Chevrolet Cruze was launched in 2009 as a compact sedan that managed to attract millions of customers really fast thanks to its bold design.Well since its launch have already been more than two years and now there’s a new version of the Cruze on the market, a hatckback.This version of the Cruze was officially launched in 2011 at the Geneva Motor Show.

So here we are just a few months later reviewing the Chevy Cruze hatchback.Even at first sight this model manages to make clear that brand image  of the Cruze that’s so popular these days.I really miss the LED’s from the concept version of the Cruze which made it look even better.

Probably most of you will notice the big difference between the front end design which looks great and the back design which is way to simplistic.The tear shaped rear of the car and the tailgate inspire pragmatism.This makes it the Cruze Hatchback to lack personality especially when you look at it from behind.In exchange the roof line is quite low which detaches the Cruze Hatchback from the notion of a normal compact hatch car.I wont say that it looks very sporty but it has a more dynamic profile look than I’ve expected.If Chevrolet designers will, at the next facelift in about two years, make the back more aggressive then this car will become very very tempting hot hatches customers.

The interior is pretty the same as on the Cruze sedan version which is a good thing.This means very good ergonomics, high quality and great looking design.In the back seat there’s plenty of room for head and legs.Three passengers might feel a bit crowded but two will travel in comfort.
The trunk is also generous with a capacity of 14.5 cubic feet, better than most of its rivals in the compact class.Compared to the Cruze sedan the hatchback has almost the same capacity being just slightly smaller but the main advantage of the hatchback is that the access to the trunk especially when you have a lot of luggage is way better then the sedan’s.
During our test-drive we had available two engine choices for the Cruze hatchback:1.8 four cylinder gas engine that make 141 HP and a 2.0 Liter diesel that makes 163 HP.Let’s talk about the first.

The first surprising thing about the gas engine is that it’s coupled with an only 5 speed transmission.This is surprising because most cars that come close to 150 HP have six speed transmissions.The gear ratio doesn’t help those that want to drive really fast its more dedicated to fuel economy enthusiast.Even though this engine isn’t really inspiring you to start racing the acceleration and speed are more than enough for most normal drivers.During the test we drove it like we stole it and we still got over 35 Mpg so its very economical.
Now about the second engine, the 2.0 Liter diesel of 163 HP, this engine changes things radically.Shockingly this engine is more quite than the gas engine, this almost never happens gas engines always being more silent.This engine is very refined with no vibrations in the interior and makes you think about the sophisticated V6 diesels in premium cars.

The response of the engine is very nice with the range of torque being widespread and making 360 NM of torque from 1750 rpm.The biggest plus of this version is the six speed manual transmission that exploits the power of the engine very well allowing you to make big overtakes without any seconds thoughts.In the case of the Cruze hatchback 2.0D the overtakes are actually rapid and efficient.The diesel engine meets the need for dynamism better than expected.The ESP is a little annoying because it keeps interfering during powerful acceleration.Also there is a bit of torque steer in the diesel versions at full throttle so its best to keep the steering wheel tight.
Just like the Cruze sedan the Cruze hatchback has a character that facilitates comfort which is very nice.In theory the diesel gets 45 Mpg but if you drive it like us it only gets around 40 which is around the class standards for diesel engines.
Here in Europe the Cruze Hatchback 1.6 LT Plus version, the entry-level,starts at 14.195 Euros (18.517 US Dollars). This version has a medium level of equipment and performance compared to the competition at his price.Its main rival will be the Ford Focus hatchback which already has more than a decade of tradition in Europe.

For the base diesel the price is 17.275 euros( 22.535 U.S. Dollars). This is a competitive value for the money and the level of equipment and performance for the money is better than most of its competitors in that class which cost more than 20.000 euros.
Chevrolet Cruze hatchback 2.0 D LTZ might represent the best offer for its class.It offers a level of equipment that surpasses all of its competitors at a price of just 18.920 euros(24.681 US. Dollars). For those willing to pay a grand more there’s the option of a automatic gearbox that adds a lot of comfort.As a conclusion we can gladly say that Chevrolet sticks to its successful tradition of making great cars with the Chevy Cruze Hatchback.This hatchback combines the nice and spacious interior with class leading comfort and safety all at a competitive price.