At the 2013 Chicago Auto Show, Chevrolet introduced the newest variant of its compact sedan, the 2014 Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel. This car, which will be available in the United States and Canada, uses a 148-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission. The company is projecting 42 mpg on the highway and claims that the car will offer best-in-class driving range.
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The engine is based on the diesel unit Chevrolet uses in European-market Cruzes. But according to the company, the engine has been modified to suit driving conditions on this continent and to adhere to America’s stricter emissions standards.
Cruze will be the first diesel car offered by General Motors since 1986. It is expected to be available for purchase by the second quarter of 2013.
Chevy says the car’s chief competitor in the States is Volkswagen’s Jetta TDI. Unlike the VW, though, the Cruze’s diesel engine uses urea injection to help control its emissions. This system uses a 4.5-gallon tank of solution, which should be good for 10,000 miles of driving before requiring a refill.
Items specific to the diesel-powered Cruze include additional sound-deadening material behind the dashboard and under the hood. Pricing will start at $26,695, which includes the destination charge and a 2-year maintenance plan.
CG Says: Chevy steps up and takes on Volkswagen with an affordable diesel-powered compact sedan. Jetta TDIs are staff favorites around our office, so we’re looking forward to driving the Cruze Turbo Diesel and seeing how it stacks up.
