Chevrolet News:Chevrolet Announces Cruze Diesel Gets 46 MPG Highway, Mum On Other Economy Numbers

[William Maley]

---

By William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

April 18, 2013

Chevrolet has announced today that 2014 Cruze Diesel will return 46 MPG on highway based on EPA estimates. This estimate bests the original Highway MPG prediction by about four MPGs. Chevrolet is quick to point out that the 46 MPG makes the Cruze Diesel the highest MPG of a non-hybrid vehicle. If you're wondering, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI gets 42 MPG Highway and the Volkswagen Passat TDI gets 43 MPG highway.

Chevrolet says the Cruze Diesel will be able to travel up to 700 miles on the highway or about 10 hours of driving.

As for city and combined MPGs, Chevrolet is keeping quiet on that. Most likely we'll find that out when the Cruze Diesel goes on sale later this spring.

Source: Chevrolet

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected]or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

Press Release is on Page 2

---

Chevrolet Cruze Diesel 46 MPG Sets Highway Fuel Economy Benchmark

• Best Highway Fuel Economy of Any Non-Hybrid Passenger Car in America
  
• Can travel 700 highway miles on single tank
  

DETROIT – The new 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel, delivers an industry best EPA-estimated 46 MPG on the highway – better than any non-hybrid passenger car in America. It will be available in certain cities this spring and nationwide and in Canada in early fall.

Equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission, the latest addition to the Cruze powertrain family has an estimated range of 700 highway miles on one tank of diesel fuel based on the EPA highway estimate and the vehicle's fuel tank capacity. That's about 10 hours of highway driving.

"We harnessed generations of diesel expertise to adapt our world-class global engine for the North American market," said Gary Altman, chief engineer, Chevrolet Cruze Diesel. "The Cruze Diesel is the best diesel passenger car out there. Chevrolet is redefining the meaning of great fuel economy with this car."

With a starting price of $25,695, including an $810 destination charge, the Chevrolet Cruze Diesel is a better value than a similarly equipped VW Jetta TDI automatic. Compared with Jetta, the Cruze Diesel offers standard equipment including the Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system, larger 17-inch alloy wheels, leather-appointed seating, a longer five-year 100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, and a two-year maintenance plan.

Cruze Diesel also beats its rivals in performance with a segment-leading estimated 148 horsepower (110 kW) and estimated 258 lb-ft of torque (350 Nm), and can go 0-60 in about 8.6 seconds. Its advanced 2.0L turbo-diesel engine has an overboost feature capable of increasing torque to an estimated 280 lb-ft (380 Nm) for short bursts of stronger acceleration when needed, such as entering freeway traffic.

Cruze Diesel is powered by the cleanest diesel passenger car engine produced by General Motors. The vehicle generates 90 percent less Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) and particulate emissions when compared to previous-generation diesels. Chevrolet has sold more than 2 million Cruze models globally since it was launched in mid-2010. More than 33,000 of those were diesel powered.

View full article

[G. David Felt]

Love the sticker price of the diesel with a starting price of just over $25K. I think this will be a winner for Chevy.

Should really drive traffic.

[dwightlooi]

Which begs the question...

Why is the Volt or the ELR's ICE not a diesel engine?

[hyperv6]

I hope this does well but I will be shocked if it works out to a large scale success.

If only all those that cry Diesel will pony up the money GM would have a run away hit but I fear many of those who voiced they wanted a Diesel will not be around when this hits the dealer.

If anything any they do sell will help and the marketing of a MPG of this nature will be good for marketing over all. While I do not expect this to be a Failure but it will not be a home run either. But it will not be GM's fault a they offered what was requested,. Again I hope I am wrong but time will tell.

May be the new coming Cruze with less weight may hit the magic 50 MPG.

[G. David Felt]

I agree with dwightlooi that this engine should be used in the Volt or ELR. They should have CNG and Diesel if they really wanted to be efficient.

[hyperv6]

I am sure GM has good reason. These are all good ideas on paper but when it comes down to adding in all the other factors it changes the pictures.

A diesel along while a good idea would add cost to a car that already cost too much. ETC.

Might read on what Lutz had to say on the Cruze Diesel at the SAE Congress. It adds some info for though with Diesels.

[smk4565]

Excellent fuel economy. The only downside is it starts above $25k rather than below $25k.

They need a more powerful version of this engine (maybe 30-40 more hp and lb-ft) for Cadillac. Even with a power boost they should still be able to get 40 mpg out of an ATS.

[dwightlooi]

It's very simple. Is the objective to maximize fuel economy?

If it is, then you want it to be a diesel hybrid.

Why? Diesel maximizes the efficiency of actual power production (via the ICE) -- especially at cruise and part throttle conditions (which is most of the time). Hybrid drive trains allow for the recovery of kinetic energy during deceleration to be stored as electric energy and be reused during acceleration. Atkinson cammed gasoline engines help, but now where as much as diesels.

If you are only doing energy recovery and not maximizing power production you are only tackling half the equation.

[regfootball]

They need to combine the light weight and tricks of the Eco with the diesel. Did they?

Epic fail, no cloth.

That said, I am definitely going to look into this rig.

[G. David Felt]

regfootball, I disagree with you on Epic Fail, no cloth. This car is exactly what I hear from people, a compact with high gas mileage and creature comforts of a more up scale car but in an economical package.

I think they hit it right on. Very excited to see this car and I know of a couple ladies that are wanting to go test drive it and compare to the VW Jetta TDI.

I think they will like this over the VW.

[Guest Guest]

They need to combine the light weight and tricks of the Eco with the diesel. Did they?

Epic fail, no cloth.

That said, I am definitely going to look into this rig.

Yeah, it has all the Eco tricks: LRR tires, active shutters, and its gearing was designed to optimize fuel economy over performance.

[hyperv6]

It's very simple. Is the objective to maximize fuel economy?

If it is, then you want it to be a diesel hybrid.

Why? Diesel maximizes the efficiency of actual power production (via the ICE) -- especially at cruise and part throttle conditions (which is most of the time). Hybrid drive trains allow for the recovery of kinetic energy during deceleration to be stored as electric energy and be reused during acceleration. Atkinson cammed gasoline engines help, but now where as much as diesels.

If you are only doing energy recovery and not maximizing power production you are only tackling half the equation.

Again you leave out the factors the kill your position.

I agree it is the smart thing to add a couple MPG. I thought that from the beginning but!

Increased cost on a over priced car as it is.

Limited increase in MPG.

Increased fuel economy.

Increased and difficult EPA standards.

The lack of love for Diesel in this country and limited love for electric as it is.

Now your idea may have merit in Europe where people love Diesels also the emissions and cost of them and the fuel is much more in line with gas.

The way they treat Diesels in Europe make it much easier to build and to own and make it an advantage in all parameters not just MPG. You need to read the speech by Lutz at the SAE Congress as it is on the web. He makes some very valid points and from position of someone who knows all sides of the issue. Also note his love of the Volt is deep so If anyone would think this was a good idea in all areas he would have pushed for it. He is a man who spent most of his life in Europe and understand what they are all about and they work there.

Like I said in number on paper the Diesel Volt look wonderful but the problem is you have to figure the real world into the equation. Sorry building and selling car is not just numbers.

With Diesels most of us here including myself do not have a full grasp of what is all involved and why the work in Europe and not here. It is more than numbers or the lack of American love. The more I learn on how it is treated there the better I understand how it works there and not here. There is a hell of a lot more to it than I ever imagined.

[G. David Felt]

Hyper, share the info as right now I read your input and my take is that you feel this is more emotional than rational.

Why peopler are moved by emotion and auto's can tend to be a most crazy emotional purchase, Dwight brings up some valid points that I agree with. I read what Lutz has stated and yes he makes some valid points but then he is also an ex-executive that had more than enough push to maximize his own performance bonus for maximum pay.

I find comments he has made conflict with decisions he made on the volt. The Volt power train should have gone right into SUV's, Full size vans as well as the 4 door 4 passenger volt. GM need to eat it in the shorts and spread this technology across the product line.

I bet if they to a Buick Encore and gave it the VOLT power train AWD version it would sell like hot cakes.

There is more than enough proof that build the right solution and it will make you money. There is a clear need for FWD or RWD and AWD VOlt powertrain auto's. Use a diesel or CNG generator and move forward.

[G. David Felt]

Interesting info from Opel about going Hybrid Diesel. Check it out.

http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/15/gms-opel-may-add-electric-side-to-diesel-engines/

[the_yellow_dart]

I agree that no cloth is an epic fail. I dislike leather seats, and certainly don't want to be forced to pay for them.

[hyperv6]

Hyper, share the info as right now I read your input and my take is that you feel this is more emotional than rational.

Why peopler are moved by emotion and auto's can tend to be a most crazy emotional purchase, Dwight brings up some valid points that I agree with. I read what Lutz has stated and yes he makes some valid points but then he is also an ex-executive that had more than enough push to maximize his own performance bonus for maximum pay.

I find comments he has made conflict with decisions he made on the volt. The Volt power train should have gone right into SUV's, Full size vans as well as the 4 door 4 passenger volt. GM need to eat it in the shorts and spread this technology across the product line.

I bet if they to a Buick Encore and gave it the VOLT power train AWD version it would sell like hot cakes.

There is more than enough proof that build the right solution and it will make you money. There is a clear need for FWD or RWD and AWD VOlt powertrain auto's. Use a diesel or CNG generator and move forward.

I am not sure where the heck you get emotion here.

The basics are this, some people look at selling a car as in one dimension when you must look at all facets of the issue. Dwight often makes good points if you are doing a limited look at a model but in selling a car in the real world you must factor in everything and not cherry pick. This is where people Like Bob Lutz, Mark Ruess and even some like Scott Settlmire have to take all factors and put them together into one vehicle. While having these more efficient engines are a good idea if you only look at MPG there are other factors to consider.

You may build it but will anyone come to buy? At what price point will be the best chance to sell the car in the best numbers. What options do you have to have or can do with out to best price the car. This is how far they go. When the planning was being done for the Gen 5 Camaro the Disciples were asked how important the smell of leather was to them. They were to the point of seeing if the added cost of the smell of the leather was a item that needed to be included and how important it was. The smell has to be put in as it is not natural.

Building a car is part what is on paper, yes a little emotion and a lot of study of people and what the public wants and what it will take for them to buy the car.

Your idea of a Encore with a Voltec drive line is interesting but how much and how much would people pay? If the Volt now is near $40K you know the Buick with AWD would be over $50K or more. GM right now is growing this segment and right now the greatest complaint is price. Once they get the Voltec system cheaper cars as you state may very well be on the board. Right now it will be interesting to see the take rate of the ELR. Also how many miles will the AWD kill the battery sooner? 5-10 miles would be a major deal breaker to many. How soon will they be able to extend the present range?

The Cruze Diesel will be a segment like the Volt that needs to be grown. It is not a segment that will be a home run right out of the gate. In a year or two I expect they will expand sales and the car the engine is offered. The more they sell the more Americans will learn about them and dispel the myths good and bad.

CNG has a long way to go for mass public acceptance. Fleet sales will be the fastest way to grow it and get them out there but in the public hands it will see limited growth again till people better understand it and also the price is closer to what the gas engine is.

The dominate factor in all of the this is price. Most people will pay more for a better sound system vs. a better MPG powertrain.

Either way it takes all factors to build and sell a car and all must be considered. This will help many better understand why companies do what they so even when a Enthusiast is in charge.

Anyways it take more than pure performance numbers and good ideas to sell a car to the public as they are today. You must understand them and know what they wants and needs are logical or not. You must understand their limits on what they will pay or expect.

Too many here do not spend much time on non enthusiast web sites and forget what the average buyer is like. Just the other day on the Nox web site they were arguing mostly over how long to change oils, to use or not use Nitrogen in the tires and wrinkles in the leather in the seats. MPG, QUALITY and PRICE are the most important factors and any single one could kill a sale. Note styling is important but this emotional item is lower on the list than what I have listed. Once purchased general ergonomic are what are important. Many things are petty but often are what lead to repeat buyers.

[regfootball]

I agree that no cloth is an epic fail. I dislike leather seats, and certainly don't want to be forced to pay for them.

exactly, why the eff, subtract the grand and let me have the car a grand cheaper.

if they slap extra rebates on them, fine. I think part of the strategy is to pump up MSRP's for leasing and other purposes. Adding the leather which maybe costs them a couple hundred to put in lets them pad the margin.

[Drew Dowdell]

Which begs the question...

Why is the Volt or the ELR's ICE not a diesel engine?

Because diesel engines don't react as well to start-stop over the long term.

[Drew Dowdell]

It's very simple. Is the objective to maximize fuel economy?

If it is, then you want it to be a diesel hybrid.

Why? Diesel maximizes the efficiency of actual power production (via the ICE) -- especially at cruise and part throttle conditions (which is most of the time). Hybrid drive trains allow for the recovery of kinetic energy during deceleration to be stored as electric energy and be reused during acceleration. Atkinson cammed gasoline engines help, but now where as much as diesels.

If you are only doing energy recovery and not maximizing power production you are only tackling half the equation.

With Diesels most of us here including myself do not have a full grasp of what is all involved and why the work in Europe and not here. It is more than numbers or the lack of American love. The more I learn on how it is treated there the better I understand how it works there and not here. There is a hell of a lot more to it than I ever imagined.

Why they work in the EU and not in Europe is because of the way the fuel taxes are structured. It really isn't that complicated. Equalize the fuel tax (or even reverse the discordance) and you'd see a wholesale flocking of the public to diesels.

[Drew Dowdell]

I'll tell ya what *would* sell like hotcakes... this engine in the Encore.

[G. David Felt]

Yes I agree. This engine in the Encore would make that one hot ride!

[thedriver]

I think another strike against the car is having the DEF tank in the spare tire hole. Needing an empty trunk to fill the tank, is a bad idea..

[hyperv6]

The tax is a major part of it but Americans as a whole still need to change how they feel about them.

For this to work GM needs to grow this market and educate and win the trust of Americans. The greatest key is to get them behind the wheel to see how the torque feels.

This is a 5-10 year deal that GM needs to stick to if they want growth. Even then they have to hope the fuel does not go up in price over gas. Too few equate the MPG gains over the Fuel price paid at the pump.

The other factor is will the EPA slap more hate on these engines. While the tax is better in Europe the emissions are much softer there.

This is a risk here and not a slam dunk sure thing.

[G. David Felt]

thedriver I have not seen any info about having to give up the spare tire for the def tank and that it is only in the trunk so it has to be empty to refill which really is not a big deal considering you only do this every 25K miles or so. Plus who drives around with a full trunk all the time eating up gas mileage?

History NOTE!

A fact Rudolf Diesel developed his engine to run on American produced peanut oil. Those farmers in Georgia will be extremely pleased if GM announced that this Cruze can run with their peanut oil. It will be American fueled!

Any way, Car and Driver sure seems to be negative on the little oil burner.

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2014-chevrolet-cruze-diesel-photos-and-info-news

Interesting to see that Chevy web site has it listed as starting from $24,995 and the first GM news announcements stated $25,995.

http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2013/Apr/0418-cruze-turbo.html

Interesting that other online folks have a price from $25K to 26K for base starting price but does seem to be positive for the Oil Burner.

http://www.autotrader.com/research/article/car-news/206830/2014-chevrolet-cruze-diesel-rated-at-46-mpg-highway.jsp

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/18/2014-chevrolet-cruze-diesel-gets-46-mpg/

http://gm-volt.com/2013/04/23/46-mpg-for-cruze-diesel/

[PurdueGuy]

Wait, the Car and Driver article says no manual trans option? FAIL. No manual = not on my list.

It's also good to note that much of the negativity of the Car and Driver review is based on the earlier estimated 42mpg highway. It would be interesting to see their thoughts updated with the new 46mpg estimate.

Edited April 24, 2013 by PurdueGuy

[thedriver]

thedriver I have not seen any info about having to give up the spare tire for the def tank and that it is only in the trunk so it has to be empty to refill which really is not a big deal considering you only do this every 25K miles or so. Plus who drives around with a full trunk all the time eating up gas mileage?

I work at a GM dealer, the parts catalogs for the '14 Cruze are already up and running.

[G. David Felt]

thedriver I have not seen any info about having to give up the spare tire for the def tank and that it is only in the trunk so it has to be empty to refill which really is not a big deal considering you only do this every 25K miles or so. Plus who drives around with a full trunk all the time eating up gas mileage?

I work at a GM dealer, the parts catalogs for the '14 Cruze are already up and running.

So there is NO SPARE on this car?

I see no problem with the DEF tank in the trunk, I would have thought they would have had a access fill spot in the trunk but one that does not keep you from holding packages, etc. Still not a deal breaker for me.

Interesting if there is no spare.

[thedriver]

Yup, no spare. That is getting more and more common on GM's cars though, they get a pump and bottle of fix a flat instead. To fill the tank you have to lift up the trunk floor liner to get to the tank filler. Might have been easier to just have the filler open to the trunk.

[G. David Felt]

Yup, no spare. That is getting more and more common on GM's cars though, they get a pump and bottle of fix a flat instead. To fill the tank you have to lift up the trunk floor liner to get to the tank filler. Might have been easier to just have the filler open to the trunk.

wow, that is very interesting, Wonder why they do not have a filler hose going into the tank just like the gas tank. That would have made more sense. Just open the trunk, take off the tight seal cap and pour your piss into the tank.

Wonder if you can use your own personal Urea?????

[ZL-1]

Wonder if you can use your own personal Urea?????

The "Daddy, I just made wee-wee inside the car" sentence could never be used as grounds for punishing your child anymore!

Edited May 9, 2013 by ZL-1

[hyperv6]

GM has a video out where the engineer drove 900 miles on a tank at 5 under the speed limit.
GM needs to stick to real numbers like 10 over the speed limit.

[G. David Felt]

I agree that auto makers need to stick to real world numbers. more people drive 5-10 over than under. Such is the stupidity of the politicians.

[Z-06]

If GM sees TDI as its direct competitor, at least it should have added the manual transmission option as TDI has a high manual transmission take rate.

[G. David Felt]

If GM sees TDI as its direct competitor, at least it should have added the manual transmission option as TDI has a high manual transmission take rate.

That could be a year 2 add on if interest is truly there. I wonder how much is left once VW supplies it.

[Drew Dowdell]

The hypermilers are going to go to VW anyway I think... but I'm glad Chevy is taking a bit of a risk here.

[regfootball]

Eco manual is the manual Cruze king. I think initially, they wanted to avoid the infighting between the manuals.

I do think the non leather and stick versions of the diesel will occur if initial reception is good. they've even said they are watching the initial take before deciding on other versions.

[G. David Felt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Aru_mW_Fy9w

Latest Cruze Commercial for their dirtiest / Cleanest Diesel on the road. Awesome.

[G. David Felt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xqoTcg2tAg&feature=player_embedded

Amazing Holden Cruze Diesel is a 2010, so they have had this for some time out in the global market.

[G. David Felt]

Chicago Auto Show introduction of the Cruze Diesel. They so should have had a better woman introducing it than this lady who is about as dead as they come for communication.

[G. David Felt]

Great Video of an actual Cruze TDI on the dealer lot.

I find it soooo funny that the music in the back ground is the stray cats.

[Z-06]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Aru_mW_Fy9w

Latest Cruze Commercial for their dirtiest / Cleanest Diesel on the road. Awesome.

I like GM is taking the past perception of Diesel being unclean head on.