2011 Chevrolet Cruze: Love/Hate
If you’re in the market for a roomy and safe entry-level sedan, the new Chevrolet Cruze should meet your needs. The Cruze does so many things right that it’s a shame there’s only one really big thing it does wrong.
Love: Everything about the interior
From the front seat, the Cruze feels much bigger than its compact-car designation would lead you to believe. The two-tone cloth seats in our 1.8-liter LS base model are comfortable and stylish. The controls are all large and easy to find, and the modest display screen is the perfect size to give you all the radio or climate control information you’d need without overwhelming the center stack. If you have to spend a lot of commuting time staring at the inside of a sub-$20,000 car, the Cruze should be on your short list.
Hate: Exterior styling
There’s no way to put this gently. The Chevy Cruze is one boring-looking car. At a time when Ford and even Buick are making really eye-catching sedans, there’s just nothing modern, fresh or interesting about the Cruze’s silhouette. The Cruze is a great addition to GM’s compact-car lineup and a massive step up from the cheaper Chevy Aveo, as long as you don’t look at it once you get out of the car.
