Topic: Test Drive: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco

[dirtyjeffer]

Those tests tend to favour value for money pretty heavily...so absolutely!  While still fun to banter about, people value different things.

One of my wife's friends didn't buy a Mini STRICTLY because it didn't have a place to dock her iPod...she didn't even drive it.

no, they weighed everything...content, handling, style, interior and exterior looks/fit and finish, and performance...read the article and/or watch the video(s) as there is a "highlight" video on the first page and each car has its own video on its respective page (where it finished).

[Mozeby]

Those tests tend to favour value for money pretty heavily...so absolutely!  While still fun to banter about, people value different things.

One of my wife's friends didn't buy a Mini STRICTLY because it didn't have a place to dock her iPod...she didn't even drive it.

no, they weighed everything...content, handling, style, interior and exterior looks/fit and finish, and performance...read the article and/or watch the video(s) as there is a "highlight" video on the first page and each car has its own video on its respective page (where it finished).

There's another test from Automobile magazine and they had a different order too.  You have to remember that some magazines have editors that favour different characteristics.  Overall the reviews of the Cruze have been very good.  If you don't lead foot your new compact then you'll probably be happy with the power output too.  Most of the competitors have powertrains that need to rev above the normal rev range in order to get their best acceleration.  Although I don't generally like turbos, in a small engine like this it gives you better responsiveness and torque in daily driving.

[CatsEye68]

AutoBlog Podcast #236 - Dan Roth's summary of Elantra vs. Cruze vs. others in that segment.

Elantra - Buy it if want lots of kit and don't care much about driving - feels like a car you'd buy at Walmart if Walmart sold cars.

Walmart?

He said it, I didn't...

[Jaeger]

AutoBlog Podcast #236 - Dan Roth's summary of Elantra vs. Cruze vs. others in that segment.

Elantra - Buy it if want lots of kit and don't care much about driving - feels like a car you'd buy at Walmart if Walmart sold cars.

Cruze or Focus - Buy them because it drives way better than an Elantra.

Corolla - Don't buy it at all

Hmmm...Odd.  The Cruze finished near the bottom in one of the latest magazine multi tests (8 cars) I read.  One of the only cars it beat was the Corolla....

Elantra finished first.

So I guess it really depends who's reviewing it...

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/1107_best_selling_compact_sedan_comparison/index.html

Yep - much turns on subjective perceptions and preferences.  But I tend to give a bit more credence to the collective opinion of seasoned automotive journalists, as compared with a nameless forumite with an established history of Hyundai hating who may or may not have even driven the Elantra. 

What's interesting, though - is there have been at least 3 or 4 near full-field comparison tests.  The top three spots seem to change - a win for the Focus here, a win for the Elantra there.  But the Cruze has never won.  In fact, I can't recall it ever doing better than a mid-pack finish.  That may not be statistical proof of mediocrity - but it's a step or three along that path.

Jaeger

[kenm]

Hmmm...Odd.  The Cruze finished near the bottom in one of the latest magazine multi tests (8 cars) I read.  One of the only cars it beat was the Corolla....

Elantra finished first.

So I guess it really depends who's reviewing it...

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/1107_best_selling_compact_sedan_comparison/index.html

Motor Trend! Have you ever browsed through their "Car of the Year" list? Guaranteed to be good for a few chuckles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_Trend_Car_of_the_Year

[Bigtwin]

A car without a spare, not running no-flats, leaves me feeling vulnerable.  I've, twice now, blown tires and they had to be replaced, not fixed. 

[TopGun]

.....But I tend to give a bit more credence to the collective opinion of seasoned automotive journalists, as compared with a nameless forumite with an established history of Hyundai hating who may or may not have even driven the Elantra. 

So now a guy on AutoBlog named Dan Roth, who has driven the Cruze and the Elantra for a week is a nameless forumite with an established history of Hyundai hating?

[Jaeger]

.....But I tend to give a bit more credence to the collective opinion of seasoned automotive journalists, as compared with a nameless forumite with an established history of Hyundai hating who may or may not have even driven the Elantra. 

So now a guy on AutoBlog named Dan Roth, who has driven the Cruze and the Elantra for a week is a nameless forumite with an established history of Hyundai hating?

No.  Have you driven the Cruze or the Elantra?

Jaeger

[greengs]

Every single review, even the ones where the Elantra wins, says that handling and steering feel are not top of the class and neither is fuel efficiency.

But the car seems to do decent in all the categories and combined that wins it many comparisons except the ones where ride and handling are weighted heavily (C&D for example).

I'm very surprised the Cruze was able to achieve such low fuel consumption numbers.  Rare that in this class a car can come close to matching its ratings.

[Jaeger]

Every single review, even the ones where the Elantra wins, says that handling and steering feel are not top of the class and neither is fuel efficiency.

But the car seems to do decent in all the categories and combined that wins it many comparisons except the ones where ride and handling are weighted heavily (C&D for example).

I'm very surprised the Cruze was able to achieve such low fuel consumption numbers.  Rare that in this class a car can come close to matching its ratings.

Yeah, but if you look at how the Cruze performs in terms of fuel consumption in those same comparison tests, it does even worse than the Elantra.

Jaeger

[TopGun]

No.  Have you driven the Cruze or the Elantra?

Jaeger

Nope.  Didn't say I did.  I just gave a quote from an AutoBlog PodCast...I'm trying to figure out who your nameless forumite is that submitted their review.

[Jaeger]

Nope.  Didn't say I did.  I just gave a quote from an AutoBlog PodCast...I'm trying to figure out who your nameless forumite is that submitted their review.

Keep scratching your head - you'll get there eventually.  Or else go bald.

Might look for a guy who cherry-pics disparaging quotes about cars from a certain brand to get hi-fives from Greg.

Glad we have clarified that you don't really hold an opinion on the driving dyamics of the Elantra or Cruze, though.

Jaeger

[TopGun]

.....
Glad we have clarified that you don't really hold an opinion on the driving dyamics of the Elantra or Cruze, though.

Jaeger

Yes, we have further clarification on other things as well.

[Jaeger]

.....
Glad we have clarified that you don't really hold an opinion on the driving dyamics of the Elantra or Cruze, though.

Jaeger

Yes, we have further clarification on other things as well.

Talk to me Goose... 

Jaeger

[CanuckS2K]

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/06/honda-civic-hybrid-takes-on-chevrolet-cruze-eco-and-volkswagen/

Pretty thorough and objective comparison, thanks for posting.  Out of the three cars, I would choose the Cruze in a heartbeat. 

[dirtyjeffer]

Pretty thorough and objective comparison, thanks for posting.  Out of the three cars, I would choose the Cruze in a heartbeat. 

that was a decent article, but i would choose the Jetta TDi, but only by a marginal amount...the Cruze is certainly no "consolation prize".

[Shnak]

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/06/honda-civic-hybrid-takes-on-chevrolet-cruze-eco-and-volkswagen/

Pretty thorough and objective comparison, thanks for posting.  Out of the three cars, I would choose the Cruze in a heartbeat. 

So would I, but mostly by process of elimination. I would have been much more interested in a comparison of the Elantra and Cruze, considering these are the two new hot entries in the segment.