This car is based on the Vauxhall Astra (British), which is the same as the Opel Astra (German), but both Vauxhall and Opel are owned by GM (American), and this car is a Chevy (American). It was manufactured by Suzuki in Japan between 2001 and 2008, and it's also beeing sold under the names Daewoo Lacetti Premiere (Korean) and Holden Cruze (Australian), which are the same cars, only different badges. Holden is an Australian version of Vauxhall and Opel, and it's also is owned by GM.
I'm not a very Chevrolet fan, but I had to say than I'm amazed by that nice boots, and that clever cup holders in the middle seats if just a pair of persons go in the back
mainstream car reviewers aren't accurate, they just paint an overall impression based on what ever went through their mind that day and give it to us. this car is the same as an opel astra, yet in the astra review he said that it smooths out the bumps good, but here in the cruze he says that it ia rough... without mentioning the fact that they always talk aboit the car performance point of view, which personally and i know it's the case for most people, i do not care about the car performance, i just want it to be smooth. now i want to ask you about the cruze, as i am planning to buy one used, is it comfortable over bumps, because not gonna lie, all these reviews saying it is rough made me doubtful. how does it feel overall, is it refined, ia it smooth in the city, does it have that jittering when you are in 1st gear in traffic jam ?
I work at a dealership here in Belgium : Opel & Chevrolet. And I gotta say, the Chevrolet ( 4 doors, not the hatchback ) is a quite good looking car. The seats are comfortable and the dash is quite nice. I was damn suprised when I drove it and I was like : ' Man, I want one, it's cheap and good looking. '
I totally agree. I have just written a comment here. On the plus side the car is a looker (in my view), it looks different enough, dash looks ok. But oh boy that ride, the seats are the worst Ive known aside form a ride 30 years ago in an old Land Rover! The engine has as much oomph as a slug towing a brick, the gearbox is sloppy like its made from rubber bands, and the wind noise makes it feel like youre stuck in a wind tunnel. DO NOT BUY - amen to that!!!
It's kind of funny to see the General use Chevrolet as the "budget" brand in Europe (sort of how it is in its home market). I don't know why the Cruze didn't just get a Vauxhall badge. The Cruze has a Holden badge in Australia. "Chevrolet" in the UK market probably means "Lacetti" or erstwhile "Daewoo Castoff". I like the Cruze, wish this hatch was available worldwide.
It may be worth mentioning that the 1.7 diesel version of this car is far better than the petrols. Also the diesel engine originates from Isuzu and is bomb proof provided its serviced as with all diesels. On balance these are probably better than their Vauxhall brothers and cheaper !
The CRUZE is a nice-looking car... But, be prepared to not be able to get out of your own way, should you have the A/C on, with the four cylinder motor. When the A/C is engaged on a four cylinder, it's performance, and "take-off" are compromised, to the point, where one would actually think there is something wrong with the car. The Cruze's transmission is basically the same design that Chevrolet has used in it's "disposable" cars for decades. Maybe a change here is needed.
I own a 2010 Captiva LT, and you get what you pay for. After a year the car has a lot of anoying noises and rattles coming from everywhere, so I guess you can expect something similar with the Cruze, after all they're both Korean built Chevys.
I wonder if the European models haven't received the upgrades the Australian and US models did. Having taken a short ride in the Cruze last month it was eerily quiet, course I haven't driven anywhere near as many cars as Matt so I don't really know what noisy is for him.
@00kirbyd I went and testdrive a Cruze, but the European sedan version and the ride is much better. You want economy, you should try the Kia Rio 1.1L Diesel with 88mpg - really... or VW Polo bluemotion if you want economy. The Ypsilon is too ugly as i10 and the Smart is useless when you need to transport anything,
I fell bad for you bits as well as a bit jealous. The birth American version has 10 air bags, better suspension and better sound proofing in the cabin but you get a hatchback.
@Jeffredo729 Same goes for the new Sonic, and even the old Aveo. I don't think US Carmakers are seeing that hatchbacks and wagons do hold a viable market share here.
There are also kindergarten, blitzkrieg, autobahn, bratwurst, diener, fahrvergnuegen, zeitgeist, angst, hamburger, hamster, heiligenschein, kaputt, karabiner, kobold, kutte, lumpen, muesli, pils, patzer, sauerkraut, schweinehund, ungerade, urschleim. verboten, verklemmt, waldmeister, waldsterben, weltschmerz and many more. There are thousends of German words used in other languages. ;)
Well, if you are euro (which it sounds like you are) overseas destine cars are exempt from many US operating restrictions, so likely not going apples to apples here-
There is a design failure in this car, as a passenger in the front seat, your knee touches ac control button and you keep turnning it up! It doesnt help if you notice it, later , or any person new will face problem again!
Dude ...this car is so expensive in my country (like £ 22,000) and is very noisy in the cabin. The petro consumption is awful too. Chevy cars used to be good and is not anymore ... but here it still tries to use the good reputation it had in the past, charging more. Even a ford fiesta I think is much better and much cheaper compared (regardless of the internal space) or even the much older ford Focus (2007) in the same category, which is far superior in my opinion and here it costs 16000,00.
Ok as a cheapo runaround..but doesn't compare with equivalent European cars. Too cheaply made and not properly engineered. Buy it cheap, sell it on in 3 years for next to nothing.
@MacGyver920 I'm American and I really don't like American cars, or Japanese cars for that matter. I really wish more European makers would market their cars in the states. I much prefer the style and quality or cars made in Europe. And I'm not the only one here who thinks that... we're not all stupid. :)
I test drove the mid range model with auto gearbox in 2012. Absolute pile of crap, cheap or not! Have to say the car is very good looking, lots space, but oh boy what a pile of pooh in many areas. How come? Well, the seats are simply terrible (more comfort sitting on a spiked fence), I drove maybe 1/4 mile and my back was aching, and no I do not have a back problem. The engine is gutless, the gearbox is another slug, and the wind noise well ........... When Matt here says hard seats :(
I rented one of these from Hertz recently in the bay area - the A/C failed on day 2 and it was 87F - also had to constantly correct the steering, even in a straight line. Crap car.
@MacGyver920 most Americans drive them but guys like me who subscribe to this channel like European cars too. Hell, I've only driven European cars (Volvo 4 Life). And I wish that Renault, Citroen and other European marques could come back to America. Glad that Fiat is back, but I don't like that they've revived Lancia as a landing pad for Chrysler rebadges. A hot hatch is common place in Europe. In America? You have hold 50 kittens hostage just to have one. This is horrible trolling.
@MacGyver920 That's 100% rubbish, dude. I actually subscribed to this channel to see the kind of cars they don't sell in the USA. Like the other person who replied to this comment, I much prefer European cars for a number of reasons -- chief being that Europeans still value a good estate car and not the hulking mounds of poo that are CUVs. A guy who likes primarily American, Japanese, and Korean cars won't really be watching these videos.
a bit of a shitty review carbuyer. what about under the bonnet, underneath the car, the wheels, the alloys, haulage, aero-dynamics, dynamics, be a hell of a lot more descriptive without coming across as s jerk instead of being a jerk, being shallow and rushed. took a 2003 cruze out for a drive a really small car it has some good features about it, this one came from japan and had a hell of a car computer you can even watch japanese television on it.
I test drove a Chevrolet Cruze in early 2012 and it is without doubt the worst car I've driven or tested since the Daewoo Lacetti. In summary the Cruze is a pile of shit. I cannot overstate how hard the seats are and the cabin is simply cheap. The engine is sluggish with about as much equivalent poke as a 50cc moped. AVOID!!!
Please review some interesting, cars of the times alternatives like the Smart ForTwo CDI or the Chrysler Ypsilon for city drivers or economy seekers, which have free tax and congestion charge free motoring. I will not drive a bloody Kia Picanto or Hyundai i10, never mind how good they are I would not want to be seen dead in one of those. How many of the 3000 viewers of this review will ever see, go near, or drive a Chevrolet Cruze hatchback?
Its a cheap car and its meant to be so expect it to be less than refined.Americans realy need to get over the Chevy hate just because parent company GM needed a bail out with tax payers money.Just think of all the American jobs it saved. My country does far worse things with my tax money so count yourselves lucky.
Ok matt so basically the cruze is a piece of shit in europe? Lol just kiddin well all i gota say is that chevy is a very reliable brand (here in the states of course) owned 2 of em n they have lasted more than 12 years!
@DrClaw77 I know that as defence, you claim that all Europeans HATE the US. But that's a lie. That's ridiculous, and quite literally impossible. Probably 95% of all Europeans love the US. I mean, every European girl, especially the girls of my counry, don't talk about other things than going to the US. Their T-Shirts, tops and everyhting have the coulours of the American falg, and they all say the same thing: USA.
