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2014 Chevy Cruze Review

More about the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
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Even though advanced technology has made contemporary diesel engines more powerful and refined, the number of diesel-powered models available in the U.S. make up a miniscule portion of the car market.

Chevrolet wants to do something about that (not to mention break in on Volkswagen's monopoly on the affordable diesel-car market) with the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel.

Chevy sold nearly a quarter-million Cruzes last year, so it has the potential to make an impact that reaches well beyond the Volkswagen diesel faithful, while at the same time tempting even Volkswagen true believers with a sedan made by a company other than VW.

2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel

Are You a Numbers Kind of Person?
Let's say you like the idea of buying the quickest Chevy Cruze available. That'd be the new 2014 Cruze Diesel. Its 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine develops 151 horsepower and 264 pound-feet of torque. Combined with its standard six-speed automatic, the Cruze diesel will go from zero to 60 mph in 8.6 seconds, according to Chevrolet. That's a half-second faster than the Cruze equipped with the turbocharged gasoline 1.4-liter.

Yeah, 8.6 seconds doesn't sound that quick, but when you've got as much as 250 lb-ft of torque available at just 1,750 rpm and an overboost feature that delivers as much as 280 lb-ft for 10 seconds, it feels markedly quicker. There's a bit of turbo lag, but wait out that half-second and you get more than enough power to sprint past the larger-engine gasoline cars still gathering steam to find the meat of their torque curves.

2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel

Now let's say you want the car with the segment's single highest fuel-economy number, but you don't want a hybrid. That also would be the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel with its rating of 46 mpg on the highway. And if a hybrid guy wants to bet pink slips based on what you're really getting out of a gallon of fossil fuel, the diesel's likely to come out ahead there, too, unless you're talking strictly stop-and-go city driving, where the Cruze is rated at 27 mpg.

Fuel's Errand
Not everything is ideal with the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel. It weighs about 250 pounds more than the next heaviest Cruze, and that kind of extra weight is never easy to accept, particularly in the name of greater efficiency.

Owners probably will never know it, but they'll be carrying around a tank of urea to cleanse the Cruze Diesel's emissions, and the car's spare tire is sacrificed to place the 4.5-gallon tank that holds the stuff. Refills take place during scheduled maintenance (Chevy says at least 10,000 miles before the tank would be drained); you decide what you think about a can of compressed flat-fixing goop in place of a spare.

The most glaring ice patch on the road to diesel acceptance, however, might come from Chevy's own price strategy. The Cruze Diesel sits near the top of the Cruze model range and although it's rather generously equipped, it's a good $5,000 dearer than the well-regarded, gasoline-engine Cruze Eco, which gets a markedly lower 39-mpg highway rating but at 33 mpg combined, is just 2 mpg in arrears of the Cruze Diesel, thanks in part to the Diesel's 27-mpg city rating.

2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel

Highway Cruzer
We weren't particularly bothered by those details in our 600-mile round trip behind the wheel of the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel. Instead, it underscored why modern-day diesel engines are such an attractive proposition. For most trips, fill up before you leave and forget about what the fuel gauge says until you return.

You can breeze along with the engine barely nudging past the 2,000-rpm mark with the cruise control set just south of 80 mph. Trouble with dawdlers? Tickle the accelerator and erupt to 95 mph without even troubling the transmission for a downshift.

Forget about diesel clatter, too. Contemporary diesels have largely quieted the clamor, but Chevy engineers also took the extra precaution of borrowing a special sound-absorption package from the 2013 Buick Verano to keep this Cruze quiet. The Cruze Diesel also borrows goodies from the Cruze Eco, including its active grille shutters, 17-inch wheels and low-rolling-resistance tires.

Otherwise, the 2014 Cruze Diesel is mostly like other Cruzes, only better performing. You get four-wheel disc brakes that are enlarged to account for the diesel's extra weight, and that six-speed automatic transmission is an Aisin unit that feels quicker-witted than the GM-made six-speed auto the gasoline Cruzes employ.

2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel

The low-friction tires do occasionally slip more than we'd like, and although engineers claim a suspension retuning, in many situations the front dampers don't quite feel up to the job of holding up the mass of the iron-block 2.0-liter diesel engine. We noticed this particularly on jarring impacts such as a transition from the highway surface to a bridge surface, when the front end's damping and rebound both felt overtaxed.

A Well-Positioned Competitor
It's hard not to take a shine to the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel. Big-torque performance and hybrid-baiting efficiency is an alluring combination, while the Cruze's intrinsic goodness continues to impress three years after its launch.

For now, Volkswagen has to be curiously looking over its shoulder at its new competitor, and for good reason. The Cruze has more horsepower (151 hp to 140 hp), more torque (264 to 236) and better highway fuel economy (46 mpg to 42 mpg).

And as a final kicker, the Cruze is less expensive, too. At $25,695, the Cruze Diesel undercuts the automatic-transmission Volkswagen Jetta TDI by about 500 bucks. Not a huge difference, but enough to make it worth giving the Chevy a look if all the rest of its advantages weren't enough to convince you already.

Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.

Used 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Overview

The Used 2014 Chevrolet Cruze is offered in the following submodels: Cruze Sedan, Cruze Diesel. Available styles include 1LT 4dr Sedan (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6A), LS 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl 6A), LTZ 4dr Sedan (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6A), LS 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl 6M), Diesel 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6A), Eco 4dr Sedan (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6A), 1LT 4dr Sedan (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6M), Eco 4dr Sedan (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6M), 2LT 4dr Sedan (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6A), 2LT 4dr Sedan (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6M), and LT Fleet 4dr Sedan (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6A). Pre-owned Chevrolet Cruze models are available with a 1.4 L-liter gas engine or a 1.8 L-liter gas engine, with output up to 138 hp, depending on engine type. The Used 2014 Chevrolet Cruze comes with front wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 6-speed shiftable automatic.

What's a good price on a Used 2014 Chevrolet Cruze?

Price comparisons for Used 2014 Chevrolet Cruze trim styles:

  • The Used 2014 Chevrolet Cruze 1LT is priced between $7,495 and$16,998 with odometer readings between 31203 and121093 miles.
  • The Used 2014 Chevrolet Cruze LS is priced between $6,947 and$16,998 with odometer readings between 17192 and165041 miles.
  • The Used 2014 Chevrolet Cruze 2LT is priced between $11,590 and$14,599 with odometer readings between 82931 and126683 miles.
  • The Used 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel is priced between $14,599 and$14,998 with odometer readings between 65188 and109852 miles.
  • The Used 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Eco is priced between $11,590 and$12,599 with odometer readings between 74549 and102933 miles.
  • The Used 2014 Chevrolet Cruze LT Fleet is priced between $14,990 and$16,998 with odometer readings between 29574 and91418 miles.
  • The Used 2014 Chevrolet Cruze LTZ is priced between $9,995 and$13,590 with odometer readings between 92024 and118044 miles.

Shop with Edmunds for perks and special offers on used cars, trucks, and SUVs near Ashburn, VA. Doing so could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Edmunds also provides consumer-driven dealership sales and service reviews to help you make informed decisions about what cars to buy and where to buy them.

Which used 2014 Chevrolet Cruzes are available in my area?

Shop Edmunds' car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million vehicles to find a cheap new, used, or certified pre-owned (CPO) 2014 Chevrolet Cruze for sale near. There are currently 100 used and CPO 2014 Cruzes listed for sale in your area, with list prices as low as $6,947 and mileage as low as 17192 miles. Simply research the type of car you're interested in and then select a used car from our massive database to find cheap prew-owned vehicles for sale near you. Once you have identified a used vehicle you're interested in, check the AutoCheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the Used 2014 Chevrolet Cruze.

Can't find a used 2014 Chevrolet Cruzes you want in your area? Consider a broader search.

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Should I lease or buy a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze?

Is it better to lease or buy a car? Ask most people and they'll probably tell you that car buying is the way to go. And from a financial perspective, it's true, provided you're willing to make higher monthly payments, pay off the loan in full and keep the car for a few years. Leasing, on the other hand, can be a less expensive option on a month-to-month basis. It's also good if you're someone who likes to drive a new car every three years or so.

Check out Chevrolet lease specials
Check out Chevrolet Cruze lease specials