GM Will Not Discontinue Chevrolet Cruze In All Markets
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In November, General Motors announced plans to discontinue the Chevrolet Cruze in North America, simultaneously ending production of the model at the GM Lordstown facility as well as at the GM Ramos Arizpe plant in the beginning of 2019. But that does not mean that the model will be discontinued outright. In fact, General Motors will continue to manufacture and sell the Chevy Cruze in other global markets where the model’s sales have either remained stable, fallen at a less pronounced rate, or even increased – as is the case in South America.
“Cruze has become a tank for our Chevrolet brand and we will continue investing in this product so that it remains at the forefront of technology, innovation, safety and total connectivity,” said Carlos Zarlenga, President of General Motors Mercosur, in a statement (translated from Spanish by GM Authority).
Since its launch in May 2016, the second-generation Cruze has seen sales volumes grow in all South American countries.
In Brazil, for instance, Cruze has doubled its segment market share. In Argentina – one of the four nations where the vehicle is currently manufactured – Chevy Cruze sales have grown 4.5 times, growing its market share by a factor of five.
But that’s not all. GM has also announced that the 2019 model year mid-cycle refresh of the Chevrolet Cruze will be introduced early next year in South America. The 2019 Cruze will become the first-ever Chevrolet model to offer built-in 4G LTE connectivity.
The commercial success of the Chevrolet Cruze in South America has enabled the GM Rosario plant in Rosario, Argentina to have produced over 110,000 units of the vehicle. The facility produces the compact car range in sedan and hatchback body styles. Notably, the turbo-charged 1.4L I-4 LE2 engine that powers the Cruze is also manufactured at the complex. The Rosario factory exports the boosted four-banger to other countries, notably Mexico and England (for the Opel-Vauxhall Astra, despite GM’s sale of Opel).
Now that we know that the Chevrolet Cruze will live on in South America, we wonder whether the same will be the case in China. Currently, the Shanghai-GM Norsom II plant produces the Cruze in both four-door sedan and five-door hatchback form factors. As of this writing, no information has been provided about the model’s future in China.
2018 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback and Sedan Redline editions
About Chevrolet Cruze
The Chevrolet Cruze is a range of compact passenger cars that currently consists of a four-door sedan and five-door hatchback. It slots above the Chevrolet Spark city car and subcompact Chevrolet Sonic and below the midsize Chevrolet Malibu and full-size Chevrolet Impala. The current model was introduced for the 2016 model year and represents the second generation of the Cruze nameplate. It rides on the GM D2 platform shared with the second-generation Chevrolet Volt and Buick Verano (in China).
2019 Chevrolet Cruze Sedan and Hatch (2019 refresh)
Compared to its first-generation predecessor, the second-gen model is an all-new vehicle that is slightly larger, sleeker and more modern. The first-generation Cruze family was produced in sedan, hatchback, and wagon body styles, but only the sedan was available in North America. By comparison, the second-generation model is available only as a sedan and hatchback. Though a wagon variant of the second-gen model was never produced, the hatchback model became available in North America. The second-generation Cruze received a midcycle enhancement, otherwise known as a facelift, refresh or update, for the 2019 model year that consists of updated exterior styling, a new Chevrolet infotainment system, and new interior colors.
The Cruze is produced across the following GM plants globally:
- GM Lordstown plant in Lordstown, Ohio, USA assembling the Cruze sedan supplying North America
- GM Ramos plant in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico assembling the Cruze hatchs upplying North America
- GM Rosario plant in Argentina assembling the Cruze sedan and Cruze hatch (called Cruze6) supplying Latin America
- GM Norsom II plant in China assembling the Cruze sedan and Cruze hatchback satisfying China
- GM Gunsan plant in South Korea supplying Eurasia as Holden Astra Sedan (this facility was closed in 2018, and Cruze production no longer takes place here)
In November 2018, General Motors announced that it will discontinue the Chevrolet Cruze, along with five other passengers cars. The move will see the vehicle discontinued globally, while resulting in the idling of the Lordstown plant in Warren, Ohio. The model is set to be discontinued in the first quarter of 2019.
Related News & Info
- GM news
- GM forums
- Chevrolet Cruze information
- Running GM sales results
- Running Chevrolet sales results
- Running Chevrolet Cruze sales results
- Running Chevrolet sales results
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although the Cruze will live on in South America will it be transported to North America so if a few NA buyers who want a compact sedan and not a suv be available ???? or will they to have to go into a import brand.
It doesn’t look like it. GM is likely going to force you up to Malibu or down to Bolt, maybe Sonic.
Which means GM is not going to have a standard compact sedan in the US, much like Ford and Fiat Chrysler.
What boggles me is that the Cruze hatch and diesel are made in Mexico and could continue to be sold here, which would make a lot of sense as those are total blank spaces in GM’s lineup.
You could even put the LTG in as a Cruze SS down in Mexico, and make Cruze the quirk car that meets every niche’s needs – and pushes mainstream customers to Malibu.
That said if we hit recession – which we may – I think what GM will do instead is simply retool Mexico, add a bit of Voltec, and relaunch the Cruze Hatch as the Cruze Plug-in.
CHRISTOPHER PRICE, Who ever is running GM have no idea about the auto industry, Chevy Cruze have 500% more sales than Sonic, and those ignorant in GM should’t be on they positions. I hope they return the Cruze back to the Us Market.
GM is doing some strange drugs these days! Mary, you cool?!
Merry Job Losses from GM.
Other manufactures can be successful in that vehicle class in the USA why can’t GM? Many other Auto manufactures can be very successful building and sell all types of vehicle in tha USA but not GM and Ford. There is something wrong with that picture.
How many women at work buy American? I live in the midwest and in my employer’s parking lot you might be lucky to find 10% of the cars that females drive is domestic. Women buy things in life to impress other women and take power away from men. Why do you think Obama was elected? It’s the same reason the Kardasian’s castrated America’s symbol of manliness and replaced him with people they could control. GM knows this and is shutting down their compact car production because it cannot succeed.
Joe G. – The reason that most people don’t buy cars from Detroit is because GM, Chrysler, and Ford continued to try to sell crappy cars to the public in the 80’s and 90’s, and the Japanese brands, were much more reliable. Then over the last 10-15 years Hyundai and Kia got their act together and started to make much more reliable cars.
Once people have had a bad ownership experience with any vehicle, usually they won’t go back. GM, Chrysler and Ford lost market share, because they were not keeping up with the reliability issues. GM is shutting down production of many of its vehicles because GM lost market share. GM sold crap to the public for many years, and because most people won’t buy GM after they have personally owned a GM, or even know someone who has owned a GM and have heard of poor ownership experiences. You trying to pass this situation off with GM and your lame logic and stupid analysis shows that you don’t have a clue.
I think most people, men or women, buy cars because they want something reliable, at least the women and men I know. Your other argument – Why was Obama elected? Because Bush flushed our economy in the toilet, and back in 2008, we had one of the worst recessions that the USA had ever seen. When you try to lump in the Kardashians with Obama being elected I can tell you are a complete idiot.
The reason the Krap-Trashians are popular today, along with most other garbage reality shows, it that too many people settle and watch stupid reality shows rather than watch something that challenges them intellectually, or any tv programs that have any integrity or value.
I don’t know what you are smoking or where you get your logic, or thought processes, but you definitely are way out of touch with reality.
True, but we can’t forget that Chrysler lost their 200, the 300 (Which they should have kept!) and their Pacifica Mini -Van. All were good vehicles, just like GM, those vehicles unfortunately didn’t have the formula to survive against the competition and their marketing strategy was probably below standard.
Taking away things that made it great like , 8in screen standard on the Holden Cruze & long with front & rear parking sensor US spec just take what built for the high price.
Build and sell where people are buying them and stop where people don’t. I guess it’s a common sense move. Sad to not be able to buy one.
People are buying vehicles in that class in the US just not so much when it comes to the Cruze. GM vehicles don’t seem to do as well as other in way too many other classes of vehicles. To be drummed out of the market in your home country is indeed sad. Where is the old American enginurity, the American pride? I know perception plays a parts in the lack of sales of the GM Vehicle. That used to mean you try harder not just give up. I guess that’s becoming the new American way. If you can’t play just go away.
honestly I don’t know how much more they can improve the car. I feel that if for arguments sake, if the Chevy badge were on a Honda, it still wouldn’t sell.
As a 2017 cruze owner the Cruze has many things that need improved they really cut corners with this gen model it has tons of road noise suspension is getting clunky with only 20 thousand miles on my car one of the main issues is for the price of the Cruze the competition has this car blown out of the water you get a lot more for your money with Honda,Toyota , nissan .my car is leased so when it’s up I guess I’ll be buying a sedan made in th USA
The Budget Constraint tactics that High Profile Representatives continue to use when building a car or a truck so that they can reel in on the profits towards the end of it all rather than pulling out all of the stops so that the customer can further benefit is another reason why this car is not measuring up to the comp. It’s sad really, so much potential could have gone towards the Cruze even with a Performance Model to tackle the Honda Civic SI, I even thought that the Volt was going to be in for the Long Haul, for most of it’s lifespan it receive fairly good reviews based on what it was built for.So for now we’re left with the Malibu, the Spark and the Bolt, not much of a fan of either of those cars.
I currently have a Cruze the 2.0l would’ve done wonders for it , gm just not trying anymore just half a**ing & charging high price for it & not to mention adding a CVT to the Malibu instead of making the 9speed auto available across all trims .
Strange, I can’t think of any cars being imported from South America to the US. Maybe the Golf or some Ford Utility Vans? Unless their versions are so outside of US spec for emissions and safety, I would think GM would try to bring these models to the US on a low volume basis.
I they keep investing in this car outside of US, it will let them bring it back here quickly if market conditions change. And they will change.
So true with the investing statement the Holden Cruze has more content on the LS over the USA version rear parking sensor Lt comes with front & rear parking sensor , we get half that for a high price .
It’s real simple gm the Cruze would sell better if it was equipped like the cometition no safety pkg only on the premier model no leather wrapped steering wheel again premier no leather on the premier just fake leather turn signal mirrors deleted map pockets deleted rear dome light deleted the horn sounds like a spark horn they have done everything they can to kill this car the option packages are crazy expensive compared to the competition
It’s as if this was done on purpose, so that they can begin to make room for their Vehicle Electrification Portfolio.
Not mention selling it for a high price “still” after deletion of all the good stuff people wanted.
to fuzzylobes you are 100% right . a few years back Pontiac made a Vibe which was the same as a Toyota matrix the only different was the nameplates . which one sold better , do I really have to tell you .. people are really stupid and getting worst , as we can see
This way if GM suddenly decides they mad a mistake they can bring it back import style. SMH.
Glad I bought my 19 Cruze before it disappeared.
Bad mouth the Cruze all you want, at least it doesn’t catch on fire while driving, have improperly built engines, nor does GM have over 400+ recalls in the last 15 years or so.
I’m buying a Cruze from a dealership in Thousand Oaks, CA for my 16 yr old and me to share. We both test drove it yesterday on her birthday. It’s only 21K and it is a really sound car. American cars have improved greatly in the last 10 years but the message isn’t being delivered to the uneducated public properly. Buy American people, like our grandparents taught us to do. They were wise folks
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