CHEVROLET Cruze · photos, packages and modifications

Although it has some small similarities to the appearance of Citroen's smart C4, the Chevrolet Cruse is not a car that would be very appealing to a mass audience as on a closer look you can see that the detailing of the car lacks the appearance as compared to its competitors. The hatchback rear of the car portrays a very awkward look in comparison to the saloon which is much better in its proportion. It has some luxury feel to it and the cabin is much better equipped such as a leather steering wheel and gear lever gaiter however it is likely to fall short when compared to cars such as the Kia Cee'd even though the interior has a lot of leg and headroom making the car very comfortable and the mid-range LT model also has a 16-inch alloys as a standard.

The UK Cruze model comes with two different engines that are available in petrol and diesel. The traditional 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated unit is in the petrol engine which is pretty slow. The 1.7 VCDi emits much lower CO2 and offers a lot of torque that is mid-range. The diesel engine however does not have many good qualities apart from these features. The steering does not give the driver any clue about the front wheels as it becomes numb while the ride becomes very jarring and firm. The small cabin a longer journey very tiring as the road and the noise levels are very high on the motorways.

The Cruze was given a five star rating by the Euro NCAP as all the cars have six airbags along with traction control making the car both strong and reliable. The 2011 Driver Power satisfaction survey had a Chevrolet’s highest ever position at 32nd showing an increase in the brand reputation for reliability however the interior looks cheaply finished and not able to withstand any heavy usage. The car also has flimsy touch points such as the glove box and catches that are available there.

The hatchback's 413-litre boot shows that the size in enormous and is roughly as large as the Citroen C4 but allows the passengers to access it more easily. The rear seats can also be folded to create a space that can be as big as 883-litres. The cabin is also good enough for storage with the glove box and decent door pockets. The rear compartment of the car also offers a lot of space even for taller passengers while the saloon offers only a 450-litre boot that is 60-litres lesser than that of a Volkswagen Jetta.