Chevrolet will offer a diesel Cruze in 2013. It looks like the manufacturers are listening to those that have been whining about this. It comes with a SOHC 2.0L diesel that produces 147 HP at 4000 RPM and a whopping 235 ft-# at 2000 RPM. The equivalent car in Australia gets 49 MPG. What do you think?
If they’d offer the same engine in the Sonic I’d be more interested. But first they need to make these cars more reliable. Per Consumer Reports, they are baaaad.
I believe that Chevrolet offered a diesel engine in the Chevette about 30 years ago. Appparently, it did not sell very well. Maybe the diesel engines are better now in terms of performance and the time may be better.
As a used car sales man I bought a car from, only to figure out later the ranchero had painted tape to cover body rust holes used to say there is an ass for every seat. Mr. Needham RIP, ripoff inspired person. Anything on a lot will sell, but will it stand the test of time, I hope so.
When you think of diesels, you think of reliability. That was not the case when GM at one time tried to pawn off diesels made from their gas engine line without proper engineering. http://www.forgottendiesels.com/5.7_oldsmobile.html
If this is another ploy, no thanks. If it shares the reliability and function of those used now in their Dramax line in their pick up trucks, count me in.
I believe it’s using their European dielsel technology, that’s been out there for years. According to the NY Times:
“The diesel Cruze is expected to be equipped with the same turbocharged direct-injection 2-liter engine in use on the Holden Cruze and Chevy Cruze diesels marketed in Australia and Europe, respectively. That engine generates 161 horsepower and, critically, a stout 266-pound-feet of torque, roughly doubling the midrange grunt produced by the two 1.4-liter engines available for the American Cruze. Mr. Wilkinson said output figures for the 2013 car would be similar to its Australian and European peers.”
But continue to read…http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/02/diesel-powered-chevy-cruze-may-be-a-tough-sell/
It may be more expensive to run and buy then a hybrid.
The author seems to have made up his mind to dislike the Cruze diesel. Note that he only used the Eco with the manual transmission. The Cruze Diesel will probably only have an auto transmission. The Eco with auto gets substantially worse gas mileage than the manual version.The EPA has not tested the Cruze diesel yet; we can’t compare it to any other US car. Literature states that we could expect anywhere between 36 MPG up to 50 MPG, but none of them are useful for comparative purposes. Only the EPA mileage is useful in that respect for US cars.
On another subject: Are you guys really bringing up cars from prehistoric times? 1980 is so 500 years ago; I barely remember it. Surely you don’t think they are casting a V8 diesel, cutting it in half, and putting the 2 blocks in 2 Cruzes. Compare it to the Cruze diesels in Europe and Australia, where they have been available for several years. Don’t compare it to cars that were only available last century.
I would consider one. I’d decide after a test drive and after seeing what CR has to say about it after the model has been out for a year or two.
I’ve been thinking about my next vehicle (a long term decision), and I am considering fuel efficient non-hybrid vehicles. If this turns out to be a reliable and efficient vehicle, It would be right up my alley. However, it would have to be efficient enough to justify the additional cost of diesel fuel.
todays diesels our 1000 times better then the Olds 5.7/ from the 80’s and a 100 times better then the Germans had to offer in the 80’s just make sure to change the oil and filter in time and the t-belt when its do. just don’t forget to plug it in durning the winter
The diesel in the Chevette was from Isuzu with which GM had a partnership. The engie was OK, but gutless and vibrated like crazy.
The new European diesels are very sophisticated, durable and smooth. Currently nearly half of car sales in England, France and Germany are diesels.
Having said all that, I still don’t trust GM in the US not to screw up putting a good Europen engine in one of their local cars.
On another subject: Are you guys really bringing up cars from prehistoric times? 1980 is so 500 years ago;
@jtsanders–You are right on. Triedaq is prehistoric. To him, a car is a late model if it was made after WW II. The old diesel cars of the 1970s fit his personality–they made a big stink and a lot of noise and didn’t move very fast.
Mrs. Triedaq
Doc…you’re reading my mail. My sentiments exactly.
Yeah I paid an extra $800 in 81 for my Olds diesel. For the 480K I finally got out of it, I suffered through two engines, head gaskets at about $1500, a starter for $300, injection pumps for $500, and on and on and on. It’ll be a long time before I go back again. Longer than 30 years anyway.
“…I still don’t trust GM in the US not to screw up putting a good Europen engine in one of their local cars.”
There’s nothing wrong with healthy skepticism. But the engine was first available in 2011 in the Chevrolet/Holden Cruze and Daewoo Lacetti Premiere. These cars have been available from 8 plants on all continents but Africa and will now be built in the USA, too. It isn’t exactly new; just new to us.
I rented a Cruze Diesel recently while in England. I loved it. Plenty of power and abput 48mpg. This is really good for Britain where everyone drives flat out all the time. I consider a bad Consumers Report to be a badge of honor. Every vehicle I’ve owned was badly trashed by CU and I’ve had nothing but good luck.
I would be interested in it if they stuffed it into a Malibu.
And I am obviously not holding onto past and thinking of the POC’s GM tried in the 70’s
jtsanders; I agree it’s a good engine, but US diesel emissions are different than in Europe. Even that change is an opportunity for GM to screw up. Of course they don’t have to, but just as the Cruse itself ( a proven car elsewhere) has teething problems, I don’t trust them to do an engine transplant with out problems the first time around. I’m sure three years from now the Cruse and its diesel will be OK.
I owned a 1981 Chevette diesel. The engine was an excellent 1.8 liter Isuzu design, engineered as a diesel, not a converted gasoline engine and contrary to what was said, did not vibrate like crazy but it certainly was gutless. In spite of that, 70 mph down the freeway was easy. The car was a German Opel City with the suspension made soft for US GM marketing people’s taste at that time with consequent poor handling. Reliability was not a problem. Being a rear driver, driveline friction kept the fuel mileage down to about 42 mpg.
Air and fuel filters were much too expensive. If you do shop for a Cruz or any diesel car for that matter, first know how often these filters need changing, their cost and know also the cost of engine oil and change frequency. Special engine oil may be needed. Might be a good thing to scout out the oil filter cost too. It is quite possible that a new engine design, if the past is any guide, will have yet another new oil filter design with few or no competing brands to control the price.
Nothing in life is free. Here in $9a gallon Europe, Eco Diesels achieve incredible CO2 emissions and MPG, but, in many cases, at the expense of drive-ability.
A BMW 320D might be one thing, but low end cars, good luck. Chevy here and depreciate like a Fiat, for good reason.
Full disclosure, I run a fleet of 30 VW’s and Opels, none have given trouble despite big mileage. Clean Diesel is key, as is lots of highway driving. Use it exclusively in short hop driving and it will be wrecked.
And my wiIfe’s Audi A1 Diesel is not as driveable as my petrol Mazda.