The Chevrolet Cruze Diesel returns in 2017, packing a smaller oil-burning four-cylinder and more torque than the first-generation model, but there’s another major change from its predecessor.
According to GMInsideNews, the next-generation Cruze Diesel will offer both a manual and automatic transmission. Clearly, GM wasn’t lying about its plan to romance former Volkswagen owners.
GM Canada product manager Paul Hewitt confirmed today that the diesel/stick shift option will be available in both sedan and hatchback body styles, and with every trim level except the top-flight Premier (which is automatic-only). Chevy doesn’t plan to offer the hatchback variant in base LS trim.
For the 2017 model year, Chevrolet introduced a new Pepperdust Metallic color to its paint palette, meaning auto journalists will be able to buy a new brown, manual, diesel hatch — from America, no less! Sure, it’s not a wagon, but close enough.
For 2017, Chevy ditches the old 2.0-liter diesel in favor of a new “whisper quiet” (we’ll see … ) 1.6-liter four-cylinder unit. The mill makes 137 horsepower, a loss of 15 horses, and 275 pounds-feet of torque, a gain of 11 lb-ft.
Hewitt didn’t mention if the diesel and manual transmission availability carries over unchanged into the U.S. model range. Regardless, the automaker’s take on the new diesel Cruze is in direct opposition to its approach with the previous model, which was offered with a single transmission, in uplevel trim only.
Since the previous model bowed, almost all of its foreign small car diesel competition has been wiped out by scandal. To capture as many jilted diesel-loving Volkswagen owners as possible, it makes sense to offer the Cruze Diesel in as many variations as possible.
Pricing hasn’t been announced for the diesel-powered Cruze.
@Steph Willems
An article about diesel cars? What is interesting Opel( source of the diesel) is under investigation for using a cheat device by the EU
I believe there are lots of investigations (BMW, M-B, Opel as you mention), but nothing has stuck except on VW.
@SCE to AUX,
Nothing has stuck as yet.
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/986FFB8C19458216CA257FB70024369B
How long does it take to find a cheat device/code, now that all know exactly what to look for? CARB can find it *same day*!
Give it a rest, VW was exposed for the criminal thugs they really are. I’d give them some engineering cred if they could design and pull it off on their own, but they can’t even do that!
They are still investigating as the Opel Zafira, did not ” come clean” in real world testing.
GM has a history of bad Diesel engines.
Gaming the tests is nothing like “using a cheat device”. And gaming the EU tests is normal operation by most OEMs in Europe. You already know this, so why are you still talking??
Because GM has a history of bad diesels.
And my neighbor’s Celebrity wouldn’t start one morning in 1988, so a new Malibu is unreliable.
” Gaming the EU tests” is normal behaviour”You seriously do not have a clue.
you and Big Al need to stop acting like you can define your own version of reality.
“Bertel Schmitt”? When I see that name, all I can think of is *Full of Sh!t*.
“Cheating” carries a wide lattitude of meanings. “Flirting” for example. While gaming the system may blur the line of FairPlay, it’s nothing like an outright cheat device.
I’m sure VW had a separate box named “cheat device” just mounted inline with the ecu…..
There will never be a hard line between optimizing for an environment that, amongst other things, involve unnatural and simplistic tests, and “cheating” in ecu software. The problem is just that all those capable of comprehending that and it’s implications, are simultaneously capable of much more than being ambulance chasers, tax feeders and their sycophantic orgy of bootstomping groupies.
no, you dimp, the situations in the US and Europe are completely different.
In the US, VW put code into their PCMs which could detect when the car was being tested, and enabled all of the emission controls. when the car was on the road, it disabled all or some of them to various degrees.
In Europe, they took advantage of hilariously loose rules like “the emission controls can be disabled to prevent engine damage” which didn’t actually define what conditions justified disabling the emissions controls.
The controversy in the US is because the EPA sets hard limits on emissions and has a rigidly-defined test, and severe penalties for violations. The EU sets “hard” limits on emissions, has test procedures with loopholes big enough to drive a truck through, and penalties are little more than a slap on the wrist.
@SCE to AUX
If you say it is not a cheat device and can exert pressure on the authority, they will believe you, even if it is a cheat device,.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/bertelschmitt/2016/05/23/insiders-opel-likely-to-get-away-with-dieselgate-cheating-fiat-wont/#45b228da6293
there’s a key difference- VW deliberately put code in their PCMs to evade the EPA regulations. The dust-up in Europe is whether or not Opel (and others) exploiting loopholes in the hilariously impotent EU test procedures went too far.
@Jim Z
The investigations into Opel are far from finished, they are still not ” clean” as far as the EU is concerned. If found out, it may mean a major redesign
If you keep repeating that non-information, does cancel out what he said? I’m afraid not.
I was looking for an article on the Chevy Cruze buyback emissions scandal, but it seems to be missing.
Why you feel the need to defend what VW did and to attempt to deflect from it in a childish “everyone does it” manner, is beyond me. Its as though inexcusable actions by VAG are just non-existent, nothing was or is wrong and everything is just great. Just saying so does not make it true, unfortunately for you and VW.
@JohnTaurus_3.0_AX4N
What does not ” have finished investigations” mean? No time to break out the champagne yet, or if ever. Opel a diesels are still under a cloud.
“hilariously impotent”, and “exploiting loopholes” vs “evade” regulations, are all matters of degree. Purely subjective.
And, as most kids realize once they grow a bit older, my dad isn’t really any stronger than all the other dads, just because he is my dad.
““hilariously impotent”, and “exploiting loopholes” vs “evade” regulations, are all matters of degree. Purely subjective.”
no it isn’t. if you think it is, you’ve been drinking the same contaminated water as RobertRyan and Big Al from Oz.
I don’t know about the new engine, but I’m pretty sure the old one was made by VM Motorini, not Opel.
Wrong.
The RPO LUZ engine in the 2014-15 Cruze diesel was built by Opel in its Kaiserslautern plant.
Source: I have been to Opel’s Kaiserslautern plant.
@Austin Greene
Correct.
@Guitar man
Nope. It was GM version of the 2.0l Fiat Multijet, built in Germany by an italian based company, GM Powertrain Europe. That company was/is owned by Opel.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JTD_engine#2.0_Multijet_II
http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-shows/chicago-auto-show/news/a3841/news-fiat-factoid-about-2014-chevy-cruze-diesel/
There were four diesel engines offered at various points.
In Australia, only the VM Motorini engine was sold.
A small car. With a diesel. And an MT.
Did someone at GM misread Armenian for American?
Not even close. According to VW, the Golf TDI was historically a 50/50 split.
So, only half the guys who already wanted a silly niche toy preferred MTs.
Kinda what I meant.
The audacity of giving customers exactly what they want in an effort to encourage sales and awareness.
Sheesh.
Why don’t they just hook up a 2.5L Russian tractor engine to a droan-inducing rubber band transaxle in a bland sedan-only model and call it the Chevy Caltima? That’s all the sheeple with a long commute need. Paint ’em all silver.
Make it a nice, tall CUV and change silver to white, I’m in.
I like how you think!
I’m all for this, but can they find more than a hundred takers? How many examples of the first-gen 2.0 TD did they manage to sell, anyway? I’ve seen exactly one of them, compared to maybe five of the RAM EcoDiesels. I’ve seen more Jeep Liberty CRDs.
it’s going to be interesting. VW sold 100,000+ TDI vehicles in 2013. The first Cruze diesel flopped most likely because the people who were interested in diesel cars already bought into VW and might not have even known the diesel Cruze existed.
now, with the “man behind the curtain” exposed, GM’s plan seems to be “let’s go after those betrayed VW owners with diesel cars we can actually *prove* are clean.”
if they can even get a third of those 100,000 VW TDI customers, the investment may be worth it.
@JimZ
There are Diesel engines and diesel engines. Current Opel one is not brilliant
please stop responding to me if you’re just going to post nonsense.
17-18,000 Cruze diesel sold in North America.
Source: Published US sales figures and estimated Canadian sales figures.
If only their main competition that sold decently were sidelined by something, maybe a scandal?
The first Cruze diesel, as pointed out by the article, was limited in the fact that it came in one well-equipped model in one body style with one transaxle. The point of this article is that GM is expanding the availability as far as trim, transaxle choice, and body style. I highly doubt this will hurt it going forward, and with the Golf and Jetta out of the picture, they stand a real chance at owning this niche and exploiting what VAGgy was forced to abandon.
My hope is that it does very well, and that GM adds it as an option on the Spark. Then perhaps Ford will consider a diesel Focus and Fiesta next design cycle. I would like to see it take off.
Well there’s a hatchback but no wagon, and I don’t see any brown exterior either. So still a fail by TTAC standards….
Three out of four isn’t bad.
I think the article mentioned a new color, saying it was pretty much brown.
Oh and it can pass emissions – that ignition switch issue – that was fixed years ago to. ;-)
You’ll pay out the arse for the privilege, because that is the reality to building an emissions compliant oil burner.
Manual transmision, check.
Smoky European diesel engine, check.
Expensive repairs, check.
Lousy dealer experience, check.
Less than stellar engineering, check.
Yep, it looks like GM is ready to provide an authentic VW experience for VW fans!
Dated ideas of what diesel is, check.
Better performance in general, check.
Much better performance at the RPMs most Americans actually drive at, check.
Excellent high speed MPG, check.
The diesel Cruze is not going to light the world on fire with sales just like no prior diesel car has. This is not a failing of technology or product. Many/most small car buyers are very price sensitive and not very interested in what is going on under the hood. For people who enjoy a bigger car powertrain feel and appreciate only stopping for fuel every 600 miles, the Diesel Cruze is a welcome option. My first gen Diesel Cruze has been a very enjoyable car so far (50K miles) and there is certainly no smoke, door or trouble starting in any weather. Surprisingly and unlike my VW diesel of 2004, the heater starts working VERY rapidly thanks to an electric heat assist.
As for lousy dealer experience and imperfect engineering, my dealer experience has varied from place to place. I did have a few diesel related warranty repairs but none impacted driveability or reliability and none had any direct cost to me. Now that I’m post warranty it may become an issue. My MPG averages about 39 but is highly dependent on conditions. For grinding around town from light to light, the diesel isn’t saving any money or putting its best foot forward for performance. On the highway its an effortlessly powerful, relatively quiet hill climbing high speed cruising machine. And MyLink is probably mid pack for infotainment. Not as fluid and fast as Sync 3 or Uconnect 8.4 but more powerful and well thought out than Entune or the not going to be missed My Ford Touch.
If there was only 1 change I could hope for in the 2nd generation car it would be slightly wider front seats. Not sure if the new one changes that.
Chris +1
My local Chevrolet dealer experience is quite excellent. Each time I took my sister’s Cruze in, they were very professional and quick. Always gave me my choice of loaner. The loaners were always new or very close to new. It was better than what the Mercedes dealer next door is offering. (A dealer I used to work at) Dealer experience varies with all brands. There are good ones and there are bad ones.
As for the diesel. GM didn’t do it any real favors by telling exactly no one of its existence.
Pepperdust metallic is not brown, it’s a gray color. Regardless, why are we as car guys supposed to be interested in a low quality, underpowered, econobox? I guess a hatchback, manual, diesel version in an ugly color would be a rarity, but only because it would be very undesirable. Manual transmission does not suddenly make a pile of junk fast or fun to drive either. I get why someone may have to buy a car like this, they want a new car with a warranty to get them from point A to point B and they don’t care about much else, but what is there to get excited about?
I have driven many a rental spec Cruz. Pile of junk they are not. Perhaps not your cup tea, sure. Sounds as if you believe a bow tie up front automatically assumes a poor driving and ownership experience, which is an unfortunate assumption on your part.
Bow tie up front doesn’t mean anything good or bad by itself. For instance the new Corvette Grand Sport seems like a great car. I just don’t think carmakers deserve praise as soon as they put a manual transmission in something and/or offer a hatchback version. What did you like about the Chevy Cruze?
I believe my issue is with the ‘low quality’ comment. The Cruz is not a low quality offering in this segment. It is quiet, reliable and priced accordingly. As for the comments on mpg, I can’t say I noticed one way or the other.
+1 on this. We own a 2013 Cruze 2LT. Sure, it isn’t a Mercedes (then again, CLA250 isn’t really a Mercedes, either), but for what we paid and what we got, I’m more than pleased. Leather, sunroof, RS package (granted, this is largely only an appearance package), it’s a fair piece of kit. Wife loves it, and this coming out of a 2011 Scion tC. “Piece of junk?” Hardly. It is comfortable, reasonably fuel efficient and yes, actually fun to drive (especially when compared to the driving experience of our ’14 Escape). I’m seriously interested in the Cruze hatch diesel/manual. Not sure that I could swing ditching the Escape, as the Cruze would be even smaller interior capacity-wise, but dang. I know I’ll at least be going by the local dealership when the first ones arrive just to check them out. And for bonus material, our Cruze seems to be holding up better than my mother’s Verano, which has developed a seriously nasty dash rattle (and this on a four-year old car with less than 50k on it). So yeah, the Cruze is junk…not sure why we wanted it.
I have not driven the latest Cruze but the old one I tried was outstanding! Super quiet even at 90, great ride, extremely comfortable driver’s seat that reminded me of my SAABs. Clutch pedal was a little vague and the steering was electric… Everything else was world class. Civic/Corolla felt like broken down oxen carts with hey bags for seats in comparison.
While I agree that a manual can’t save an otherwise undesirable car, I don’t think the Cruze will suffer from that based on its predecessor which was a comfortable quiet solid feeling if somewhat bland and thirsty car. I’ve had them as rental cars and they were perfectly pleasant. My biggest gripe was that the 1.4t had turbo lag issues and disappointing fuel economy. The chassis also wasn’t as frisky as a Focus.
This is from Car and Drivers review of the new Cruze:
“Highs:
Quiet cabin, pillowy ride, torque.
Lows:
Shows a lack of enthusiasm when the road starts to curve.
Verdict:
The mid-size sedan for people who don’t want the real thing.”
“Remember the Cavalier and the Cobalt? Chevrolet wishes you didn’t (except maybe the Cobalt SS). Chevy struggled for decades to grasp the compact-car curriculum before finding success with its alternative approach. True to its name, the new Cruze is a standout highway cruiser. Now lighter than its predecessor, this compact Chevy feels every bit as substantial. The suspension soaks up the road with gentle, controlled motions. The quiet cabin isolates and coddles passengers with front seats that are just deep enough to cradle without constricting. The Cruze is a mid-size car for those who can’t afford or don’t need the real thing.”
I drive 24k miles a year, so I need something very good on fuel. However, I will not give up my manual transmission. Unfortunately, with the demise of the VW TDi’s, the list of manual cars that aren’t penalty boxes, are somewhat fun to drive, and get really impressive fuel economy is one or maybe two (the Ford Fiesta 1.0EB and the forthcoming Honda Civic hatchback turbo manual). This car might be worth looking at for me.
Optimistic residuals, check.
GM Card rebate, check.
GM card “bonus cash,” check.
Lease support, check.
Lease Loyalty rebate, check.
That’ll be my 3rd Cruze lease, and they’ve both been fantastic deals. One at 13 cents/mile all-in (taxes, plate etc) and the other at around 5 cents/mile.
How much is this going to be, 15 c/mi? With the gas mileage it’ll be a great deal. The Cruze is a pleasant car to live with, if you’re nimble enough to fold yourself into and out of it.
I’ll get the diesel if I like it.
But not in brown. They have a great orange, though ;)
cheers -m
So we didn’t sell any of the first generation, so let’s have a 2nd generation.
Or do they think the lack of manual on the first generation limited sales?
The first gen model had a number of limitations that ensured that it would be a limited take rate (which Chevrolet always said it would be)…
It was only available in 1 relatively high trim level
It didn’t have a manual available
It was only offered for 2 (kind of 1.5) model years
Hopefully with the Equinox, Cruze and Colorado all offering diesel powertrain options the first gen diesel will have paved the way for a smoother launch and gave dealers at least a little more experience with servicing these engines. It seems like the first generation EcoBoost motors that went in the Escape were recalled a lot and had fuel odor issues etc but the EcoBoost engine line has gone on to be a fairly reliable if not very fuel efficient option across almost all of Ford’s lineup. The diesel needs to nail being reliable but it WILL nail being efficient.
Choice is good.
If it can be sold at a profit, fine. If not – no bueno.
I just find it ironic that GM practically acted like they didn’t want the first one around and went for a second one.
I think the problem with the first one was that the market which was looking for a diesel car had already bought into VW. Now that VW has been exposed as being full of s**t, it seems GM thinks they can say “well, we have a car you might like and we can actually prove it’s clean!!”
I can think of no other reason they’re doing both an Equinox and now a Cruze diesel. Diesel cars may be a niche, but VW cultivated that niche into 70-100,000 sales/yr. that’s not nothin’.
Who says the manual will be available in all colors?
Annoying format for posts? Check
I’m predicting manual diesel Cruzes will sell in numbers that can be measured in the tens.
I would consider a Cruze manual Diesel if I lived out in the country, with little traffic and long distances, otherwise, NO!
Then you don’t really want a manual if want to use it as little as possible. Except for mountain roads with nonstop curves, rowing a manual in city rush hour traffic, is the best part of owning one.
>> I would consider a Cruze manual Diesel if I lived out in the country, with little traffic
>> Excellent high speed MPG, check.
I dunno guys… the reason Diesel is so popular in Europe is (i) gas is expensive; (ii) Diesel is expensive also, but a little less so; (iii) fuel economy is significantly better.
And (iii) happens to be true particularly in city driving. What the engineers call “Teillastbereich” — “partial load”(?).
On the freeway, any old gas engine these days is pretty darn good…. the 1.4 T in my last Cruze would come close to 40 mpg; how much better is the Diesel going to be? In town, the Diesel should be significantly more efficient than the 25 mpg I was getting.
Running flat-out — which cars don’t do in regular driving in North America — Diesel has no advantage at all.
The new Cruze is a different Diesel engine than the first gen but in my first gen the city fuel economy is quite poor, usually about the same as my much larger Malibu was with the 2.4L or about 25
Mpg.
As for highway speed driving, there are substantail differences. It is true that most any car sold now can and will sustain a high cruise speed (say 80 mph). The difference is that for most gas engines, especially naturally aspirated, even a very slight grade necessitates gear drops, possible multiple. In a NA car this probably mostly increases noise while a 1.6 to 2 liter engine saws away at 4K RPMs to develop enough torque to maintain speed. In a turbo gas engine there might be less gear swapping but a small engine operating at high boost can seriously gobble fuel and these engines have a reputation for struggling to hit their highway numbers even on flat ground.
Modern turbo Diesel engines (I had a 2004 VW TDI before my Cruze) can climb most interstate grade in top gear with only a modest drop in real time MPG, much of which washes out on the downhill side. My experience with both cars was that the highway mpg average varied only slightly from 60 mph to 80 mph. In the gas cars i have had recently (2.4L Malibu, 2.0L Focus with 5 speed), getting good mpg requires a lot of discipline to keep speeds steady and modest and the Malibu in particular has zero chance of averaging 30 mpg at interstate speeds despite a 32 mpg EPA hwy rating. The Cruze (or the old VW) seem to return 40 mpg easily even when I don’t work at driving frugally.
I believe my experiences are largely mirrored by fuelly users and published reviews of diesels.
I’ll be really interested to see the pricing and the real world mpg of this car. Driving as much as I do (2k a month), I need something fuel efficient but I refuse to give up my stick shift and some basic premium features. I also need a hatchback with all the stuff I carry. This will be worth watching. Never thought a Chevy Cruze would be something I thought worth considering.
What’s the fun of a manual transmission on a diesel?
I just don’t understand the point of this unless your hooked on diesel. The new Civic ‘lift-back’ hatch is a way better value proposition ( and a better manual) without the refueling stench.
What refueling stench? You can’t even smell it since they have removed most of the sulphur.
Standard pump gas smells worse, with the alcohol and other aromatic solvents that they are putting into it.
For fluck sake I will never understand the B&B.
If they put this in the Cruze hatchback there you have it. Your brown, diesel, manual wagon that you can buy used CPO in 18 months.
Oh I forgot the other requirements, can’t be over $10,000 and must have $2,000 cash on the hood, 0 to 60 in 3.2 seconds, exterior dimensions of a Mini, interior dimensions of an S-class with the cargo capacity of a F-350 longbed. The suspension must be as responsive as an F-1 race car and as smooth as a hovercraft. It must be able to get 100 MPG while going 130 MPH up hill, both ways, while pulling a 35′ boat on a trailer behind it. The interior must be 100% pure buttery Italian leather, that lasts longer than a 1972 velour interior. There can be no hard plastics, and any soft touch plastic must not look, feel, or resemble plastic at all. Billet aluminum trim must be impervious to scratches, including from diamonds, and provide no reflections. Instrumentation must be simplistic, and include at least 8 gauges – speed, RPM, volts, oil pressure, oil temp, water temp, boost, and trans temp. The gauges must all be at least 4″ across, and fit in a 10″ dash binnacle.
The exhaust note must put the fear of god into small animals and children on the outside, but inside road noise can’t exceed 58 db at full throttle while riding parallel to a biker gang or Harleys.
0 to 60 must be achieved in under 4 seconds, anything slower than that is a DEATH TRAP. DEATH TRAP I tell you for merging!!! Top speed must be 200 MPH or what is the point, and achieved in under 30 seconds. Stopping distance on 6 inches of ice covered in water has to be less than 50 feet, track straight, or it is a DEATH TRAP. DEATH TRAP I tell you!
In the offset crash test it must bounce off the barrier with any damage easily repaired with a Dr. Color Chip touch up kit, so you don’t get zinged on the lease return.
There can be no moving parts, no urea, the brakes must last forever, along with the suspension, windshield wipers, and critical fluids. On the subject of fluids it must be able to go 10,000 miles in the Gobi desert with no coolant.
Let’s see what else. The remote start must work from at least 2 miles away, the seats need to be heated, cooled, and massaging, made by Recaro, but be as mechanically simple as a manual pencil sharpener. They must accommodate midgets, sorry, sorry, people of height challenges, to 400 pound computer hackers, to Shaq.
THEN – it will be acceptable.
It’s a lot simpler than this.
The issue with the car is that it is made by GM. GM or VWAG could create a car that got 300 MPG and the B&B would be finding reasons to tear it apart and criticize.
If this was Ford doing the same thing with the Focus, the comments would be flowery praise of their genius in exploiting a market niche that is there for the taking with VW crippled and banned from selling diesels.
APaGttH, LOL, love your examples! Hayzoos Cristo! But I might also add “ideal vehicle must have fender-mounted, power retractable antenna”.
Okay NOW they have my attention. I hope they don’t price it out of reach.
After spending 3 weeks in Europe with various small diesel rentals (C4 Cactus + Focus wagon) I can dig it. Though I would still rather just have a diesely gas engine
I drove a 1.2l Opel Corsa turbo diesel in the Netherlands. Outside the initial turbo lag (push pedal… why am I not mo… ah, there it is) it was a great engine. I’ll take a Cruze Hatch Manual in burnt orange, please!
I am sure they will sell a decent amount bc there is really no competition for a oil burner w a stick now that VW is out of that game, but I hope the interior is a step up from get one, I have rented some cruz and they are not bad but the interior is step or 2 down from a golf. understand it is the B&B’s right to bitch and moan but Chevy is giving the ex VW folks what they want mostly, not sure how much room there is in one of these, give them some credit.
It’s good that GM is realizing that they need to offer a lower-trim level option because the original Cruze diesel was pretty much $26k and it went up from there depending on options.
I looked at the Cruze hatch over the weekend and was disappointed. Very little cargo space behind the rear seat, especially compared to what the C-Max offers. And the cars aren’t much different in length. Nice looking car overall, but the lack of space killed it for me.
Either way, I hope the hatch does well and I also hope the diesel option has a good take rate. Offering a 6 speed manual will definitely help lure annoyed VW owners, and they’ll be available just in time for people coming in with large amounts of money from VW.