The 2016 Chevrolet Cruze is upon us, and it has big shoes to fill after the success of the previous-generation Cruze.
Vindy had a chance to speak with Steve Notar Donato, Lordstown plant manager, at the 2016 Cleveland Auto Show, and all is well on the assembly line.
“I am excited to see it on display, but I am more excited to see it come down the line,” said Donato. “It’s been several years in the making for us.”
Lordstown has been the home of the Chevrolet Cruze since it first debuted in 2010, and has built over 1.4 million examples. The 2016 Cruze has workers excited as the vehicle was on display during the Cleveland Auto Show.
“The new Cruze, I think, is going to be fantastic because there’s an aggressive pricing stance,” Greenwood said. “It offers the content that is worth $40,000.”
The 2016 Cruze will be arriving at dealers shortly this spring.
Comments
I hope for a smooth roll out of a very important vehicle for Chevrolet especially in light of how well the new Civic is doing.
But on another note; I saw this on GMI but I completely agree and it has driven me crazy for years that GM takes so long to get a vehicle from introduction to production.
This 2017 Cruze was officially introduced on June 24, 2015 and will not be available until sometime in April, 2016. By that time the shine and the buzz created from the announcement will have worn off a little.
The CT6 introduced at the NYIAS last March,2015 and is just now hitting showrooms is another example. There are many more.
Most other major manufacturers the vehicles are introduced then production within a couple of months.
Honda, for instance, introduced the 10th Gen. Civic in September 2015 and production began in late October and arrived at dealer lots in early December 2015. Now that maybe exceptionally quick but the point is that it did not take them almost a year to begin production.
What does it take GM so long?
I don’t think one have much to do with the other. I don’t think GM shows off a vehicle and the next day plans production dates. Production dates are set way before an introduction. GM just for their own reasons like to show off vehicles sooner than others.
Also, mind that the Cruze is a 2017 model year and Civic is a 2016. GM could’ve as easily wait with the introduction of Cruze ’til say NAIAS or Chicago shows and that would make the gap much smaller. But for some reason they prefer to show it off early. Maybe to gather input and leave enough time to make small changes? Who knows? That’s just my guess.
It is unusual to show off a vehicle that early. That process is really not shared by anyone else that I can think of. Certainly not any of the top 3 or 4 manufacturers on the market.
You are right that GM has it’s reasons that we may never be privy to but a little frustrating to hear about a vehicle then have to wait up to a year or more to actually be able to sit in it.
Well GM has really cut down times for cars from what they had been doing. Pre Chapter 11 they were showing cars up to almost 5 year before they were released. Cars like the Camaro were shown to help get those inside GM to accept the business case to approve it for production and then we sat for 4 more years as they developed the car for production. GM was working from concept show car to approval and then development. This was a problem as seldom did we get any surprises.
Also we had the lack of surprise as GM leaked like a holey boat so we too often saw what we were not intended to see in some cases a couple years ahead of the show release.
Right now GM is doing things a little different. We generally do not see what a car looks like till about 18 months out when we start seeing mules.
Next we see a release overseas at Opel or China with a new model that is sometimes a similar model and some cases not. They release the cars in China to better work out bugs so the release in America has less drama with any quality issues. China is more forgiving so if there is an issue we never hear of it. The Asian car makers have been doing this for years as they release in their home markets before America and have the bugs worked out.
We generally see models here about 10 months out as since many similar models are release overseas they have to time it close here so there is not a longer gap even though production is often delayed one year from say China start of production.
The system has worked as we have not had so many quality issues here like we used to have. First year production cars are not as problematic as they once were.
If you want to use Honda then you need to look globally how many of their cars are out a year before we get them here. So start up here is not really all that much sooner than what GM is doing.
As for the new cars they must not be shipping anything yet as I have not seen a truck of new cars yet. But there have not been only old Cruze shipping either.
I have a chance to go into the plant this spring and may go there to see the new line. I was there the year it was opened when I was a kid. This will be their 50th year and they are still building cars.
I don’t think one have much to do with the other. I don’t think GM shows off a vehicle and the next day plans production dates. Production dates are set way before an introduction. GM just for their own reasons like to show off vehicles sooner than others.
Also, mind that the Cruze is a 2017 model year and Civic is a 2016. GM could’ve as easily wait with the introduction of Cruze ’til say NAIAS or Chicago shows and that would make the gap much smaller. But for some reason they prefer to show it off early. Maybe to gather input and leave enough time to make small changes? Who knows? That’s just my guess.
Looks like a really great vehicle, but let’s be honest- this truly IS a 2017 at this point. Other makers have been selling their 2016 lines for at least 6 months.
Having said all of that, I’m still very much looking forward to seeing this gain some well deserved market share, along with the new Malibu. GM has some truly world class cars coming.
The new Malibu has been doing terrific so far. It is up 40% YTD and was up 53% compared Feb. 2015. That is great especially in a segment that was down overall in 2015 and is down again so far in 2016.
I have been waiting forever for this car. I’m looking for a large compact commuter car, so I will be shopping it against the 2016 Civic and the 2017 Elantra.
(Yes, I know that “large compact” is a bit of an oxymoron, but honestly the Civic and the Elantra pull it off)
I liked a lot of things about the 1st generation Cruze, except for that tiny back seat – it just has no legroom back there. I rented it several times and always liked it, except when I had to have backseat passengers bigger than children. The Elantra and Civic have much better rear legroom and I really like them both. But I’m holding off until I can try out the new Cruze.
Consumer Reports lists the old Cruze as a highly unreliable vehicle that should be avoided unless it is given to you for free. Lets hope the new one is better.
Seriously, what the hell took so long? Just plain inexcusable! This car was umveiled last year or more than 6 months ago, was it not? Reminds me of the 2004 Buick Raimier launch, unveiled in mid or late 2002 (when it was just a Buick version of the soon-to-die Oldsmobile Bravada). Wasn’t the redesigned Spark also supposed to be a 2016 model? That’s still not on dealers’ lots either. Either get it right, or withdraw, cause pre-bankruptcy excuses like these aren’t cutting it anymore. And there’s no more CD Player at all, and some models don’t even have a compact spare tire, which are 2 of 3 new-car equipment/features deal breakers for me.
You still use a CD player?
This post reads like it is from 1998. Those models are long gone.
Just because you see the car released at an auto show it does not always mean that the car is already being built.
Note too GM has taken time to delay some models to make sure they get it all right and to space out from other introductions.
The Releases in China first also play a big part as anymore GM sorts out the new car bugs on them vs. the less forgiving American market.
As for the Spare and no CD play they will gone from all models in the not to distant future. GM is far from the only one eliminating spares.
Might note too the CD players will be gone from nearly all models in just a couple years. To be honest the CD sections at most retail stores are nearly down to nothing. It will soon be like the Cassette player and the 8 track before it.
Welcome to 2016.
Um. I bought a 2016 Spark and have been driving it for the past two weeks. It not being on the dealers’ lots wasn’t too much of a problem for me.
Saw the new Cruze at the Canadian International Autoshow 2 weeks ago and I was left impressed. The last Cruze was innovative with the 1.4 turbo & large accommodations but build quality fell behind the Corolla & Civic. This new car addresses the biggest weakpoint of the last car & looks like a proper compact sedan. Well equipped too.
The biggest factor however is the 2017 Civic. Honda has stepped up the game to a very high level on the new Civic in terms of build quality, design, equipment & powertrain. The fact the new 1.5 liter Turbo in the EX-T & Touring models can BEAT a 2016 Civic Si with a 2.4 liter VTEC while using a CVT kind of demonstrates this. Historically the Civic has always sold better than the Cruze is not a good sign, along with Honda’s better overall reputation in compacts than Chevrolet in North America in general.
Perhaps it might be a smart idea to offer the 1.5 liter turbo found in the 2016 Malibu to be the top powertrain for the Premier Cruze to fight against the new Civic.
Build quality and equipment is most likely not going to be an issue.
I see what you are saying about the engine. I’d like to drive the Cruze first before I assume anything but as of now the engine option is lacking. something with a bit more hp would be nice.
When is the day when the Cruze will sell at the same numbers as the Civic and Corolla?
Waiting for the diesel model.