The Chevrolet Cruze is a very important car for GM. It is their long-awaited new compact sedan said to be high in quality, amenities, and driveability. GM hopes it will sell in high volume too, and is head and shoulders above the current compact Cobalt. It is intended to compete well against the popular Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic.
It is also a sister car to the Volt, in a way, sitting atop the same global compact car platform and using as its engine in some trims a turbocharged version of the 1.4 L Ecotec engine the Volt will use as its generator.
Today GM announced that the Cruze will go on sale in the US in September, two months before the Volt, and for the first time in years of hearing about this car have announced pricing. We might consider this an exercise of what will happen when the Volt is finally priced, perhaps two months from today.
The standard Cruze LS will start at $16,995, and includes a 1.8L engine with 6-speed manual transmission, 10 airbags, stability control and OnStar. Air conditioning and power windows and locks are included.
The LT model with the 1.4L turbo engine, 6-speed automatic transmission, and 16 inch wheels will start at $18,995.
The Cruze Eco model, expected to hit 40 mpg on the highway, will also come in at $18,995.
The high-end LTZ model including leather, steering-wheel mounted controls, bluetooth, and automatic climate control starts at $22,695.
With automotive sales finally recovering, and GM posting a 37% increase in sales in May and 1st quarter profit, this car and its reachable price looks well-positioned to help brighten GM’s future.
Also with the Volt in short early supply, some visitors to Chevrolet showrooms, going in to look at a Volt, might just leave with a Cruze, at least I imagine that’s what GM hopes.
Source (GM)
+4
Jun 3rd, 2010 (11:53 am)If the upscale trim drives the price to around $23,000, and the volt battery pack/cooling system adds about $10,000 more, we see why a Volt price expectation less than about $34,500 is dubious.
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (11:53 am)….. and the curb weight is??
….. and the mpg is??
Jun 3rd, 2010 (11:58 am)Will it come in a 2-door version like the cobalt, because it is a nice looking car?
+3
Jun 3rd, 2010 (12:01 pm)This is pure speculation on my part, but say the battery pack is around $8,000 and the genset (excluding ICE) and some additional pieces at around $4000. This would but the Volt at around $34,695 (using the LTZ pricing). After the proposed $9,500 rebate the total would be…
$25,195!!!
OK, at least I can wish. If true I could sooo do that! Any other thoughts on this?
+5
Jun 3rd, 2010 (12:01 pm)“..with the Volt in short early supply, some visitors to Chevrolet showrooms, going in to look at a Volt, might just leave with a Cruze, at least I imagine that’s what GM hopes.”
I highly doubt that I can be convinced to buy a Cruze when I want a Volt. I’d buy a Camaro before I even looked at a Cruze.
Actually, I’d buy a LEAF or FocusEV before I’d buy a Camaro.
Jun 3rd, 2010 (12:04 pm)“..with the Volt in short early supply, some visitors to Chevrolet showrooms, going in to look at a Volt, might just leave with a Cruze, at least I imagine that’s what GM hopes.”
I highly doubt that I can be convinced to buy a Cruze when I want a Volt. I’d buy a Camaro before I’d even looked at a Cruze.
Actually, I’d buy a LEAF or FocusEV before I’d buy a Camaro.
+7
Jun 3rd, 2010 (12:12 pm)I am with Carcus on this one, I wish they would tell us the goods. I understand that there is 6 months until the car is sold, but they have been pretty upfront with this. I have heard the curb weight is 3500 pounds, (similar to the Leaf) but I have also seen articles that were adamant that it would be closer to 3900 pounds. My guess is that the former is closer to the truth. One way or the other, the Volt and the Leaf both are going to have low centers of gravity and the Volt at least will have nearly a 50-50 distribution of weight which is cool. I thought that Weber had stated that most drivers will get 50 mpg in city driving but it has been so long I am not sure if I am remembering correctly. Also, I really hope that GM puts an 8 gallon tank in the Volt, it would give excellent marketing value, i.e. the Volt can go 400 miles without stopping, or drive the Volt all day, stopping for gas every 400 miles… I think GM is waiting for a better idea of what the price of gasoline is going to be before naming the MSRP. If gas only goes up 10% by August, I think the Volt will be priced at $35,000 MSRP. If gas prices skyrocket, I bet GM will push the MSRP to $37,400. But, I don’t think GM really cares if they sell a lot of Volts. They simply want the Green Halo, or they would be trumpeting all of the new EREV vehicles that they will be bringing to market asap.
I think GM is going to be shocked by just how much people love the Volt and how great the demand will be.
+3
Jun 3rd, 2010 (12:20 pm)Looks like a nice car and hopefully GM will be able to finally make a competitive small car. But if you’re interested in EVs then this has to not be on your list of cars to look at. If you’re looking at the Volt then you may look at the Leaf and the Coda, maybe even the Prius or the Fusion. But the Cruze? I don’t think so.
-8
Jun 3rd, 2010 (12:21 pm)The harsh reality is that the Volt (in it’s current form) will Struggle to and likely never get to below the low $30k’s.
When you bring in the facts that the battery pack will need to be replaced at some point, that electricity is cheap but not free, and that you will be burning some gas in your volt — then you realize that the Volt never makes economic sense, not unless you think gas is going astronomically high — so high that everything will be in turmoil and you’re going to be worrying about a lot more than gas prices.
GM really needs a viable product with a plug. I’d like to see that someday before I die, or GM does …. again.
/there will be Volt early adopters, no doubt. But there’s only so many.
+9
Jun 3rd, 2010 (12:29 pm)No thanks.
I want off of OPEC Juice completely.
Give me an EV Volt or Spark.
Jun 3rd, 2010 (12:34 pm)Trudat!
+7
Jun 3rd, 2010 (12:36 pm)We know the Eco trim will have an hwy mpg of 40, the others will probably come in at 37 or so.. still top-of-the line for a MIDSIZE car.. yes its official. The combined passenger and cargo volume is 110 cubic ft, and that is the minimum for a Midsize car classification (110-119).
It will have the 2nd best mpg of that class (Prius is #1), the second best will be the Fusion Hybrid at 36mpg hwy. The Prius is really a small car but the hatchback configuration gives it a huge cargo volume advantage. The Malibu comes in at 111 cubic feet, to give you an idea of the size.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byepaclass.htm
The reviews have been good, very sporty and handles well. Perhaps the best safety rating on the market (and the reason its so heavy). Corvetteman will be very happy to have another popular car to sell.
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (12:37 pm)Many of the old traits are re-emerging post-bankruptcy, like focus on traits that get consumers excited rather than what they will actually end up buying. No plug is a basic rule of diversity. Offer choice…
The most obvious concern here is the promotion of HIGHWAY efficiency only, totally disregarding CITY… which is significantly lower. But since they never mention that, you are led to believe overall mpg is much higher than it really is.
Sadly, the same thing has happened with Volt, except reversed. CITY is all we ever hear about.
-4
Jun 3rd, 2010 (12:38 pm)Another thought,
If GM holds off on releasing full Volt specs until after the IPO, I suppose we could infer something from that.
+5
Jun 3rd, 2010 (12:42 pm)I think that the MSRP for Volt will be independent of any observed or expected gasoline price. It will be priced to fit within the lineup.
I still think Volt will be priced around the same as a Malibu or a little higher (like a Malibu hybrid) and GM will eat the difference for the first couple of years. This way, it fits in the lineup (between Malibu and Impala) and they can lock-step the pricing with options. I doubt you will be able to get an ‘LS’ Volt the first year. All will be LTZ – fully loaded.
An LTZ Malibu ‘starts at’ $26965
An LTZ Impala ‘starts at’ $29930
I think an LTZ Volt will ‘start at’ $28448, but, you will only be able to get all options (like all other hybrids), so, about $32k before any government rebates.
MSRP is pure marketing. It has nothing to do with finish cost, development cost, or even what a Cruze costs plus the battery.
If MSRP is too low, it marks the car as a lower-end car forever.
If MSRP is too high, it competes with other cars in the lineup.
I think the Volt Goldilocks-just-right MSRP is $28448 (or half-way between a 2011 Malibu LTZ and a 2011 Impala LTZ whichever is higher) and I stand by my story until it’s wrong! Guess we’ll know in a couple months!
+5
Jun 3rd, 2010 (12:49 pm)Just a note on Lyles’s suggestion that GM sales were up 37%. I think that’s more like 31% or 32% and, as statik pointed out yesterday, that’s for the remaining brands. If you include the brands that have been sold or are being shut down the increase is more like 17%. Personally I think including the brands which are being jettisoned is the wrong approach. The better approach — similar to same store sales numbers — is to just compare the brands GM is keeping. But some may have a different view.
Another good sign is that GM is also increasing the average transaction price, just about double the industry average, $3300 versus $1600. It may also be increasing incentives but I think that’s more for the phase out brands — haven’t been able to find a break down on this.
-22
Jun 3rd, 2010 (12:49 pm)(click to show comment)
+18
Jun 3rd, 2010 (12:53 pm)Its what the public wants, and GM wants to stay in business.
+3
Jun 3rd, 2010 (12:54 pm)If this had been available last Spring, I would certainly have looked at it as my bridge-car to Voltec. The LT version sounds comparable to the Honda Fit I ended up with, (with one more speed to the auto), but lists around $1200 more. For indirect support of Volt (and better gas mileage), I would have paid this difference. Sadly, GM had no capable car in this class at the time I needed one.
Will the Cruze be offered in a 5-door / hatchback, and at what price? Sans that option, this would be the other major difference from the Fit. In this size / class, a hatchback adds a great deal of useful versatility, IMO.
FWIW, my wife thinks that the Fit is “cute.”
-24
Jun 3rd, 2010 (12:56 pm)(click to show comment)
+2
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:00 pm)Good to see the Cruze making it’s way to a showroom near you. If GM has chosen the proper gearing. Cruze purchases will displace many Prius sales.
BTW: Why speculate over the price of the base Volt? A top exec at GM has told us it’s around $37k. I expect $37,499. The Volt should pre order about 3 or 4 months before delivery.
=D-Volt
+23
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:06 pm)“Working hard to keep the US dependent on foreign oil” was Hummer, Tahoe (etc), with mpgs in the teens (if that). Cruze is a car that is supposed to get 40 mpg. Contrary to what you seem to think, “cutting back” on oil use actually does count.
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:10 pm)I guess the link won’t make it. The Ford/Chevy comparison is going to be Cruze vs. Focus (not Cruze vs. Fusion)
Google: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze versus 2012 Ford Focus: Toes to toes and chin to chin
The dimensions are nearly identical, actually the Ford may be a little bigger. Ford should definately give GM a mpg run for the money with the ecoboost engine.
/ I guess it meets the min, but the Cruze has never looked mid-sized to me in pictures.
// not trying to run the Cruze down, I think it may be one of the best new products GM has going.
-18
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:13 pm)(click to show comment)
+2
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:17 pm).
There is no question but that this is the case:
(Taken at the NY press event where 10 of us got to drive a production intent Volt prototype).
EDIT: Actually, looking at this picture again, the new Aveo (if it is superior to the old one) probably comes closer to the Fit, though I haven’t actually reviewed dimensions, weight and other factors; just comparing on the basis of utility and cost).
+11
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:21 pm)Never say never. About anything. The cost of batteries can change. And the cost of the cooling system could go down. And I’m sure Gm has some margin built in on the cruze. Especially on that upscale trim.
Besides, a lot of us are interested in the Volt for reasons that go beyond just saving money.
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:23 pm)#13
Yeah, I HATE it. Totally misleading and dishonest, IMHO.
Even so, I hope that they sell millions of them. If they can, it will be to the great benefit of all of us, again IMHO.
+11
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:25 pm)How long ago did the gulf oil well break? No manufacturer can turn on a dime that fast. It’s probably too soon to evaluate the long term effects of this spill; if what we’ve seen is just the beginning, you may be understating things (if they fix it next week, you may be overstating).
If you turn out to be right about the motivating effects of the gulf spill, it’s a good thing that GM started a Volt program 2+ years ago (for whatever reason) which can now be ramped up more easily than developing a new car from scratch!
+2
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:26 pm)I also speculate the Volt MSRP will come in around $35000, putting it at $27500 after $7500 tax rebate. Just a guess applying the same logic you used. The Volt will likely need to be a bit higher than the Leaf due to the added complexity of 2 drivetrains, but it still needs to be in the same ball park in order to sell. I don’t envy GM at trying to arrive at price that makes everyone happy. It’s a tall order for sure.
Now regarding the Cruze, it finally appears to be a solid competitor in the small car arena and the pricing appears reasonable. This will run head to head with the new Focus coming soon IMO. Nicely done.
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:28 pm)Focus (w/eco) is supposed to be 41mpg. Cruze (w/1.4L) 40.
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:30 pm)I beg to differ on that. Sure the cost of batts will change BUT, GM is in contract with LG Chem on the Cells. Asking LG to drop their price substantially to equal market value is like someone asking to renegotiate their mortgage principle to assessed market value. Why would LG even consider lowering their income?
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:31 pm)Found the article.. the 2010 Focus is a compact at 107 cubic foot, no idea about the 2012 Focus the article talks about. The Focus will definitely be sportier with the larger larger engine… probably a bit more expensive since it uses direct fuel injection.
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:31 pm)#19
We bought a low mileage used Cobalt as a bridge to Voltec. I have been pleasantly surprised by what a decent little car it is. Although the gas mileage is nothing to write home about, LOL. If the Cruze is significantly better, it will be pretty darned good. Again, I truly hope that they sell millions of them.
+7
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:32 pm)There is no such thing as “too little too late”. I believe in “better late than never” and “every little bit helps”.
The Cruze is the first American car I’ve seen that I would consider as an alternative to my Honda Civic 5-speed in case I’m not able to get or afford a Volt.
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:32 pm)The problem with just looking at the brands GM is keeping is that average costs (and therefore, profitability) depend more on total volume than brand volume.
+4
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:35 pm)I wonder what this model goes for?
+7
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:37 pm)No Plug? No Thanks.
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:41 pm)I think they will do exactly that so that IPO and Volt messages are not mixed.
Their stock price will probably go down when they start selling Volt below cost. Announcing Volt before IPO will place downward pressure on the initial stock offering which is unwise.
-3
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:42 pm)At last, something we agree on
.
This tendency is not limited to new models emerging, GM has done this in their advertising for all makes; and it drives me nuts. The ads make it so-o-o obvious that GM can’t match city numbers …
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:49 pm)I considered a Cobalt, but needing an automatic transmission, I wasn’t willing to live with the inadequate gas mileage. Overall, I’m pretty pleased with the Fit, but I still have the lingering feeling that I’ve let down the Side …
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:49 pm)Not exactly the same thing CJS. The entire house was delivered at once. Cells are delivered on a piece schedule. If the factory cost goes down, GM can and will re-negotiate. GM takes no prisoners when dealing with suppliers. They are without Ruth. (or Ruthless). On the other hand, if the factory costs go up, GM will hold LG’s feet to the fire.
+6
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:53 pm)For one thing, LG has a vested interest in the Volt’s success. The lower the price, the more batteries they sell. And they’re going to want more contracts from GM. So they want to be a good business partner. Not charge $5000 more than their competitors. Besides, their contract is up in 2015, right? That’s not so very far away…
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:54 pm)$17,000 as the base starting price? I haven’t priced a Corolla or Civic recently, but I didn’t know it was this high. Is this GM’s entry-level vehicle? Who’s the target audience for this? Teenagers? Recent college grads? I could get a new 2010 Mustang for less than $17K right now, which I think would attract more young people.
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (1:55 pm)Yes, they’re on the hook to LG Chem for the Volt’s cells. But what’s to prevent GM from buying cells from someone else for a future Voltec model? If the public response to the oil spill is overwhelmingly pro-EV, I doubt GM will sit on it’s hands with the already-announced HALO production numbers for Volt, or single Voltec model.
EDIT: I missed your #42, LauraM; I’d just add that fallout from the Gulf could add a lot of pressure to those contract negotiations!
+4
Jun 3rd, 2010 (2:00 pm)I really do mean it when I say No Plug – No Sale. I will not buy a Cruze, because GM did not make enough Volts. By mid 2012 at the very latest, if there is no availability from GM of a Volt in my local area, IMHO I think there will be models available from other manufacturers, and I will be seriously looking at them. At that point, GM will have lost me as a customer.
And as far as pricing, for some reason on this site, it seems to have become a defacto standard that the Volt will not sell in quantity unless the price is in the mid $20K range. I think that is incorrect. After all, the median price of a new car was $25,500 in 2009. So 50% of all new cars sold that year cost over $25.5K. (Site reference – http://www.safecarguide.com/gui/aff/expenses.htm ) That is still a pretty large segment of the car buying public that can afford and might be interested in an E-REV type vehicle. And why would you think a Volt would cost about the same as a Cruze?
We can talk about this until we are blue in the face. This simple fact is that all we can do is wait and see how GM prices the Volt, and if they decide to increase production to meet the demand I think is staring them in the face…………….
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (2:08 pm)Wow — I am not sure why (at the time of this post) Carcus2 is getting so many thumbs down. Reality is that the Volt is only good at helping reduce oil dependency. It does not make economic sense for a person to pay more for this type of car. Honda Fit cost me $16,700 with tax title etc. I get 35mpg. Volt with tax credit is at best coming in at $28,000. I can buy a lot of gas for $11,300 difference. Many think the price gas will shoot up to $6.00 gal and then things change. Bottom line is OPEC and Oil companies are very smart and they know the sweet spot. Every once in a while there will be a spike, but overall there will be cheap oil for many years to come. Government taxes of gasoline like Europe is another subject. But this ain’t Europe, no politician will dare raise the gas tax. There was a movie years back called “Reality Bites”. Well it does bite sometimes.
+7
Jun 3rd, 2010 (2:13 pm)I don’t want a Cruze. I want to pay cash for a Volt as soon as possible. Quit bashing GM for models like the Tahoe/ Hummer before checking the milage on popular Toyota models like the Land Cruiser/ Highlander. Talk about GAS GUZZLERS!
+5
Jun 3rd, 2010 (2:15 pm)Also with the Volt in short early supply, some visitors to Chevrolet showrooms, going in to look at a Volt, might just leave with a Cruze, at least I imagine that’s what GM hopes.
The Cruze is to be a very nice car, but at least in my case I won’t be going in to a dealership to see one, if the dealership has no Volts for sale. Nothing angry about this view. The dealer simply will not have the car that I’m interested in.
It is too bad that gm has set up the Volt as an upscale Cruze, as Volt really is much nicer, not a low-end car at all.
+4
Jun 3rd, 2010 (2:16 pm)If you can find it.
The Volt represents an insurance policy against instability and uncertainty concerning energy costs and supplies (by being fueled two completely different ways); that will have added value for many.
The present oil spill emergency could well lead to government’s massive regulation of the oil industry (read “seize control over”) by the majority presently in power. This would ultimately lead to the government doing whatever the #@|| it wants (failing that, there’s always “cap-and-trade” which could also get a boost from the gulf, and accomplish an effective rise in energy costs).
To those on the other side of the fence: Is it impossible?
Jun 3rd, 2010 (2:20 pm)duplicate deleted
+10
Jun 3rd, 2010 (2:20 pm)The Volt will struggle as a low-end competitor because it is not low end. If properly marketed by gm, Volt can be a big success as a higher-level fun-to-drive smooth and sophisticated vehicle.
+3
Jun 3rd, 2010 (2:20 pm)Greenies may be interested in the 40mpg part.
+2
Jun 3rd, 2010 (2:27 pm)Never say never. I could use lots of analogies of technologies that have come down in cost over the years.. but you know the drill.
+2
Jun 3rd, 2010 (2:27 pm)True that, but as far as we know, there is ZERO effect we can have on Japanese carmakers, on this site (other than by encouraging GM to build the best products possible to offer them meaningful competition).
It’s also better to bash old GM for giant SUVs than to allow new GM to be bashed for building a 40mpg car (just because it isn’t an EV). I could name names here, but I believe I’ll let him remain Anonymous.
Jun 3rd, 2010 (2:30 pm)Higher MPG doesn’t necessarily translate to being green. In fact, smog-related emissions can increase as a result of efficiency improvement… a shortcoming well known for diesel.
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (2:34 pm)is there a nickname for oil security aficionados?.. I’m not a greenie and could care less about CO2, all modern cars are very clean.
+3
Jun 3rd, 2010 (2:42 pm)Wait a minute.. let me get this straight. You wan’t an efficient car NOW because of your “knee-jerk” reaction to the oil spill in the gulf, but you are critisizing GM who started developing a 40mpg car years before the gulf disaster and writing it off as “knee-jerk”.
So if you were CEO of GM, what would you have them do, halt all productions of the Cruze and the Volt, and stop all engineering towards a BEV Spark? You have to make profits too BTW, so you cant just produce what floats your boat.
I don’t really understand your motivation for posting other than complaining, which is really lazy.
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (2:48 pm)I just put in greenies because it popped into my head. I guess i could have listed all the possible people that would be intersted in 40mpg.
Im guessing in the Cruze’s case it does. It doesn’t use diesel. Also everyone has different definitions of what green is.
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (2:54 pm)I think the Ford Fiesta got the step ahead of GM on this market.
+2
Jun 3rd, 2010 (3:02 pm)I have an idea whoever has the skills for vehicles should go to college and learn about electric cars, Plug-in hybrids, pure ethanol and pure bio diesels that are made out of plant materials and open there own auto company plant that supports being green by using as little emissions as possible or none at all. Everybody agree? Plus other things that relate to electric cars and Plug-in’s as well. Lets get the Volt wheels on the road!
+2
Jun 3rd, 2010 (3:02 pm)I was in Chile in April and while site-seeing, I accidentally walked thru a Cruze dealership. Before then, I had never really been intersted in the Cruze, but seeing them all lined up in different colors made me want to drive one home (that would have been a long drive).
+4
Jun 3rd, 2010 (3:06 pm)Zach-dawwg — I am an energy independence hawk. I am very much in favor of this technology working. We need to reduce oil requirements drastically to take the middle east, Africa and Venezuela out of the mix. But to sell this to people as way to save money is fraud. The value proposition is not in saving money using electricity versus filling up at the pump. The Volt cost compared to a high mileage car Fit, Focus, Cruze or similar car does NOT make economic sense in your day-to-day budget. You need to sell on the value proposition of getting money out of the hands of the dictators, which means we can withdraw troops from that F’d up region. Not needing to make friends with devil, etc. That will save money in other ways not seen at the pump. BTW, we always have all kinds of gas in Wisconsin.
+2
Jun 3rd, 2010 (3:10 pm)Oh yeah. I know the drill. The question you have to ask yourself is: What do I do “over the years” in the meantime?
For me, I think I’ll keep milking my old car along until the first decent option with a plug comes along.
Maybe it’s a
a. Focus BEV
b. Leaf
c. Plug in Prius
d. Megacity
But a Cruze ????? …. No. No Plug, No Sale.
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (3:14 pm)I’m no greenie but then again this car doesn’t meet my needs. No chance of going all electric by any means, so, no chance of me buying it.
I’m all for no OPEC juice, that’s my first proirity. The environments gains are just a byproduct for me.
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (3:26 pm)Without knowing the terms of the contract how we can be sure that GM didn’t require the ability to renegotiate based production costs. This is done quite a lot in the electronics business.
It’s possible that GM is locked into a specific price but even at that we don’t know the length of the contract. If the terms have been public I was not aware.
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (3:29 pm)The Fiesta is a size smaller than the Cruze. It’s in the subcompact category, like the Honda Fit and upcoming Chevy Aveo.
+2
Jun 3rd, 2010 (3:30 pm)The Fiesta is a size smaller than the Cruze. It’s in the subcompact category, like the Honda Fit and upcoming Chevy Aveo. So the fact that the Cruze gets the same mileage is even more impressive.
+4
Jun 3rd, 2010 (3:40 pm)Here is what the Salespeople got for training purposes:
The all-new 1.4 ECOTEC turbo is like two engines in one – it has the fuel economy of a small-displacement engine and the performance of a larger engine.
The 1.4L turbo engine with 6-speed manual transmission provides up to an estimated 40 mpg on the highway with the high-efficiency model.
The 1.4 turbo engine with 6-speed automatic provides up to an estimated 36 mpg highway with a range of over 500 miles between fill-ups.
(high-efficiency model)
STANDARD EQUIPMENT (ALL MODELS)
MECHANICAL
> 1.8L i4 engine (LS)
> 1.4L turbo i4 engine (LT and LTZ)
> 6-speed manual transmission
> Rack EPS
> Z-link rear suspension
> Oil Life Monitoring System
APPEARANCE
> Dual-port grille with chrome surround
> Chrome rear decklid applique
> Chrome belt moulding
> Body-color door handles
COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE
> AM/FM radio with Auxiliary input jack
> XM Radio (except 1LS)
> Auto locks with remote keyless entry
> Power windows with express-down
> Upper IP storage bin eliminated with
Pioneer Premium sound system)
> Driver Information Center (DIC)
> 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks
> 2 auxiliary power outlets
> Enhanced acoustic package
> Rear-seat fold-down armrest
with cupholders
SAFETY
> OnStar (except 1LS)
> ABS
> StabiliTrak Stability Control System
> Traction Control
> 10 air bags, including knee air bags
and roof-rail-mounted curtain air bags
with rollover capability
> Tire Pressure Monitoring System
> Auto-on headlamps
Available Models
1LS > Cloth Seats, Black Outside Rearview Mirrors, 16” Steel Wheels
2LS > Adds: Air Conditioning, OnStar, XM Radio
1LT > Adds: 2LS Features plus 1.4L Turbo, Floor Mats, Chrome Wheel Covers,
LT Cloth Seats, Body-Color Power Outside Mirrors
Options > 6-speed Automatic Transmission, Mini Spare Tire, Appearance Pkg,
Pioneer Audio System, 16” Alloy Wheels, Connectivity Pkg,
Convenience+ Pkg, Navigation
2LT > Adds: 1LT Features plus Connectivity Pkg, 16” Alloy Wheels, Heated Leather
Seats, 6-Way Power Driver’s Seat, Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel
Options > 6-speed Automatic Transmission, Mini Spare Tire, Appearance Pkg,
Pioneer Audio System, 18” Alloy Wheels, 4-Wheel Disc brakes,
Convenience+ Pkg, Navigation, Sunroof
LTZ > Adds: 2LT Features plus 4-Wheel Disc Brakes, Convenience+ Pkg, 17” Alloy
Wheels, Chrome Door Handles, Unique LTZ Trim and IP Cluster
Options > 6-speed Automatic Transmission, Mini Spare Tire, Appearance Pkg,
Pioneer Audio System, 18” Alloy Wheels, Sunroof, Navigation
-9
Jun 3rd, 2010 (3:42 pm)Get a Nissan LEAF and be done with it.
Or do you really look forward to those Chevy Cruze Recalls.
I can’t be bothered with this car. 40mpg max is pretty weak imo was expecting closer to 50 but I guess this is what you get with american-type car these days.
+4
Jun 3rd, 2010 (3:52 pm)Honda Civic Sedan = $15,655.00 before ANY options.
Ford Mustang = $22,145.00 before ANY options.
Get your numbers right.
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (4:06 pm)The Prius has already set the standard for anything considered a high mileage anything.
But I learned a long time ago that looking at the highes MPG number is the worst you can do. This muthaf@#$% Murphy guy keeps poping his head up. The particular law he keeps hitting me with is, if you buy because of the high number mpg the law states you will drive it 85% or more of the time in the lowest mpg number. So I never look at the Highway mpg in an ICE car. Sh|t, I can’t even remember the last time I drove my car on the freeway to work.
/so when we gonna get the CS mode MPG?
Jun 3rd, 2010 (4:08 pm)Me too, as I’m sure most people wanting EV’s will. The question, I think is, what is the “first decent option”? Or, as posted on this site several times, what is “affordable”? This line in the sand is different for every person. Im willing to pay 40K for the Volt, but im sure others on this site will never pay more than the cost of an equal sized car, say $15K. It depends on the value you put on the whole EV package, and of course, how much disposable income you have. An economic motivation for the Volt (when the price is announced later this year) can’t be rationalized unless you are like me where you keep cars for 10+ years. Even then I’ll probably just break even. Most likely, for me though, is I’ll end up w/a Gen 2 Volt, just due to demand, and by then, the economic payback may be as little as 5 years due to gas prices possibly going up and/or battery tech costs coming down, along w/all the over cost saving ideas GM has suggested.
+3
Jun 3rd, 2010 (4:13 pm)Red, shiny! Cruze looks nice but;
Does it generate 100% torque at 0 rpm?
Will it freak out peds who didn’t hear it? My Volt will have a LOUD horn, watch em jump!
Can it go 40 miles without gas — recharge in my garage?
It is not a Volt, or even a LEAF. Those are cool Electric cars. This is not. Its boring. Its the same, only better (somewhat). Nice car.
I agree – this is not in competition with the Volt.
That 30,000? Remember, the Volt buyer gets $7,500 from the gmmt and no road/gas taxes! Soon there may be an environment tax on gasoline.
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (4:23 pm)There is no definitive evidence that the battery back will ever need replaced based on the mileage reached on the lab packs. Certainly no more often than a major engine overhaul in a regular gas car.
+5
Jun 3rd, 2010 (4:33 pm)I still want some OPEC Juice substitute. (Like splenda?) Give me an EREV or give me d’earth! (I actually not particularly interested in death, mind you, so I’ll pass on that).
In case anybody reads this far down the threads, I actually could use d’earth as our yard needs more dirt. My wife and I have been redoing the entire backyard. Part of it is I’m building a huge filtered sunlight shade structure with the intent to put solar collectors on it to offset the costs of switching to E9 from E7 when I get my electric drive vehicle. Some of you may recall one of my rants a while back where I said I didn’t want to pay four thousand bucks for another meter just to keep from getting screwed by the power company and that I might as well buy four thousand bucks worth of additional solar panels and do something actually useful with the money. Well, it’ll be a bit more than that because I am already out of roof space for panels (although I have massive extra capacity in the inverters since they can power the whole house). Hence, I’m adding the shade structure. But we want to grow grass (or more likely grass like substitute) under the shade structure so I need to allow filtered sunlight through and regular solar panels won’t do that. Tried to get some solyndra tubes but those are unobtainable unless you are Iberdrola or God. So, being neither of those (but an Electrical Engineer), I came up with a plan B… Which is, I’m putting together effectively about fifty 18 foot long strips of little 2 inch x 2 inch square 1/4 watt CIS solar panels. That’s about 4230 of them. Give or take.
Amazingly, my wife agreed to my folly and has been helping me get everything together. I figure the first 50 or so modules I make out of the individual panels will be a lot of fun and the few hundred after that much less so. 
I’m hoping for momentum by then, though. We should start constructing the structure in a week or two and I already have most of my solar system parts. Anyway, I’ve been spending all my free time engineering the entire system for the last several weeks and expect to spend many more weeks assembling and installing things. Haven’t had so much time to post as much but I am still ‘on board’ with the site and the Volt. 
Sometimes, you just gotta do what you just gotta do.
-8
Jun 3rd, 2010 (4:38 pm)No Plug No Sale!
This is just the same ol garbage we have been dealt for decades. It’s just the regular piston engine. Wasn’t the corporate welfare bailout funds supposed to be used for new technology products or stronger hybrids or PHEV’s?
Nothing new here folks, nothing new.
-5
Jun 3rd, 2010 (4:43 pm)Think about this, I’ve heard we have vast amounts of undiscovered oil out in the gulf. Perhaps we should use all the oil in the Middle East, Africa, and elsewhere right now while it’s still cheap. Even at 5 bucks it’s cheap. Imagine what it’ll be when the Middle East and South America are tapped out. I don’t see airplanes switching to batteries anytime soon. The more foreign oil we use is bad now, but heck we can still afford it. When other places are out we’ll be sitting on an even more valuable commodity. Just a thought. Discuss.
+2
Jun 3rd, 2010 (4:49 pm)I just got back from a week in China and saw many many Cruzes on the road. This is a very nice looking car and is apparently popular in some Chinese cities. The interior looked good too. Definitely nicer than the focus.
The argument that says the Prius is a better car than the Volt because it is cheaper and you will not be able to recoup your initial outlay in gas savings will be turned against the Prius with this car. If you want to save money and burn a little more gas (ala Prius vs Volt), why not save even more and go with the Cruze (and get a nice looking car to boot).
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (5:01 pm)GM reports May ’10 up 37%. Great news. The GM CRUZE site lays claim to putting on 4 million miles of testing. Around the world. I’m not sure even Ford does similar testing. Its pricing is attractive and competitive. The CRUZE (according to its site) has larger interior space than either Corella or Civic. Now GM needs to explain why CRUZE gets 40 mpg in turbo; and, VOLT gets 50 in NA (Naturally aspirated). I hope GM calls a contest to rename the CRUZE to a more friendly handle. Very nice CRUZE website.
+4
Jun 3rd, 2010 (5:04 pm)On the surface, floating along in underwater plumes, and invading the beaches & marshes…
Please take all those $billions$ of oil subsides away and put the money towards Wind, Solar, and EVs.
Jun 3rd, 2010 (5:10 pm)Good luck with all that dude!!!
You’re gonna be busy for a while.
+2
Jun 3rd, 2010 (5:26 pm)Is it me or do all Chevys look exactly the same nowadays…
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (5:28 pm)Extend and/or increase the contract. It’s more like renogotiating a lease than a mortgage. Normally, you’ve got to give a little to get a little.
+3
Jun 3rd, 2010 (6:34 pm)Car’s like this allow GM to make profits so they can engineer/build cars like the Volt.
+6
Jun 3rd, 2010 (6:38 pm)The problem is we can’t produce enough domestically to meet our own demand, and we use more oil than the rest of the world. So the one who will get hurt the most when oil runs out is us. Not to mention, the oil we buy from many foreign countries is used to fund terrorism against us. We must also spend vast resouces to protect these foreign oil supplies. Its not just $5 at the pump, the cost is much more.
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (6:44 pm)I noticed a bowtie on all of them?
(seriously: GM brands typically have _some_ comonality between them. Like the grille. I think the signature Pontiac grille was on everything Pontiac. Same w/cars like BMW. Its something to let you know “hey im a Chevy” or whatever. However a Camaro, a Spark, a Volt, and a Corvette look nothing alike to me)
Jun 3rd, 2010 (7:08 pm)That’s not quite true. As far as volume goes, I would expect the costs to more dependent on model volume first, brand volume second, and total corporate volume third. I assume (and CorvetteGuy might be “in the know” here) the brands have always looked at their volumes independently and are also looked at as profit centers. In this context the surviving brands individual volumes look good and so do the sum of their parts. Realistically, what does Saturn’s or Saab’s or especially Hummer’s prior volume have to do with the surviving brands volume. Not very much, I would think. Perhaps some argument could be made for some of Pontiac’s models but not the Vibe, G6, or G8.
GM shouldn’t be too excited because there certainly are some GM branded customers that stuck with the company so the difference between 17% and 37% (or whatever core brand # is)isn’t all gravy, but it certainly seems positive nonetheless.
+3
Jun 3rd, 2010 (7:25 pm)In Australia the basic Cruze sells for about $24,000. This translates to around $60,000 for the Volt…YIKES.
That counts me out unfortunately. I really wanted a Volt but that’s just crazy.
The Leaf’s guestimated price will be about $20,000 cheaper than the Volt here, plus I wont have to endure being gouged when servicing the ICE component.
I recently had my Prius in for a routine service… $720.00 yeh, Air Filter-$70.49, Fuel Filter-$80.03 etc.etc.
Standing in the dealer service dept. is like being surrounded by pickpockets all going hell for leather.
I’ll be looking forward to ICE free motoring now.
+2
Jun 3rd, 2010 (8:09 pm)We yet don’t know that the Volt gets 50 with its naturally aspirated engine running in charge sustaining mode. But let’s assume that it does. Why the 10 MPH greater than the Cruize turbo’s 40 MPG? Well, because the Volt with its engine running has the same regenerative braking energy recovery as a Prius. It has the same ability to stop its engine completely while waiting for a traffic signal. It has the same ability to boost the acceleration of an itty bitty gas engine with a electric motor backup. Remember, even at the 30% minimum state of charge, the Volt will still be able to diddle the battery around a few percentage points to give all the efficiency benefits of a conventional hybrid.
Jun 3rd, 2010 (8:15 pm)At the NYC auto show this spring, I looked at, poked at, and sat in a Chevy Cruze. Just to my eye, the interior was nicer than the Volt’s, especially the use of fabric on the dash. The center stack lacked the cool touch pads of the Volt’s, but it had a more integrated look.
Hey, don’t beat on me for my opinion. 17 months from now I’ll have a Volt in my garage, but I’ll certainly look longingly at the showroom’s Cruze while I sign the Volt’s paperwork.
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (8:19 pm)Just got word from the Chevy dealer with whom I’ve been in contact. They’re starting a list with the five people who’ve expressed an interest in the Volt (so far); we’re all previous customers of the dealership. The only downside is that they anticipate getting no more than one Volt by the end of this year.
Jun 3rd, 2010 (8:30 pm)From the previous article:
Yes.
Here’s my spreadsheet:
http://mysite.verizon.net/vzenu6hr/ebay_pictures/GallonsPerYear.xls
The average American drives 12,000 a year, so I came up with a typical driving pattern that tries to match that, put it in the spread sheet, and then used this to get a rough idea of how many gallons per year different types of vehicles would actually use.
Obviously, this is not going to match your particular driving pattern 100%, but it does give us a good ballpark estimate of how different vehicles compare. When I plug in the numbers, I’m often surprised how well the Volt stacks up.
What was most interesting to me was applying this driving pattern to the Nissan Leaf for daily driving, and then using a Toyota Corolla as a second car for longer trips. The Leaf/Corolla combination used 39 gallons per year, while the Volt used only 37 gallons per year.
If you remove those very long trips, then the Volt only uses 12 gallons per year, while the Leaf uses none. And if you run on E85, then maybe you need 16 gallons per year, but only 2.5 gallons are gasoline, and the rest is ethanol.
Again, all these numbers are ballpark estimates. As always, your mileage may vary. In the absence of any similar type of measurement, I think this works pretty well.
The 2012 model Volt is supposed to go on sale next summer, and they say it will be FlexFuel, so I’ll probably wait for that.
Jun 3rd, 2010 (8:41 pm)I think it would have been more momentum if they add 2 more models ( the current announced models are more targeted to a civic /corolla consumer ). These 2 may be more Chevy customers focus.
The 2 models which may have of more interest for low volume sales may be
1) Cruze wtcc ( lets call SS in terms of NA ) : uses the GM 2.0-l, 4-cylinder ( http://www.chevroletwtcc.com/ ) – for SS fans – low volume
2) Cruze 2.0 VCDi diesel – 2.0 ltr Diesel VCDi engine – this one is already in sale at different parts of the world ( more for Jetta /Diesel fans ) – low volume
I think this is the first world/Global car from chevy/GM. If this proves , This will be the real savior for GM.
Jun 3rd, 2010 (8:43 pm)Yes, exactly, +1.
Or to put it another way, a regular car has to use the gas engine for maximum power, minimum power, and everything in between. Tuning an engine for that lowers overall MPG.
By contrast, the Volt always uses the electric motor and battery reserves for peak power, even in charge sustaining mode, so the gas engine only has to supply AVERAGE power. That’s a big difference that engine designers can take advantage of. In other words, since the Volt’s gas engine doesn’t have to supply anywhere near maximum power, they can tune the engine for maximum efficiency.
+2
Jun 3rd, 2010 (8:55 pm)A pure BEV may end up using more gas than an EREV.
For example, most people interested in the Nissan Leaf say they will use their other car for longer trips. Let’s say that other car is a Toyota Corolla. With a typical driving pattern, assuming you only charge at night, the Leaf/Corolla combination will use 39 gallons per year, while the Volt only uses 37 gallons per year.
The reality is that most people will still end up using some amount of gasoline. The idea is to minimize that amount. The Volt is actually quite good at that. If it was FlexFuel, it would be even better.
Jun 3rd, 2010 (9:06 pm)Absolutely, model volume comes first. But after that it’s about platform…GM frequently used (uses?) the same platform to make cars for all the brands. Often the only difference was the badges on the front of the car. If tossing the badge meant losing the market share, that’s not a good thing…
I agree that GM probably kept some of those customers. Which is why they’re up 17% overall. Which is great in and of itself.
+2
Jun 3rd, 2010 (9:08 pm)Dave, I will be interested in how you make out. I work for a company that makes a special film laminate which is printed with circuits. We send it to a “major” thin film solar company and they laminate that printed circuit film into their panels. The biggest draw back I see is cost and efficiency. Pretty big stumbling blocks to mass commercial appeal! I am only seeing about 8-11% efficiency. kwhr rate/price is very high compared to normal electricity. Definitely no pay back on my project to date.
+1
Jun 3rd, 2010 (9:22 pm)No one will know what the cost is. They will be building out the production infrastructure through the start of Gen III. Look at it this way. If I spend a billion dollars on a new model through 2009 and and sold only 10 cars in 12/2009 what was my margin for ’09? It’s a meaningless number.
And I won’t tell you my margins for 2010, plus you won’t have a good guess overall until you know sales volumes and operating expenses, long after I stop putting in new capital.
While GM is still putting in new capital and building in low volumes, IMO we won’t know if the Volt business is being run like a blue chip with long term prospects, a one off leader to gain market position, or a dot com to run out volume as fast and far in front of the Toyota’s of the world as possible regardless of current costs. Well, we can probably put in a pretty good guess about the last one though IMO.
At the point where analysts can judge Volt margins v fixed costs, I think Gen I will be long gone.
Jun 3rd, 2010 (9:40 pm)I’m hoping you don’t lose your grass or grass substitute in the winter. That little angle change during the seasons makes it hard to get enough light through any structure in the winter for much to survive.
Jun 3rd, 2010 (11:03 pm)chack this out….http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/10138911.stm
Jun 3rd, 2010 (11:46 pm)I wonder what the average age of the -(whatevers) are?
Jun 4th, 2010 (1:49 am)Thanks! Yeah… Kind of been psyching myself up for that.
Oh, yeah.
It’s actually a really huge angle change, at least it seems so when trying to work around it. I spent many hours before I came up with a solution to that little problem. Basically, my design minimizes the shade in the winter and maximizes the solar collection in the summer by being cut to the optimal angles. I’ve constructed a small prototype of the structure top and it seems to be doing what I expect.
On average, it should filter about 50% of the sun in the winter and over 70% in the summer. Clouds notwithstanding, it should allow between 4-5 hours of direct sunlight per day all year around.
Might be a little low for grass, but my wife (who is more of the plant person than I am) assures me she’ll be able to find something that will work.
+2
Jun 4th, 2010 (2:05 am)Yes, the costs are excruciating. For example, those MC4 connectors typically used to connect solar panels and wiring are like $3 bucks! That doesn’t sound like a lot but I’d need about 750 of them due to the tiny size of my modules. And everything is like that! So, trying to come up with an affordable solution that doesn’t electrocute us or burn the house down and that I might reasonable expect to complete the project before I die (hopefully not due to the first two scenarios but from old age
) has really been a challenge. Anyway, compare that to connectors used in the automobile industry that are like 5 cents. Solar has a lot of places where the costs can be improved, not just in the solar collection material itself.
For me, the solar collectors are one of the cheaper parts. This guy on ebay got like 19 palates of Shell CIS solar cells when Shell quietly largely discontinued operations. Sneaky Shell. If you look at their website it says they sold off their silicon operations but kept the thin film operations because they expected that would be the way of the future. Then they quietly cut back the thin film operations and closed out the inventory.
+1
Jun 4th, 2010 (4:38 am)I’ve seen people spend much more for much less vehicle. The Cruze is a lot of quality vehicle for the price.
Jun 4th, 2010 (6:38 am)Agreed it is somewhat about platform and that is why I considered Pontiac differently. Saturn shared platforms too so they probably should be considered in the same vein. But, plaform is just one element of cost. It is a fair sized element but there is a lot more to it than that. Just look at the Volt or Orlando and the cruze. How much would Orlando and Volt volume help drive down costs in the Cruze or vice versa. Not very much, I would think. There are a lot of other “brand” costs outside of production too.
It seems to me the best measure of GM’s current year over year performance is how their surviving brands are doing minus some factor for overall GM loyalty. Just looking at total volume for all brands skews the picture more IMO, than say core brands mines 20% of the difference (using Lyles 37% and overall 17% would yield 31% yr over yr). This will all come out in the wash as they get in late 2010 and 2011 and as the discarded brands previous year’s sales dwindle but better comps now will lead more consistantly to those future comps.
-2
Jun 4th, 2010 (8:02 am)I heard some marketing hacks at GM wanted to rename the Cruze for the N.A. market, “Dagger”.
- As in dagger in the EREV Volt’s heart.
RECHARGE! James
Jun 4th, 2010 (8:18 am)PJ wrote…”The Cruze is a lot of quality vehicle for the price. ”
Suppose I manage to buy one for 20,000 out the door with the options I want.
How many months, or miles, do you think it will take before I have spent 10 percent of the original purchase price, on REPAIRS? Not oil changes, tires, wipers, all the consumables. I mean REPAIRS?
That’s 2,000 dollars. My over-under on any GM vehicle, is 40,000 miles. My personal experience with several GM cars, is not “quality.”
What is your over-under? And is that really “quality?”
Jun 4th, 2010 (8:43 am)I dont know where you live but in Iowa (as well as most middle and northern climates) our grass dies every winter and comes back by itself every spring…
Jun 4th, 2010 (10:21 am)It’s sounds like Chevy Cruise may finally be the car to compete with the Civic and Corolla. I would like to know if Chevy did decide to drop the direct injection on the Cruise? Also, I am wondoring if the turbo version will recommend using premium gas and if either model will be flex fuel capable? I believe Ethanol from diverse sources is coming and having that option will be important. I can’t help but wondor if the reason why GM is going with smaller range batteries for gen. II and III is because they believe higher blends of Ethanol will be available about the same time.
Jun 4th, 2010 (10:58 am)Rats, got 403 forbidden when I wanted to check out your Ebay pictures…
“http://mysite.verizon.net/vzenu6hr/ebay_pictures/”
I am sure the Cruze has a 5yr 100,000mile warranty, so the answer is 5 years — you may become too familiar with your local Chevy dealer, but the price should be 0, and free loaner. Gasp — free loaner flashbacks.. OOUUUUUUUUUU!!
I have had very little warranty work on my GM products.
Jun 4th, 2010 (11:44 am)In addition to my post at 109, I understand that the six speed trans that will be used in the Cruise is suppose to be a solidd trans but I’d like to know why GM doesn’t use a CVT type trans which can be more efficient and less prone for maintenance?
+2
Jun 4th, 2010 (4:09 pm)I know this is not a solar BLog but… My biggest beef with people (typically non-engineers) is that they think going green with solar or any other technology is supposed to be magically lower cost. It is real easy for a politician or some environmental group or even Shell & yes BP to make a commitment to solar. No one understands what goes into a solar cell. WE have to blow/extrude to types of film (made from Petroleum) Oil goes up / Film goes up. Then we laminate with an adhesive made from —- Petroleum. Then we have to print a circuit onto the film with silver and copper. The special ink 75% metals and 25% petroleum based solvent, to print is now at $14,000 per gallon. Start-up waste on the machine and environmental capture of the solvents used all cost money. Then the material is shipped across the country via truck to the company that makes the final. Oh and did I mention that when you mine copper and silver there are dangers to the environment. Exxon was trying to start a copper mine is Wisconsin but gave up after all the environmental groups protested. Guess what guys, if your against copper and silver mines, then you have to be against solar cells. When our material gets to the solar cell manufacturer, they have to laminate to their part of the structure and then they electro plate using bad chemicals. Then they have to put large cells together by hand. And by the way the labor cost is too high so they are discussing moving that operation to Viet Nam (lower cost compared to China).
Sorry, I just got done giving a presentation about solar to some high school kids in Wisconsin today. It was damn frustrating!!!!! LOL
Jun 6th, 2010 (6:32 pm)The car is named after Tom Cruize, lol expensive to make, hard to sell,
(Mission Impossible IV)
Jun 7th, 2010 (5:32 pm)You people need to realize that the Cruze is really not meant to compete with hybrids or the compact market. Its meant to replace the Malibu and compete with sedans like the fusion, the Camry and the accord. What GM meant is if someone is looking for a sedan with good gas mileage and couldn’t get the volt due to availability there is a good chance they will go for the Cruze, not that it will be a direct substitute for the volt. Plus most people here want to buy the volt at Cruze prices, i don’t think that will happen it will probably be in the mid to high 30′s in the first one or two years until battery prices go down. People here dont realize how much money others put down on cars as someone has already mentioned the average price for a car sold was 25k, if you expect to buy a something as revolutionary as the volt for the price of a cobalt then honestly you live in lala land.
Jun 7th, 2010 (8:21 pm)Last year, in February, I wrote: “GM’s track record for making money on small cars is poor. I don’t think you’ll see actual Cruzes in showrooms with less than $17K stickers. Check in next year and see how my prediction looks.”
Well, I’ll be darned. I was off by $5.
Jun 7th, 2010 (8:39 pm)While I’m thinking about it, Corollas start at $15,500 or so. Civics start at $16,400 or so. At those prices, you do get air conditioning and a decent radio.
Not to mention, you can get a Yaris 5-door hatch for just under $13,000.
Jun 7th, 2010 (8:53 pm)One more thing…
I don’t see a bright future for a 40mpg “economy” model that costs $2K extra and will save about $100/year in fuel.