Topic: Preview: 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel

[Autos_Editor]

World-class diesel power coming for Cruze this summer, Chevy the first mainstream brand to challenge VW's stranglehold on affordable diesel cars.


Read More...

[Frontier1]

I could very well see myself in line for this.

[amplitech]

I could see myself buying this car also, but only if they bring the wagon version available elsewhere in the world. They would also have to make the price difference between it and the regular Cruze less drastic than the difference between the VW TDI Golf and the regular Golf. VW gouges for the TDI.

Nit pick: I believe the author quoted the US mileage of 42 MPG. Our gallons are about 20% larger than in the US. I think 56-57 MPG is what the car will do on the highway.

[kenm]

Diesel has about 12% (not 30%) more energy  than gasoline in equal volume, but diesel is more dense than gas, so the energy content is about the same when the weights are equal.

[ChaosphereIX]

looking forward to having these on our lot - I think they will be huge sellers to price-conscious and fuel-miserly Canadians. Those who cant stretch for a Volt can get the next best thing in the TD. I hope in the future, maybe for the 2015 model year, they will offer this engine in the LT trim as well, not only the LTZ.

[tpl]

I see that unlike the VW engine, this car uses urea in the exhaust.

Here is my question that I have NEVER seen an answer to.     How do you stop the fluid freezing into a solid lump when the car is left for a weekend at -30 at a ski hill for example?
I can think of solutions ( no pun intended) but they all would rely on the car running with no urea injection for some time after start up.
 So, what is the answer?

[hemusbull]

I wanna ask this engineer have they took from "Europe, the world’s diesel capital" the same parameters diesel fuel? Otherwise I am vigurous opponent of "urea-injection system" with its higher operational cost andadditional maintenance for mass cars like Shevy Cruize in North America. It works differently in very well developed diesel market overseas. Acceptable probably for expensive vehicles like Mercedes Benz. For a VW TDI competitor this is absolutely bad sign - I don't see how it will compete with VW and where the price tag will be. The price is going to win the ordinary diesel car customer here! Creating higher price niche with this diesel car isn't a good news for Canadian customers in particular.

[mixmanmash]

I see that unlike the VW engine, this car uses urea in the exhaust.

Here is my question that I have NEVER seen an answer to.     How do you stop the fluid freezing into a solid lump when the car is left for a weekend at -30 at a ski hill for example?
I can think of solutions ( no pun intended) but they all would rely on the car running with no urea injection for some time after start up.
 So, what is the answer?

There is usually either some heater added for this fluid, but also a different blend for winter use.

On another front, owners can fill it themselves.  You can buy the fluid at most auto related distributors and truck stops.  I think to fill the 17 L tank it's about $40 and lasts about 16000 kms.

[tpl]

Even the best of modern car batteries won't be able to keep the fluid from freezing over a weekend. I suppose that the "winter" fluid could have quite a lot of alcohol in it...but would that disturb the emissions state?

[Frontier1]

Well heavy trucks use it, my son drives and it was never an issue.  I'll ask him for more details

[redman]

I see that unlike the VW engine, this car uses urea in the exhaust.

Here is my question that I have NEVER seen an answer to.     How do you stop the fluid freezing into a solid lump when the car is left for a weekend at -30 at a ski hill for example?
I can think of solutions ( no pun intended) but they all would rely on the car running with no urea injection for some time after start up.
 So, what is the answer?

There is usually either some heater added for this fluid, but also a different blend for winter use.

On another front, owners can fill it themselves.  You can buy the fluid at most auto related distributors and truck stops.  I think to fill the 17 L tank it's about $40 and lasts about 16000 kms.

Save your money and just fill up here :

I prefer what Mazda is doing with their engines meeting standards without using any NOx aftertreatment such as urea injection.

[Danno001]

Even the best of modern car batteries won't be able to keep the fluid from freezing over a weekend. I suppose that the "winter" fluid could have quite a lot of alcohol in it...but would that disturb the emissions state?

I run hundreds of diesels needing urea. The urea is allowed to freeze by design around -10C IIRC, and the engine is designed to operate with out urea until the systems (electric or coolant heating) thaw out the urea. No special winter / summer blend urea needed.

[mixmanmash]

I see that unlike the VW engine, this car uses urea in the exhaust.

Here is my question that I have NEVER seen an answer to.     How do you stop the fluid freezing into a solid lump when the car is left for a weekend at -30 at a ski hill for example?
I can think of solutions ( no pun intended) but they all would rely on the car running with no urea injection for some time after start up.
 So, what is the answer?

There is usually either some heater added for this fluid, but also a different blend for winter use.

On another front, owners can fill it themselves.  You can buy the fluid at most auto related distributors and truck stops.  I think to fill the 17 L tank it's about $40 and lasts about 16000 kms.

Save your money and just fill up here :

I prefer what Mazda is doing with their engines meeting standards without using any NOx aftertreatment such as urea injection.

I agree with you on Mazdas approach.

Too bad the Cruze diesel won't have a manual transmission.

[Danno001]

I wanna ask this engineer have they took from "Europe, the world’s diesel capital" the same parameters diesel fuel? Otherwise I am vigurous opponent of "urea-injection system" with its higher operational cost andadditional maintenance for mass cars like Shevy Cruize in North America. It works differently in very well developed diesel market overseas. Acceptable probably for expensive vehicles like Mercedes Benz. For a VW TDI competitor this is absolutely bad sign - I don't see how it will compete with VW and where the price tag will be. The price is going to win the ordinary diesel car customer here! Creating higher price niche with this diesel car isn't a good news for Canadian customers in particular.

Urea is here to stay for most diesels, next tighter emissions standards will probably force all diesels to urea. Diesel engines will be priced higher than the turbo 1.4 Liter but the key is how much? A Cruze Turbo engine probably costs GM <$2,000 to make, a diesel would not cost double, maybe 25% more. The rest is marketing mark up.

[Fobroader]

I see that unlike the VW engine, this car uses urea in the exhaust.

Here is my question that I have NEVER seen an answer to.     How do you stop the fluid freezing into a solid lump when the car is left for a weekend at -30 at a ski hill for example?
I can think of solutions ( no pun intended) but they all would rely on the car running with no urea injection for some time after start up.
 So, what is the answer?

There is usually either some heater added for this fluid, but also a different blend for winter use.

On another front, owners can fill it themselves.  You can buy the fluid at most auto related distributors and truck stops.  I think to fill the 17 L tank it's about $40 and lasts about 16000 kms.

Save your money and just fill up here :

I prefer what Mazda is doing with their engines meeting standards without using any NOx aftertreatment such as urea injection.

I agree with you on Mazdas approach.

Too bad the Cruze diesel won't have a manual transmission.

So 3 strikes against the Cruze diesel, no manual, uses urea and its made by GM (  ) ............

[Minou]

This would make a nice engine for the Equinox/Terrain, Malibu, Orlando (used as taxi) and other GM products.

[tpl]

Even the best of modern car batteries won't be able to keep the fluid from freezing over a weekend. I suppose that the "winter" fluid could have quite a lot of alcohol in it...but would that disturb the emissions state?

I run hundreds of diesels needing urea. The urea is allowed to freeze by design around -10C IIRC, and the engine is designed to operate with out urea until the systems (electric or coolant heating) thaw out the urea. No special winter / summer blend urea needed.

OK  Actually I suspect that "allowed" rather than "designed" might be a better word. Why? Nowadays the car makers go to a lot of trouble to get the catalytic converter really close to the manifold/turbo for quick heatup to get the emissions clean early in the cycle  so waiting for the urea system to unfreeze seems counter intuitive. I think if one looked at the system that it heats up the first few squirts in seconds and then uses waste heat to thaw the rest in the reservoir.

[tpl]

This would make a nice engine for the Equinox/Terrain, Malibu, Orlando (used as taxi) and other GM products.

Indeed it would maybe even a diesel Impala as an urban taxi. Might need a bit more boost for that but that should be easy to arrange.

[Northernridge]

Being first to market among NA manufacturers with a diesel in this segment is a clever move...maybe it will work well for GM. We're already trained to buy NA if we want a diesel pickup...maybe that will carry over.

[cruzzer]

No manual, substantially more expensive and not much different fuel numbers than the Cruze Eco which has a six speed manual, costs thousands less and weighs about 500 lbs less and is fun to drive too. I like that GM is bringing the diesel to NA, but wish it were more competitively priced and had the manual. Plus, as someone else here has said, it would be smart to bring in the wagon body style for the Canadian market. The torque numbers are super impressive!