Monday 22 February 2010

LONG-TERM UPDATE: CHEVROLET CRUZE


Funny that most people, especially those young at heart types, are much more concerned with the exterior of a car rather than the interior. Funny because as a driver and a passenger you spend most of your time getting acquainted with what’s inside. Sure, outside things are also happening and observers are talking. But would you rather impress them or yourself?

Personally I go for the latter. And I vote the Chevrolet Cruze 1.8 LT as the one car which combines the best of both worlds and would never disinvite you from its comforts. The minute you step in after having pushed a button to unlock the door (s) it’s lushness for your journey. Seats are soft cushy leather, giving extra comfort for any type of travel.

I was lucky enough to be invited by the Cruze on a 1500km cruise (I couldn’t help that) to and from Durban. It brought out all its charm by dishing out comfort and poise the whole time. Start up the 103kW engine to hear a healthy motor under the bonnet and slot the large gear lever into D or R, depending on your inclination. The beautifully-designed dashboard reminds one of the Volt world car, cementing just how far the Chevy brand has come in terms of styling. All the dials are well-placed including the headlights switch on the right, but except the fan control which is sometimes turned unwittingly by the left knee when at rest. A feature normally found in much more expensive cars is standard with the Cruze 1.8 LT and that is the mirror-folding function that could mean the difference between a smooth exit and an expensive paint job. It’s obviously electronically controlled via the same exterior mirror adjustment knob.

As an enthusiast driver I appreciated the sportiness of the leather-covered steering wheel with great amounts of grip thanks in part to the sporty thumb-rest. Satellite controls are well within reach and include the sound volume and cruise control at your fingertips. The cruise control is easy to activate; just flick on the dashboard switch to “on” and control it via the steering wheel. Because the naturally aspirated engine is a bit wheezy at Gauteng altitudes, getting up to the desired speed takes a little longer. But once you get there it’s a breeze.

Front seats can be manually adjusted to suit the tallest, biggest and shortest in no time. I was however, expecting some electrical assistance in this regard, given the price tag and the car’s status in the range. Storage facilities are plenty though and include a closable extra storage den on top of the dashboard itself. My personal experience with the sunroof in the Mzansi context is that it’s largely overrated because we have so much sun here and you don’t want it constantly blasting down your head. But if you really want one the Cruze 1.8 LT has it and it’s electrically adjustable, of course.

I found that when handed a long trip the Cruze will greatly reduce its fuel consumption which was one of my initial gripes. It’s currently averaging 8.9 litres per 100km, a far cry from the initial figures of over 11 litres per 100km. The trip computer will tell you about all those things, including how far the fuel currently on board is going to take you.

As a five-seater the Cruze is more than capable of gulping up five adults with ease. However as you may imagine, some families aren’t cut into perfect squares and so we found ourselves 6, sometimes even 7 up in the car! No one complained (or maybe dared to!) though since the rear offers good leg and headroom. And it wasn’t for long distances anyway.

Our Cruze is a Chevy unlike any other we’ve ever experienced as far as interior comfort is concerned. We haven’t had anything break or come loose as far as the interior goes, so it looks like build quality is also top notch. No wonder then it’s been selected as a finalist in this year’s edition of the massively important World Car of the Year competition.

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