My new Chevy Cruze : Initial Report

achinthg · 3rd November 2009, 17:45

Congrats on the new car !!! Just saw a Cruze last weekend and I must say it looks smashing !!! In real it looks even better than in the photos !!! In the 10+ lakh segment it is the best looker beating the Honda Civic !!!

aks_karthik · 3rd November 2009, 18:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by varunjain

As of now the xenon upgrade is not available. I am going to look into it though. Do not know much about the costing.

check this link.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...jectors-1.html

it might help you.
Enjoy and ride safe

sharanvenu · 6th November 2009, 20:07

I'm plannin to get a cruze in the next two months. I observed that the ground clearance of the chevy is somewhat on the lower side. the comparison of dimensions of honda civic, chevy cruze and toyota altis gave me the following results.

Wheel base Ground Clearance
civic 2700mm 170mm

cruze 2685mm 165mm

altis 2600mm 176mm

On paper the cruze looks more prone to scrape her belly on bad roads and jumbo speed breakers. Do you face any problem like this? Please throw some light on this issue. My parents live in Kerala and the prolonged monsoon there brings up some really bad roads and cars like civic have real tough time over there.

How does elderly people find the entry and exit into and from the car? Please rate the driver seat and the rear seat on this issue.

And also i've never owned a chevy before. How do you rate the service center guys? And also how much shall we expect in maintainance costs in the long term; I mean after the 3yr service cost assurance offered by General Motors is expired?

I am banking upon your reply to make my final choice!

Berj79 · 6th November 2009, 22:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharanvenu

I'm plannin to get a cruze in the next two months. I observed that the ground clearance of the chevy is somewhat on the lower side. the comparison of dimensions of honda civic, chevy cruze and toyota altis gave me the following results.

Wheel base Ground Clearance
civic 2700mm 170mm

cruze 2685mm 165mm

altis 2600mm 176mm

On paper the cruze looks more prone to scrape her belly on bad roads and jumbo speed breakers. Do you face any problem like this? Please throw some light on this issue. My parents live in Kerala and the prolonged monsoon there brings up some really bad roads and cars like civic have real tough time over there.

How does elderly people find the entry and exit into and from the car? Please rate the driver seat and the rear seat on this issue.

And also i've never owned a chevy before. How do you rate the service center guys? And also how much shall we expect in maintainance costs in the long term; I mean after the 3yr service cost assurance offered by General Motors is expired?

I am banking upon your reply to make my final choice!

165mm Ground Clearance is more then enough, unless you love to zip by speedbreakers at 60kmh

sharanvenu · 7th November 2009, 09:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berj79

165mm Ground Clearance is more then enough, unless you love to zip by speedbreakers at 60kmh

Actually what makes me ask this question is that I've heard my puny WagonR scrape its belly a couple of times on kerala NHs. Those roads can get really bad so that 165mm GC is not enough even for the 2360mm wheelbase wagonR, however slow you may drive. For the cruze, forget the mid-riff its the front overhang that i'm bothered about. Thank You for the input.

diffsoft · 7th November 2009, 10:28

Varun:

Been late to follow the Cruze but I saw a blue one on the road a few days ago and WOW, it had a distinguished presence. I then followed it up with your ownership review and boy your review is fantastic, enjoyed the pics and the videos.

Looks like finally there is a European diesel beater in this segment!

Enjoy the car and remember what Spiderman said, "With great power comes great responsibility"

Cheers,

EssYouWe · 7th November 2009, 11:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by diffsoft

Enjoy the car and remember what Spiderman said, "With great power comes great responsibility"

Cheers,

Ben Parker said that, not Peter.

diffsoft · 7th November 2009, 23:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by EssYouWe

Ben Parker said that, not Peter.

My bad!

However dug deeper and found that that's also it's not entirely true. Uncle Ben - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"The often-quoted Spider-Man theme of "with great power must come great responsibility" is widely attributed to Uncle Ben. However, this was not initially true. In Amazing Fantasy #15, the phrase appears in a narrative caption in the comic's last panel, not as spoken dialogue. In fact, Ben has only two lines in the entire comic."

Sorry for staying on the OT.

Cheers,

MDe · 8th November 2009, 00:29

Congrats Varun! This is one of the few cars that looks great in White. I havent been a great fan of white as it is synonymous to cabs but cars like Cruze or Civic change the perception. I absolutely adore white on Cruze.
For the price, Cruze definitely packs in a lot of features, but I guess they did not provide Xenon HIDs to keep the cost in control. HIDs would have been a feather in the cap of this wonderful vehicle. Again, enjoy your ride, you have the best vehicle launched from Chevy in India.

rosh2 · 10th November 2009, 17:35

Finally took delivery of my white Cruze LTZ yesterday. As much has already been written on the subject, didnt want to create a separate thread.

I am extremely happy with the experience so far - people keep telling me that I have a permanent grin plastered on my face since yesterday

I am happy with the GC having driven it on some pretty nasty Kerala roads and no probs so far. The only thing I still need to get a hang of are all the "cockpit" controls - it all seems quite complicated and I havent had a chance to sit with the user manual fully.

@varun: while glancing through the user manual it mentions TC and ESP. I didnt think the LTZ came with these options or am I missing something here....

GTO · 11th November 2009, 11:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by rosh2

As much has already been written on the subject, didnt want to create a separate thread.

Congrats on the Cruze! Please do create a new thread. The more owner perspectives we have on the car, the better for potential owners.

Quote:

people keep telling me that I have a permanent grin plastered on my face since yesterday

With all that torque, I know just why.

Quote:

while glancing through the user manual it mentions TC and ESP. I didnt think the LTZ came with these options or am I missing something here....

Nope, the Indian Cruze does not come equipped with traction control and ESP. It's typical of most premium low volume cars to be sold with unlocalized owner's manuals.

cijo · 11th November 2009, 11:15

hey can you please post pics and other details.please post a detail report dude

kanhaiyo · 11th November 2009, 12:37

rosh2, congrats on your buy!
please post pics and your report soon!

Ramsagar · 11th November 2009, 12:55

Rosh:congrats on the cruz.BWT what color was it? Snaps snaps snaps.

deepakchan · 13th November 2009, 14:07

I was looking to buy a car budget around 15L. I have an auto Civic, which I will be giving to my wife and prefer buying a stick shift for myself.

Narrowed down to 3 models which include the Cruze, the Transform CRDi, and the VW Jetta. Tried all the 3 in that order. I found the Cruze's power the best, the way it pulls is just so effortless irrespective of the speeds reached. But I did not like the suspension which is tight. I would like fellow Cruze owners to comment on this. And the leg space. I am 5'10" but I pull my seat back and drive very relaxed even in the city. At the same position I couldn't sit at the back of my seat myself.

Then comes the transform. Space is nothing to worry about. Even at my relaxed position I can still relax and even stretch some more at the back. Equal power (power 150ps compared to 142ps of embera) compared to the cruze and even better on the highway (should be) with the 6th cog. Only thing is already there is an Embera in the extended family, nothing drastically new and boring colors (just white, black, silver and beige). The thing in favor of the transform is the space, and virtually no turbo lag and awesome suspension.

Same day went to test the Jetta and get done with my decision. I was shocked to note that the stick shift was available only in the low-end variant and only the DSG is available in the top-end variant. Tried both and still like the stick better than the paddle shift. Features wise seems like a compromise. No leather seats. The Audio system is great but a very cheap display. No touch screen not even color display. Power is 105ps but till 100 kmph, good pulling power after which I felt it lost steam compared to Cruze or the Transform. The guy said the drivers pulled off a 200kmph although the rated top speed is 189.

My heart is saying Jetta but the mind is saying Cruze. Jetta - good suspension, safety top-notch, excellent turning radius. Cruze - amazing power, top-end model, but lack of leg space and suspension not up to my expectation. Transform - deja vu, nothing to excite me enough although it has all the ingredients I want.

Should I just go for the Jetta? Prices in Chennai - 14 for the cruz, 15.6 for the jetta and 16.8 for the transform. Am I making the right compromise in this case?

3rd November 2009, 17:45	#121
achinthg BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 201 Thanked: Once View My Garage	Congrats on the new car !!! Just saw a Cruze last weekend and I must say it looks smashing !!! In real it looks even better than in the photos !!! In the 10+ lakh segment it is the best looker beating the Honda Civic !!!
	() Thanks

6th November 2009, 20:07	#123
sharanvenu BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: NCR Posts: 143 Thanked: 270 Times	I'm plannin to get a cruze in the next two months. I observed that the ground clearance of the chevy is somewhat on the lower side. the comparison of dimensions of honda civic, chevy cruze and toyota altis gave me the following results. Wheel base Ground Clearance civic 2700mm 170mm cruze 2685mm 165mm altis 2600mm 176mm On paper the cruze looks more prone to scrape her belly on bad roads and jumbo speed breakers. Do you face any problem like this? Please throw some light on this issue. My parents live in Kerala and the prolonged monsoon there brings up some really bad roads and cars like civic have real tough time over there. How does elderly people find the entry and exit into and from the car? Please rate the driver seat and the rear seat on this issue. And also i've never owned a chevy before. How do you rate the service center guys? And also how much shall we expect in maintainance costs in the long term; I mean after the 3yr service cost assurance offered by General Motors is expired? I am banking upon your reply to make my final choice!
	() Thanks

7th November 2009, 10:28	#126
diffsoft BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 773 Thanked: 404 Times	Varun: Been late to follow the Cruze but I saw a blue one on the road a few days ago and WOW, it had a distinguished presence. I then followed it up with your ownership review and boy your review is fantastic, enjoyed the pics and the videos. Looks like finally there is a European diesel beater in this segment! Enjoy the car and remember what Spiderman said, "With great power comes great responsibility" Cheers, Last edited by diffsoft : 7th November 2009 at 10:30.
	() Thanks

8th November 2009, 00:29	#129
MDe BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 134 Thanked: 24 Times	Congrats Varun! This is one of the few cars that looks great in White. I havent been a great fan of white as it is synonymous to cabs but cars like Cruze or Civic change the perception. I absolutely adore white on Cruze. For the price, Cruze definitely packs in a lot of features, but I guess they did not provide Xenon HIDs to keep the cost in control. HIDs would have been a feather in the cap of this wonderful vehicle. Again, enjoy your ride, you have the best vehicle launched from Chevy in India.
	() Thanks

10th November 2009, 17:35	#130
rosh2 BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: God's Own Country Posts: 40 Thanked: 3 Times	Got my cruze yesterday... Finally took delivery of my white Cruze LTZ yesterday. As much has already been written on the subject, didnt want to create a separate thread. I am extremely happy with the experience so far - people keep telling me that I have a permanent grin plastered on my face since yesterday I am happy with the GC having driven it on some pretty nasty Kerala roads and no probs so far. The only thing I still need to get a hang of are all the "cockpit" controls - it all seems quite complicated and I havent had a chance to sit with the user manual fully. @varun: while glancing through the user manual it mentions TC and ESP. I didnt think the LTZ came with these options or am I missing something here....
	() Thanks

11th November 2009, 11:15	#132
cijo BHPian Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Kanjirapally/CA Posts: 39 Thanked: 22 Times	hey can you please post pics and other details.please post a detail report dude
	() Thanks

11th November 2009, 12:37	#133
kanhaiyo BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Anand, Gujarat Posts: 42 Thanked: 3 Times	rosh2, congrats on your buy! please post pics and your report soon!
	() Thanks

11th November 2009, 12:55	#134
Ramsagar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: BLR_Nellore(AP) Posts: 1,396 Thanked: 252 Times View My Garage	Rosh:congrats on the cruz.BWT what color was it? Snaps snaps snaps.
	() Thanks

13th November 2009, 14:07	#135
deepakchan BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Chennai Posts: 126 Thanked: 51 Times	confuzed I was looking to buy a car budget around 15L. I have an auto Civic, which I will be giving to my wife and prefer buying a stick shift for myself. Narrowed down to 3 models which include the Cruze, the Transform CRDi, and the VW Jetta. Tried all the 3 in that order. I found the Cruze's power the best, the way it pulls is just so effortless irrespective of the speeds reached. But I did not like the suspension which is tight. I would like fellow Cruze owners to comment on this. And the leg space. I am 5'10" but I pull my seat back and drive very relaxed even in the city. At the same position I couldn't sit at the back of my seat myself. Then comes the transform. Space is nothing to worry about. Even at my relaxed position I can still relax and even stretch some more at the back. Equal power (power 150ps compared to 142ps of embera) compared to the cruze and even better on the highway (should be) with the 6th cog. Only thing is already there is an Embera in the extended family, nothing drastically new and boring colors (just white, black, silver and beige). The thing in favor of the transform is the space, and virtually no turbo lag and awesome suspension. Same day went to test the Jetta and get done with my decision. I was shocked to note that the stick shift was available only in the low-end variant and only the DSG is available in the top-end variant. Tried both and still like the stick better than the paddle shift. Features wise seems like a compromise. No leather seats. The Audio system is great but a very cheap display. No touch screen not even color display. Power is 105ps but till 100 kmph, good pulling power after which I felt it lost steam compared to Cruze or the Transform. The guy said the drivers pulled off a 200kmph although the rated top speed is 189. My heart is saying Jetta but the mind is saying Cruze. Jetta - good suspension, safety top-notch, excellent turning radius. Cruze - amazing power, top-end model, but lack of leg space and suspension not up to my expectation. Transform - deja vu, nothing to excite me enough although it has all the ingredients I want. Should I just go for the Jetta? Prices in Chennai - 14 for the cruz, 15.6 for the jetta and 16.8 for the transform. Am I making the right compromise in this case?
	() Thanks