AUTO RED BOOK REVIEW: 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE

On The Cover Review: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze

So long, Cobalt.  Hello, Cruze.  Chevrolet continues to bolster their small car lineup with a more than worthy replacement of the Cavalier replacement, with the new Korean-designed 2011 Cruze.  For the most part, the outgoing Cobalt didn’t garner dismal reviews, but other than the last Supercharged SS models, it wasn’t bringing down the house, either.  The Cruze intends to right that with a spacious, well-appointed interior, larger, more aggressive looks, and an imposing stance.  The Cruze goes straight for the aging Toyota Corolla’s jugular, flat-out mentioning it in the Tim Allen-narrated television commercials.  But do these customers care?  The Corolla is one of the most vanilla, uninspired, generic modes of transportation a person can buy in a new car dealership, so trying to elicit some kind of automotive passion from these intended customers seems futile.  So in addition to coddling people with a pleasant environment whether they want it or not, the Cruze actually performs well in the minimalist sense as well, squeezing nearly 40 gallons of gas out of a 1.4-liter, 138-hp turbocharged four-cylinder.  A 1.8-liter naturally aspirated plant will also be available.