Chevrolet Cruze
The Chevrolet Cruze was a compact car offered as a sedan or a versatile hatchback. While it was an entry-level vehicle, the Cruze came with an extensive standard equipment list, with even the base-level Cruze L offering Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ smartphone integration. Higher trims added advanced driver-assist features, as well as niceties like a heated steering wheel and automatic climate control. Chevy also offered the Cruze with a turbodiesel engine.
Explore the evolution of the Chevrolet Cruze
Get our expert take on used Chevrolet Cruze models, or view year-by-year changes.
Second generation Chevrolet Cruze
Chevrolet first introduced the compact Cruze to go up against the strong competition from Honda's Civic and Toyota's Corolla, and the improvements made when the second generation arrived in 2016 helped that cause. In addition to its fresh exterior look, the interior moved significantly upscale compared to the previous version. Shortly after the new Cruze arrived, Chevrolet added a hatchback to go with the sedan, which not only gave the small car a sporty look but also enhanced its overall versatility. The second-generation Cruze featured a comfortable cabin with good driving dynamics thanks to its new, lightweight chassis.
The second-generation Cruze also arrived with more power than its predecessor. A new 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine added about 15 horsepower over the previous powertrain and was available with a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. In 2017, Chevrolet added the available fuel-efficient 2.0-liter turbodiesel engine.
Model highlights
Hatchback body style (added in 2017)
Fuel-efficient diesel powertrain (added in 2017)
Android Auto™/Apple CarPlay®
Available eight-inch touchscreen display
Roomy cabin
Changes by year
Latest generation from 2016 - 2019
2019 Chevrolet Cruze
Highlights
Minor style updates
Manual transmission discontinued
Seven-inch touchscreen standard on all models
Final year of production
Learn more
2018 Chevrolet Cruze
2017 Chevrolet Cruze
2016 Chevrolet Cruze
Reliability
RepairPal gave the Chevrolet Cruze an overall reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, which RepairPal describes as Above Average. This rating ranks Chevrolet Cruze 33rd out of 46 among Compact Cars.
RepairPal reports that the average total annual cost for repairs and maintenance on a Chevrolet Cruze is $496, compared to an average of $453 for Compact Cars and $591 for all the vehicles RepairPal considered in its dataset.
According to RepairPal, Chevrolet Cruze owners bring their vehicles into a repair shop for unscheduled repairs an average of 1.1 times per year, compared to an average of 1.1 times for Compact Cars and 1.3 times for all the vehicles RepairPal considered in its dataset.
RepairPal reported that the probability of a repair being a severe or major issue is 13% for the Chevrolet Cruze, compared to an average of 12% for Compact Cars and 14% for all the vehicles RepairPal considered in its dataset.
Perry Stern has been writing about cars for almost 30 years and has been an enthusiast for much longer than that. Contributing to multiple automotive publications, Perry drives almost every new car on the market, ranging from base-level Kias to exotic high-performance Lamborghinis. But his favorite is still the 2006 Mazda Miata parked in his garage.
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Statements of fuel economy or EV range are based on EPA and other third-party estimates for vehicles when new. Fuel economy and EV range will degrade with time and vary based on age, driving conditions, vehicle history, and other conditions. See fueleconomy.gov for more info.
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