Chevrolet Cruze: Being better than the Cobalt doesn't make it a class leader

The Chevrolet Cruze has been getting a bunch of attention lately in print and online media, including from us. Much of this has been about how much better it is than the Cobalt it replaces.

I agree. But having just driven one of our two Cruzes down from our Connecticut test track to our headquarters in Yonkers, NY, let me say this: Being better than the Cobalt still doesn't make it terrific.

Many say that the Cruze is much better than the Cobalt, but that's not a high compliment as the Cobalt was so inferior. The upmarket 1LT trim level version I brought home is quiet for the class, with a pleasant ride, and better steering and a more sophisticated ride than some competitors. I've certainly had much worse for the 120-mile trip. It's even kind of fun in corners. Just don't ask me to ride in the snug rear seat.

The LT is the one with the 1.4-liter turbo, but it doesn't seem more potent or refined than a conventional engine in, say, a Honda Civic or Mazda3. Plus, it's the least spunky feeling turbo I can recall ever driving. It actually makes the same horsepower as the non-turbo 1.8-liter engine.

The engine's job is made tougher by the fact that like many recent General Motors offerings, the Cruze is more than a few pounds overweight. The extra poundage hurts fuel economy--a big reason people buy cars in this category--and acceleration. The 1.4-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder powerplant in the 1LT managed just 26 mpg overall in our testing--less than some similarly-priced, higher-scoring, larger alternatives. That's a serious demerit, especially with gas prices cresting the $4.00 per gallon mark in some areas.

And while some Cruz advertisements proclaim 42 mpg on the highway, that's only for the Cruze Eco with a stick shift--a lighter special-edition model with enhanced aerodynamics. Both of our Cruzes are much more typical configurations than the ad-friendly Eco, and they don't deliver that type of mpg.

The problem for Chevrolet is that there are a lot of other models available to buyers in this hotly contested, budget-conscious category. As our recent road test pitting the Cruze against some competitors showed, the Chevrolet comes out mid-pack, outscored by the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic (two models due to be redesigned soon) and the new class-leading Hyundai Elantra. Plus, our drives of a pre-production version of the new Ford Focus left us with the impression that the Cruze will be facing some serious domestic competition, as well.

No question that the Cruze is competitive and way better than the Cobalt. Chevrolet loyalists trading in Cobalts will enjoy a significant upgrade.

Unfortunately for the all-American brand often associated with mom, apple pie, and baseball, they just didn't knock one out of the park this time.

--Jim Travers