The first Chevy Cruze was everything people said a compact car couldn’t be: chic, strong, and comfortable. When Chevy decided to give it an update for 2016, expectations were pretty high. Now that Heidebreicht finally has our hands on the second generation, we can safely say we haven’t been let down. This Cruze is even more fun and functional than its older brother.
The biggest change is the turbocharged 1.4 liter four cylinder engine, upping the horsepower from the original 138 horsepower to 153. Since the new Cruze is about 250 pounds lighter that engine can take it from zero to sixty in eight seconds. That eliminates the sluggish acceleration most people report when driving a compact car, giving it a more natural feel. Handling in general is much smoother. One note: after driving this we’re even more excited to see next year’s diesel model.
Cutting weight didn’t come from slashing cabin space. You’ll find an extra inch of legroom in the backseat, the result of a longer wheelbase. Add in the sleeker body styling to cut down on drag and you have a leaner, meaner compact.
What we found exciting here is the shift to make MyLink a standard feature. Controlled by a seven inch touchscreen, the MyLink system interfaces with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to let you play music and answer calls from the car.
Other popular Chevy features now available in the Cruze include 4G LTE Wi-Fi, heated rear seats and steering wheel, wireless phone charging, and anti-collision safety features such as blind-spot monitoring.
We can’t say enough about the 2016 Cruze. Come see what the excitement is about. Visit our Washington showroom and test drive this gem today!
