2017 Chevrolet Cruze Review

Standard equipment on the Cruze L includes 15-inch steel wheels, automatic headlights, remote locking/unlocking, air-conditioning, a height-adjustable driver seat, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, 60/40-split folding rear seatbacks, Bluetooth connectivity, a four-speaker audio system with a USB port, OnStar (with 4G LTE connectivity and Wi-Fi hotspot), a rearview camera, and a MyLink infotainment system with a 7-inch central touchscreen and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone app integration.

However, the L is only available to dealers through custom ordering. Much more common is the LS, which is similarly equipped but adds a front center armrest and carpeted floor mats. It can also be equipped with the automatic transmission and a range of dealer-installed options.

The LT steps up to 16-inch alloy wheels, upgraded headlights with LED running lights, heated mirrors, cruise control, steering-wheel-mounted phone and audio controls, a rear center armrest with cupholders, and a six-speaker audio system with satellite radio. Hatchback models also get a cargo cover and rear spoiler. A charge-only USB port is added to models equipped with the automatic transmission, while manual-equipped models have a front armrest with a sliding feature.

For the LT, the optional Convenience package adds keyless ignition and entry, heated front seats, an eight-way power driver seat and remote engine start (with the automatic transmission).

The LT Diesel is available in sedan body style only (it is expected to be added to the hatchback's roster next year) and adds the contents of the Convenience package minus remote start. The available Leather package adds a heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather upholstery and a height-adjustable front passenger seat.

The Cruze Premier gets everything above plus 17-inch wheels, an upgraded rear suspension, chrome exterior accents, ambient interior lighting and illuminated vanity mirrors.

Both the LT and Premier offer an RS Appearance package (foglights, a rear spoiler, a sport body kit and 18-inch wheels for Premier models) and a Sun and Sound package that includes a sunroof, a color driver information center, ambient interior lighting, a larger 8-inch center touchscreen display and a nine-speaker Bose audio system. A navigation system is additionally available for this package on the Premier.

The LT and Premier are also eligible for the Driver Confidence package, which consists of rear parking sensors and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The Driver Confidence II package, offered only on the Premier, adds automatic high-beam headlight control, forward collision warning, and lane departure warning and intervention.

The Driver Confidence, Sun and Sound package, offered only on the LT Diesel with the automatic transmission, combines the contents of the Sun and Sound package with the Driver Confidence package. The Premier-exclusive Enhanced Convenience package throws in an auto-dimming rearview mirror, automatic climate control, heated rear outboard seats, wireless personal device charging and a 110-volt, household-style power outlet.

The front-wheel-drive 2017 Chevrolet Cruze comes standard with a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 153 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the L, LS and LT trims. A six-speed automatic is optional for the LS and LT, while the Premier gets it as standard equipment. The automatic transmission also comes bundled with an automatic engine stop-start feature to save fuel when the car isn't moving.

In Edmunds testing, a Cruze Premier sedan with the automatic transmission and RS package accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 9.6 seconds, about 1 second slower than most compact sedans. An LT with a manual transmission fared better with an 8.8-second run from zero to 60. For comparison, the Ford Focus sedan with the 2.0-liter engine does the zero-to-60-mph run in 8.3 seconds, while the hot-rod turbocharged Honda Civic needs just 6.7 seconds.

According to the EPA, the Cruze sedan should return 32 mpg combined (28 city/39 highway) with the manual, 34 mpg combined (30 city/40 highway) with the automatic and 33 mpg combined (29 city/39 highway) in automatic-only Premier trim. Hatchback versions are expected to achieve 1 to 2 mpg less across the board.

Overall, these fuel economy numbers are very good for a small sedan or hatchback. However, in a Premier sedan, we averaged just 31.8 mpg on our highway-heavy, 115-mile test loop. On the same loop, a 2016 Honda Civic with the turbocharged 1.5-liter engine beat its EPA combined estimate by 1.8 mpg, and a 2015 Ford Focus with the 2.0-liter engine beat its combined rating by a whopping 11 mpg. 

If a low monthly fuel bill is what you're after, consider the new turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder diesel engine. It develops 137 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque, earning an EPA rating of 37 mpg combined (30 city/52 highway) with the six-speed manual and 37 mpg combined (31 city/47 highway) with a new nine-speed automatic.