Chevrolet Cruze

History and characteristics of the model

The car survived two generations, which is quite rare for GM Korea products. The first replaced another bestseller of the concern, Chevrolet Lacetti, but it is significantly ahead of it in terms of consumer and technical characteristics. Engineers paid great attention to comfort and smoothness of the ride, for which they developed a special suspension with separately attached springs and shock absorbers, aluminum levers and hydraulic struts instead of traditional silent blocks.

To reduce vibration and noise in the cabin, four-point engine mounts were used, noise-absorbing materials were used during the production of the instrument panel, additional factory noise insulation of the body was made, in particular the trunk lid and doors, and a special three-layer door sealing system was developed.

The first generation Chevrolet Cruze was available in three body versions: a sedan from 2008, a hatchback from 2011 and a station wagon from 2012. All cars had a front-wheel drive layout and in-line four-cylinder gasoline engines from 1.4 to 1.8 liters with a capacity of 111–181 hp. and diesel engines from 1.7 l to 2.0 l with a capacity of 129–161 hp. Gearbox — 5-speed manual or 6-speed "automatic". Despite its size, the car consumed little fuel: 5.8 liters per 100 km of diesel or 6.8 liters of gasoline.

The gamut of body colors included 11 colors. In addition, the used Chevrolet Cruze of the first generation is known as one of the safest cars in its segment. Euro NCAP gave it a maximum rating of five stars, and the American National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA rated the car well.

Sales of the first generation exceeded 3 million units. It has undergone 2 restylings, in 2012 and 2014. In 2015, the second generation of Chevrolet Cruze was released, which had only two body options: a five-door hatchback and a sedan. The car was produced in two different versions: Chinese and international, until 2018 in Korea, in 2019 - in the USA and Mexico. Cruz lasted the longest on the assembly line in Argentina, where production was stopped on the last working day of 2023.