The compact Chevy Cruze is one of GM’s top selling cars in the U.S. and its best-selling car worldwide. Now, with a clean diesel option coming to the 2013 Cruze in the States, GM is signaling its intent to become an important player in the U.S. diesel car market, which has traditionally been dominated by German brands for years due to diesel’s popularity in Europe.
GM is no newcomer to diesel-powered models. The automaker sold more than a half million diesel cars in markets around the world in 2011 alone, 33,000 of these the automaker’s diesel-powered Cruze. They’re just not sold here in the states.
Why? There is a long-held perception in the U.S. of ‘dirty’ diesel stemming from decades of soot-spewing big rigs and buses, plus – if you’re old enough to remember – some pretty bad domestic diesel cars that followed the gas shortages prompted by the 1970s Arab Oil Embargo. Even the ‘good’ diesels of those days like the popular Mercedes-Benz 240D were not a poster child for soot-free, spirited driving (we know…we owned one). Many automakers’ have viewed the U.S. as a potentially interesting but immature diesel market, a reasonable take given our longstanding preference for conventional gasoline internal combustion cars and our focus on performance.
Things change slowly, but the dynamic is changing. The mandated nationwide availability of ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel here in recent years, plus the auto industry’s significant research and development that’s created cleaner and ever-more efficient diesel powerplants to run on ULSD, is having an impact. While the Honda and Toyota diesels that were promised for the U.S. in recent years have yet to appear, Volkswagen and Audi have been driving diesel product in the U.S. with enthusiasm and are meeting with quite a bit of success. In fact, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI and Audi A3 TDI were Green Car Journal’s 2009 and 2010 Green Car of the Year winners, respectively. Mercedes-Benz and BMW have also brought exceptional diesel models to American highways in recent years.
Offering the diesel Cruze in America illustrates the growing importance of diesel as a forward-looking fuel efficiency strategy. While domestic pickups have long offered a choice of diesel power because of this powerplant technology’s massive low-end torque and its ability to easily handle heavy-duty hauling and towing, we haven’t seen this same kind of diesel commitment for passenger cars from domestic brands. The new generation passenger car diesels are changing this because they are worlds apart from the noisy truck-like diesels so familiar in pickups, providing a quiet, clean-running, and a satisfying driving experience. The gasoline Cruze available in the U.S. – already an efficient choice with EPA rated fuel efficiency up to 42 highway mpg – could see that number rise to at least 50 mpg in diesel trim.
The Cruze represents a logical application for GM's passenger car diesel technology in the U.S. This popular sedan features a sporty coupe-like shape courtesy of a design that plants the wheels far forward and rearward with minimal overhang, emphasized by a steeply-raked windshield and arching roofline that flows to a short rear deck. Riding stock options include 16, 17, and 18 inch wheels and tires. Chevy’s signature two-tier grille and gold bowtie logo make the car instantly recognizable up front. Inside, the Cruze features a twin-cockpit design and an integrated center stack housing an infotainment display with radio and climate controls. The instrument panel is backlit with light-emitting diode technology.
GM designed the Cruze with a strong body structure and chassis system more precisely tuned for comfort and driving control. The aim is a driving experience expected of a larger sedan with the greater efficiencies achievable in a more compact car. The Cruze brings to the party an array of standard features like air conditioning, OnStar with an initial six-month subscription, six-speaker stereo system with MP3 playback capability and auxiliary plug, and a trial subscription to SiriusXM Satellite Radio. Varying trim levels and options include voice-activated route guidance and eNav service, keyless entry and keyless start, Bluetooth phone connectivity, USB port, cruise control, steering wheel-audio controls, and much more. Safety is well looked after in the Cruze with standard StabiliTrak electronic stability control with traction control, 10 standard airbags, and a five-star safety rating.
Presently, the Chevy Cruze is available with a choice of two efficient four-cylinder powerplants and either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. Details on the coming clean diesel variant and its specific amenities have yet to be released. Like you, we’ll look forward to this in the coming months and will share what we find.