Sponsored Content

2017 Chevrolet Cruze: delivers a lot in a small package

Published 1:30 am Friday, January 13, 2017

by Larry Lark, Herald Special Sections Writer

The 2017 Chevrolet Cruze 4-door compact sedan – and the first ever Cruze hatchback – has a lot to offer, and car buyers have taken notice.

Cruze is Chevy’s best-selling car around the globe, with more than four million sold since it was first introduced in 2008. The car is built at GM plants in Ohio and Mexico (don’t tell Trump).

Available in L, LS, LT and Premier sedan models and LT and Premier hatch flavors, the Cruze is powered by a 1.4-liter, DOHC, direct-inject, I-4 engine paired with a six-speed automatic transmission.

The front-wheel-drive vehicle seats up to five adults and generates 153-horsepower at 5,600 rpm with 177 lb-ft of torque between 2,000 and 4,000 rpm. It motors from 0-to-60 in a respectable 7.7 seconds. The projected EPA estimate for fuel economy is 40 miles per gallon down the highway.

Cruze provides customers a functional, sporty choice in the domestic, compact class. Complete with all the latest, greatest gadgets when it comes to entertainment technology and advanced safety features.

If you’ve got a teen driver in your life, the Cruze will provide a measure of security for parents. Standard teen-driver technology helps drivers be more aware of driving habits, so they can improve skills every time they get behind the wheel. By inputting a PIN into your Chevrolet MyLink display, this state-of-the-art technology can enable a host of features that will go “Big Brother” on your lil’ darling.

Get ready to turn heads everywhere you go. Cruze features aerodynamic sculpting for a noticeably sportier appearance, and the available projector-beam headlamps with available signature LED daytime running leave a lasting impression. And the Premier model takes comfort to the next level with standard heated front seats and available heated rear seats.

You also have the capability to turn your compatible mobile device into a command center for the Cruze. Start/stop your engine and lock/unlock your doors with the tap of a finger. You can even send destinations to your available navigation system, view diagnostic information and set parking reminders from virtually anywhere. Cruze is also the first car in its class to offer built-in 4G LTE Wi-Fi.

Cruze offers a host of advanced safety technologies that help you prevent, protect and respond in the event of a collision, so you can feel confident every time you drive.

Available forward collision alert uses a camera to scan traffic for stopped or slowing vehicles in front of you and will sound an alert so you can take action if necessary. When Cruze is traveling in reverse, available rear cross-traffic alert uses radar sensors to monitor traffic passing behind you, and the standard rear-vision camera to visually warn you of those vehicles. Additionally, lane-keep assist and side blind-zone alert are available to help you stay more aware of potential dangers on the road.

End of story, the Chevy Cruze delivers a lot in a small package. And with prices starting in the teens, there is a price and model to suit virtually anyone.

2017 CHEVROLET CRUZE

BASE PRICE: $23,475

AS TESTED: $28,995