Chevy Cruze to get a diesel engine

GRtak

GRtak

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Chevrolet Confirms Diesel Variant for Cruze in 2013


DETROIT ? Chevrolet confirmed today it will add a diesel variant to the Cruze lineup in North America in calendar year 2013. Diesel versions of the Cruze are currently being sold in Europe. Additional details on the Cruze diesel for North American markets will be released at a later date.

The diesel will bolster the already fuel-efficient Cruze lineup. Cruze Eco with a standard six-speed manual transmission, is the most fuel-efficient gas-powered/non-hybrid vehicle in America, with an EPA-rated 42 mpg on the highway.

Cruze recorded a total of 24,896 sales in the United States in June, the fifth consecutive month sales have exceeded 20,000. The success of the Cruze has increased Chevrolet?s total share of the compact-car segment from 9.5 percent a year ago to 11.9 percent for the first five months of 2011, even as the segment size grew 19 percent.

Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 120 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers ?gas-friendly to gas-free" solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com
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Let it begin.
 
I'm excited, although part of me thinks that's too far off, it'll be an alternative to the craptastic current Jetta. It probably won't snag people dead set on a VW diesel, but if it manages to get eye popping gas mileage and is properly advertised, it could do well.

I can see 3 things against it. The current high price of Diesel compared to regular gas: educating people that, because you can go a lot further per gallon, it offsets the price quite nicely might be a challenge, but not impossible.

GM's near single handed ruin of diesel acceptance in passenger cars here: I suspect that many people would ask family what they think...some of the "older, wiser" set would talk them out of a diesel based on their sometimes second hand experience. If GM pimps the warranty package that comes on the Cruze, and the typical extended longevity of diesel engines, I think they could nip this in the bud.

The premium price it'll probably carry over the Cruze Eco: At 18K list, the Eco isn't exactly budget to begin with. That said, perhaps GM could build additional value into the diesel variant with premium options much like hybrid's and VW's TDI trims.
 
The Cruze Diesel here already outsells the petrol model by a quite significant margin IIRC. Mostly because the standard petrol engine is shit, the diesel is considered the far better choice. Don't know how that would go down in America though.
 
Hbriz said:
The Cruze Diesel here already outsells the petrol model by a quite significant margin IIRC. Mostly because the standard petrol engine is shit, the diesel is considered the far better choice. Don't know how that would go down in America though.
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What's the standard engine on offer there? Here we get a 1.8 NA motor used only on the basest of base cars. Everything else gets a 1.4 liter turbo....kinda interesting play by entering that option in the ring...and it definetly has it's downsides:

http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2011/06/2011-chevrolet-cruze-ltz-hot-hot-heat-and-mpg.html

http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2011/06/2011-chevrolet-cruze-hot-weather-mpg-part-2.html
 
It's about time GM does something smart. I applaud them for making that choice.
 
rickhamilton620 said:
What's the standard engine on offer there? Here we get a 1.8 NA motor used only on the basest of base cars. Everything else gets a 1.4 liter turbo....kinda interesting play by entering that option in the ring...and it definetly has it's downsides:
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The 1.8 is standard with the 1.4 petrol and 2.0 diesel optional on the base CD and the "luxury" CDX, while the 1.4 is standard on the "sports" SRi and SRi-V. The 1.8 is widely regarded as one of the worst engines in any car on sale today, easily the worst in the small-midsize class.
 
I went to the Chevrolet site and before it broke (I tried using the configurator, silly me) found out I am offered the 1.6i and 1.8i and 2.0D (VM Motori). Using up about 1 liter (diesel ~.8) every 10km is a quant reminder of how cars used to be in the 90's. All engines are much too noisy. Much better off buying an Astra with a GM turbo engine or a Fiat diesel.
 
Great decision GM! I assume it does 50+ highway, which is VERY tempting for me to jump on since my job requires a lot of highway driving. Wonder if the woman would like one as well.



I wonder if this means the Sonic will also be getting the dirty fuel.
 
So this is the new old Jetta TDI reincarnation then?
 
*Ford and Chrysler step back and watch*
 
Eunos_Cosmo said:
*Ford and Chrysler step back and watch*
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I wonder how this'll play out. I really want it to be successful so diesel will be more widespread.
 
If someone really wanted to make a smash hit, they would make diesel-electric hybrid.
 
Well, Chevy could easily put a diesel in the Volt, especially now that they have a small one for the US market.
 
I'm surprised.

Positively surprised.

I'm quite sure that about 3 years ago, this thread would have been full of "We don't need no stinking, smoking diesel crap in our country" comments...

Way to go, folks :)
 
How much will it cost? Diesel has harsher environmental regulations over here in the U.S. than Europe.
 
Cost is relative. You also have to see the savings due to less fuel consumption. You can still expect a diesel engine to use up only about two thirds of what a petrol engine consumes (this I learned from practice, btw., not from the brochures of carmakers).

Not sure if you can compare it due to differences in petrol and diesel prices but some time ago a German car magazine calculated, that you can save beween 2000 and 3000 Euros a year, when you drive the diesel version of a BMW 5-series rather than the petrol version (with both engines being equally powerful) and if you drive a decent milage.
 
MacGuffin said:
You can still expect a diesel engine to use up only about two thirds of what a petrol engine consumes (this I learned from practice, btw., not from the brochures of carmakers).
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According to 264 Octavias on spritmonitor the TSIs have reduced that gap to 10%, 7.14 average vs 6.45 average ignoring driving pattern differences.
The Eurocycle would suggest 22%, 6.3 vs 4.9.
 
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