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Yes, it’s real. And no, it’s not an Impreza. But it will help Chevy continue its campaign of cannibalism against Opel, as GM’s presser notes that
Hatchbacks play a critical role in many markets. The total compact segment in Europe represents around 4.8 million units which is over a quarter of the total market, with hatchbacks representing around 65% of that volume. We therefore expect to see increased business in a number of regions, while sending out a signal that Chevrolet is now a serious mainstream player in Europe.
Look for the production model to debut at the forthcoming Paris Auto Show… meanwhile, my first-ever beef with the Cruze (that it seemed styled to be a sedan-only model) has basically been settled. For the Europeans, anyway.
44 Comments on “What’s Wrong With This Picture: Freshly-Hatched Cruze Edition...”
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I think I want one! That’s an attractive car, but I’ll judge when I get to check one out. Cannibalizing Opel? Who cares? That it’s not designed here – well, we can’t seem to or want to design much of anything anymore, so you go where you can. “What’s wrong with this picture?” Absolutely nothing that I know of. Is there?
Cannibalizing Opel? Who cares?
As a taxpaying “shareholder” in GM, I feel entitled to the opinion that GM needs to make Opel work, and that building Euro-focused Chevys fundamentally challenges Opel’s viability. It’s not the end of the world, but it bears considering.
Anyway, I agree that it’s got its attractive angles. I wish the Impreza’s rear end looked that good.
What GM is trying to do is kill Opel quietly.
I suspect they’d hoped Opel would have been hocked off to someone already—or rather, someone who isn’t Magna and would’t try to use it to build actual cars—so that they could replace it wholesale with GM-DAT models that cost less to produce. I’m sure that not a small part of this is punishment for Opel’s successful attempts at autonomy.
They can’t kill Opel outright; but they can starve, hamstring and gradually make them redundant. The Daewoo-designed Antara should have been a wakeup call that this was coming; moving the Insignia upmarket such that it doesn’t actually appeal to Insignia buyers would have been the next hint. Just watch: eventually you’ll see Opel/Chevrolet dealers and a wind-down of Opel’s R&D efforts.
In the long term, GM doesn’t want to make Opel work. There’s good reasons (cost) and bad reasons (parochialism), but it’s a given at this juncture.
I would say it bears more resemblance to the Lancer Sportback than the Impreza. It’s better looking than both though.
If GM wanted to kill Opel, they wouldn’t have to go about it in such a convoluted way – they could simply declare bankruptcy.
What they instead may be trying to do is to copy VW’s brand strategy: Let Chevrolet compete with Skoda and the Koreans, and sell Opels at higher prices, going head to head with the Volkswagen brand.
Makes sense to me as a strategy; let’s see how well they will execute it.
@ Dr. Strangelove: I think your scenario may be the most likely. I agree with your assertion, GM could have dumped Opel much more easily than what is being postulated here. While GM’s plans for Opel right now are not instantly clear and decipherable to us, it would be folly (IMO) to discount Opel. Daewoo cannot (and should not) engineer everything that GM North America or Australia can’t or doesn’t want to do.
Additionally, I thought this version of the Cruze was known to be coming into production as part of the original announcement…
Those Aussies got it right. Nothing wrong with the picture.
That is a nice looking car. Alas, GM doesn’t have it available here in NA, at least for now and possibly never.
That is a good looking car. If Ford brings over the 5-door Focus next year, and it sells well, then GM will probably scramble to setup Lordstown to build the 5-door Cruze and we should see it in dealerships by 2016 when it’s old as hell and nobody cares anymore. If that car were to be introduced here this month, like the Cruze sedan is supposed to be, I think it would make an impact.
I usually like sedans better, but this one has me feeling confused…
But I do have to agree that I don’t underatand GMs thinkingof marketing Chevrolet in the European market. They are pitting it directly against Opel/Vauxhall. The product overlap, over there, is more like a product eclipse.
Good looking is right. And one would think it would sell stateside. I don’t understand the GM plans for Opel. If it’s gone, who will design Buicks? Opel briefly made Saturn interesting, and is now making Buick relevant for the first time in years. Can they keep it working in Europe and cannibalize them for all Buicks in the U.S.? Once Opel is gone, that slick new Regal and handsome Lacrosse will turn back into pumpkins in a blink.
Can I have it in STi trim?
Nice looking car. If it’s put together right they could pick up a lot of sales from the “Fiesta is too small” crowd.
Smart move by GM if they want more sales in Europe.
As for the “as an involuntary shareholder” conspiracy theories about “what GM is trying to do here…” – I don’t buy it. GM is trying to make money and they seem to be on the right path.
Smart move by GM if they want more sales in Europe.
How so exactly? This thing is clearly pitched to compete with its GM stablemate the (already very successful) Opel/Vauxhall Astra (which it’s far less attractive than, and not as well built/engineered as).
If GM’s strategy for more sales in Europe is to canibalise their own existing euro-brands’ sales with inferior products then their future over here doesn’t look too rosy…
“it’s far less attractive than, and not as well built/engineered as”
If the Chevy Cruze turns out to like older Daewoos, then the answer is yes.
If the Cruze turns out to be better than expected, then…………
From my readings, the Vauxhall/Opel Astra isn’t a best-in-class beater versus the VW Golf and new Ford Focus.
I prefer the tail lights on the 1969 Chevelle.
We doze but never close.
That ain’t no Cobalt. About time. Great job.
+1
What a great looking car. I would think such a clean design would sell well stateside – this looks much more upscale and attractive than the sedan Cruze in my eyes. It will be a shame if they don’t bring it over.
I agree with others. That is the best looking version of the Cruze I’ve seen. Chevy could really use something like this in their lineup.
I concur. I look forward to the day when SUVs start becoming a minority on the roadways. A decent looking hatch would be nice. Now if only Chevrolet would ditch the front end. The only problem I see with hatchbacks, though, is that I’ve heard they’re not entirely kind when it comes to insurance for young men (I’m 22).
I almost bought an 09 Saturn Astra (is this the same as the Opel/Vauxhall), but it was red and a hatchback and I didn’t due to the aforementioned insurance costs and that it was slightly more expensive than I wanted to spend.
No accounting for taste I guess… from a European perspective this is far less attractive than most other offerings in the segment (including GM’s own current generation Opel/Vauxhall Astra which I personally think is one of the more attractive cars they’ve made in living memory)
Clearly this kind of styling would be a hit states side though so perhaps they should introduce it there. Here Chevy is a long way off being a mainstream brand and GM chasing sales they’re already getting (with the Astra) just seems dumb.
I am impressed with the look. Best lines by GM since the new Camaro… which set a pretty good standard.
Then I read that America won’t get the hatchback. Why all the hatchback hate in the U.S.?
Interesting. No one commented on how this car is a sh*tty Daewoo this time… I find the car very attractive, I could see driving one of these. it’s certainly not as ‘Bangled’ as the Mazda 3 hatch, but I haven’t seen a Fiesta hatch in person to compare it against that.
I saw a brand new Cruze LTZ at the Grand Rapids version of the Dream Cruise this past weekend, it was much nicer than I thought it might be. Regardless of what GM does with Opel in Europe, bringing this car over here is really good idea.
It is a good looking car – much cleaner design than the awkward looking Nissan Sentra and typical Toyota appliance looking Corolla. Seems like GM is actually taking their small cars seriously with this attempt (Aveo aside) and no longer considering them as something to jam into fleets to help their CAFE ratings.
Love the blue brake calipers and headlight treatment. I’m pretty sure if GM decides to sell this i North America, they’ll find some way mess up the look of this car.
It’s a start but I’m thinking more of station wagon. Like all them cars I’m seeing the Vuelta a España 2010
I like its looks. Specifically, the Opel Ampera will be a victim of this car.
Wow, this looks really good. I certainly see the Astra influence in the rear. Chevy MUST bring this hatch stateside. I can see it selling at a 50/50 split with the sedan.
Next, they need to give it the “SS” treatment with the 2.0T and 6-speed, and I just might consider it for my next DD.
Dang you beat me to that post. I was thinking the same thing. SS Cruze hatch all the way, BABY! F**& sedans, hatches and wagons are sweet.
Edutorian +1
When did this narrative that American’s don’t like hatches spring from?
Even if we don’t, there are, what, like 300,000,000 of us. Certainly some marketable segment of us do prefer the versatility, visibility, & practicality of the hatch, right? Not all of us want/need KFC double-down cars.
Wanted to test drive a Fiesta last month, but all the ones at the 3 dealerships near my house were sedans.
Nice light effects in the picture, but a totally unremarkable design. Could be anything Asian.
Why would anyone choose the sedan over this? Makes no sense to me, especially as the current fad for ‘4dr coupes’ makes all sedans look like hatches anyway.
Some of the styling cues remind me of the concept for the Orlando, before it got emasculated. Hope this doesn’t meet the same fate.
Looks ok , but hatchbacks generally give you less car for your money. The tail is usually cut off short behind the back wheels , so the boot isn’t wide enough to take a set of golf clubs.
I still hate the nameplate & I don’t really understand why they couldn’t change it for the North American market at least. The name “Cruze” looks & sounds like junk, IMO, and is moreover too similar to “PT Cruiser.” However, I do think the sedan looks decent & this hatch is really nice – the styling makes it a definite contender. I hope they can bring it stateside.
That said, I’d really love to see the new Opel Astra, but I can hardly begin to imagine that could come over as a Buick. However, if the Meriva might come as a Buick (and it shouldn’t), I suppose it’s possible.
I’ve never understood this mentality of preferring sedans to hatchbacks or small wagons here in the US as I’ve always preferred hatchbacks over sedans (even though I’ve owned my share of sedans, all used and most not by choice).
That said, I DID own a 1983 Honda Civic 3 door hatch from 1992-1998 and had the most fun with it and was amazed at what I can stuff in it. It displeased me to a great deal when Honda ditched the Accord hatchback in ’87, brought out the wagon in 91, only to ditch it in 97 and dropped the Civic hatch in ’97 as well and Toyota and Nissan dropped all hatchbacks all together by the late 80’s, early 90’s along with small wagons, leaving the Escort to soldier on as one of the few remaining small wagons one could buy here.
I wonder where this idea came from or did buyers just PREFER sedans over anything else.
As for the Cruze, the sedan looks OK, this hatchback looks great and they’d better bring it stateside – especially if the Fiesta, new Focus and other small hatchbacks do well, GM would be foolish to not do so if that ends up being the case.
I like the hatch, but then again I like hatches in general. And sorry, I don’t consider myself to be an “involuntary shareholder” of GM or Chrysler. The government does lots of things with the money it collects in taxes from me that I don’t agree with. The auto bailouts in my opinion aren’t even close to the worst thing the government has done with that money.
I like it a lot. I think it could do a lot to improve Chevy’s image.
It’s not bad… though the truncated rear makes the front overhang look all the more glaring, and grotesque.
Looks like the last generation Astra but more attractive Mazda 3 hatch without the flame. A coupe version would be nice to replace Cobolt coupe and compete with Civic coupe and Kia Forte.
It’s ironic that a car that looks like a lowered and chopped Dodge Caliber is being called nice looking by as many people who saw the Caliber as ugly . Too bad the hatch version of the Cruze probably won’t be sold in the sedan preferring U.S. market .
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/review-2010-dodge-caliber-sxt-updated-interior/
Although this car was styled in Australia, I just hope that it’s not built by GM-DAT again. The build quality is so-so to say the least.
At least it’s not a sedan. Sedans are utterly incompetent family haulers. There’s a reason why SUVs are so popular – there are no realistic wagons or hatchbacks on sale in the US.