a commuter car, or car for graduation gifts, etc and have been overwhelmed with the quality of the car. That type of a solid value statement can’t be underestimated in today’s competitive environment. I like the general direction GM is moving, and continuing that forward momentum is paramount to ongoing success.
A hybrid version, using the same Voltec conversion as in the 2016 Chevy Malibu Hybrid, would become a real Prius killer. The Malibu Hybrid promises 47 MPG, so a Cruze Hybrid would get in the high 50’s. Most Cruze sales go to daily drivers who care more about comform and gas savings than performance, but the Voltec system gives both economy and performance. The only drawback is that this can kill potential Chevy Volt sales, since they share the same platform.
A performance model ie. an RS that really means something. Also more than just the sedan body style, at the least a hatch. Now to all you naysayers: don’t be poopin’ on this part, the reality is YOU are just playing in to the way THEY want you to think. 🙂