<h1>2014 Chevrolet Cruze diesel drive review</h1>

What is it?

As the name implies, the Cruze diesel is, well, a Chevrolet Cruze with a diesel engine. It’s the first diesel car GM has sold in the U.S. since the 1980s; depending upon your age and experience with those V6 and V8 GM diesels, they were either forgettable or you still haven't forgiven the company for selling them to an unsuspecting public. We have good news: It’s time to move on.

The Cruze’s 2.0-liter turbo-diesel four produces 151 hp and 264 lb-ft of torque, and comes mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The horsepower figure is up 11 and torque is 28 lb-ft higher versus the Volkswagen Jetta TDI, the car the Cruze clearly has in its crosshairs.

The Jetta diesel accounts for about 20 percent of Jetta sales in the States. GM won’t hang an ideal sales number on its car but says it will be available in 13 markets (mostly coastal) now and will go national in late August or early September. The company says the car can get an estimated 46 mpg on the highway, good for an also estimated 717-mile range -- again, both numbers conveniently topping what the VW Jetta TDI offers.


What’s it like to drive?

As soon as it landed at Autoweek HQ, resident classic-car evangelist Rory Carroll nabbed the keys and drove it to the Indy 500 and back. His comments include, “the Cruze is a great looking car both inside and out … made a five-hour drive totally painless … the ride is compliant and comfortable … an unexpectedly good highway car … excellent range, unexpected comfort and good cargo capacity make it the kind of car you wouldn’t mind spending the entirety of a cross-country road trip piloting.” Look for Carroll’s full report in an upcoming issue of the magazine.

We also spent some time buzzing around Detroit in this Cruze, and we can say for certain it’s a torquey little bugger. We haven’t done any instrumented testing yet, but Chevy says the Cruze diesel can dart to 60 mph in about 8.6 seconds. Oh, and that 264 lb-ft of torque? 250 lb-ft of it comes between 1,750 and 3,000 rpm, so the engine is nice and flexible. Tromp on the accelerator and the thing lights off like a V6. There’s also an overboost feature able to increase torque to 280 lb-ft for more oomph in short bursts when needed. It really is a terrific little car for scooting around town. On the freeway or in more spirited driving, it would be nice to be able to select a lower gear via a manual gearbox.

The rest of the driving experience is like a gas-powered Cruze—a good thing. The last time we sampled a standard gas Cruze, the logbook had things in it like, “Holy smokes! This is a nice small car,” and “The car feels light and agile, while keeping the noise down and the bumps well damped.”

Those statements all hold true for the diesel, as well. We also remain particularly impressed with Cruze interiors in terms of design, fit and finish, and materials. The diesel’s dash is wrapped in soft-touch material, giving it a nice, upscale appearance. The controls are placed intuitively, and the cabin is well isolated from road and wind noise.


Do I want one?

If you want one of the most efficient small cars on the market, then yes, you want one. It drives well on the highway and in the city, and those mileage numbers are both impressive and, it appears, repeatable. Our biggest beef? As Carroll rightly points out, as auto writers, we’re legally required to mention our disappointment that the diesel Cruze wagon we loved two Geneva shows ago isn't offered here. We remain hopeful.


2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel

On Sale: September 2013 (nationally)

Base Price: $25,695

Drivetrain: 2.0-liter, 151-hp, 264-lb-ft turbocharged four-cylinder diesel; FWD, six-speed automatic transmission

Curb Weight: 3,475 lb

0-60 mph: 8.6 sec

Fuel Economy (EPA City/HWY/Combined): 27/46/33