# 6-Month Chevy Cruze Diesel Review



## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

It really is a nice car for its price point and performance.

*2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel: Six-Month Review and Report*



> If you're an automotive journalist who regularly reviews cars, there's nothing like 14 winter storms in your neck of the woods to stop you dead in your tracks.
> 
> Few automakers equip their cars with winter tires and no-season (our term for all-season) tires aren't effective for driving following a significant snowfall.
> 
> ...


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## Flyingman (Sep 13, 2009)

J,

Am I missing something here? I am interpreting that you've had the vehicle for 6 months but have not yet reached 5k miles. 

Why would one want to buy the Diesel Cruze if it's combined MPG is lower than the gasser? Maybe to burn B20 (if it is cheaper than gas)?

I realize in Europe Diesel is consistently cheaper than gas, but here in US Diesel is almost always priced closer to Mid-Grade and rarely lower than regular unleaded.

Does it have a larger fuel tank? I suppose it would out shine the gasser on the hwy MPG if that is the type of driving you mostly do.

Curious minds want to know.:thumbup:

FUEL ECONOMY

This is probably why you are reading this article so here goes. After six months and several thousand miles, we***8217;ve seen a combined average of 28.5 mpg (8.24 l/100 km). This is somewhat lower than the EPA combined estimate of 31 (7.58) combined but our mix of city versus highway driving may lean more towards staying in town.

Compare this to the Cruze Eco, which exhibits similar figures, 28 mpg (8.4 l/100 km) in the city and 42 (5.6) on the highway, and 33 combined. Diesels almost always outshine the EPA figures once they get past the 5,000 mile (8,000 kilometer) figure and we***8217;re counting on seeing this boost soon.


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

Flyingman said:


> J,
> 
> Am I missing something here? Why would one want to buy the Diesel Cruze if it's combined MPG is lower than the gasser? Maybe to burn B20 (if it is cheaper than gas)?
> 
> ...


Easy answer. Don't look at combined. Use case for diesel is more long-distance driving. The Cruze gets 46 mpg - which beats every other non-hybrid car sold in the U.S.


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## Flyingman (Sep 13, 2009)

I just tried to compare results on Fuelly.com for the 2014 Diesel Cruze (only two vehicles registered and a total of 6 fuel ups) and the Volkswagen Jetta (which has a plethora of possibilities).

The Cruze Diesel for 2014 is showing AVG MPG of 31.

The 2013 VW Jetta Diesel shows AVG MPG at 40.8.

Assuming I am getting the info filtered correctly that is a huge difference of almost 32% better MPG for the Jetta.

Granted the universe of Cruze Diesel units is too small at only two (2) vehicles with (6) fuel ups vs the Jetta with 4 vehicles and 196 fuel ups.

But it doesn't look all that inspriring for the Cruze.


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

Flyingman said:


> I just tried to compare results on Fuelly.com for the 2014 Diesel Cruze (only two vehicles registered and a total of 6 fuel ups) and the Volkswagen Jetta (which has a plethora of possibilities).
> 
> The Cruze Diesel for 2014 is showing AVG MPG of 31.
> 
> ...


Not enough data in the data set to make a comparison.


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## Hoooper (Jun 17, 2013)

fuelly looks like it has too many engine options. Another option is diesel L4, which has something like 72 vehicles for 2014 for a combined 40.2 MPG. At least for 2014 the cruze only comes with one diesel choice in the US and the vast majority of those 72 cars say they are either USA or Canada


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## Hangman4358 (Nov 26, 2013)

Flyingman said:


> J,
> 
> Am I missing something here? I am interpreting that you've had the vehicle for 6 months but have not yet reached 5k miles.
> 
> ...


The cost of diesel in comparison to gas is very region dependent. In socal for instance diesel is usually 10 to 20 cents cheaper than gas for instance. With the high taxes on gas in CA I save around 35 to 50 cents a gallon over premium. My driving is horrible for diesel but with the diesel I still manage 32 mpg. I had a loaner over the weekend. I averaged 17 mpg with my normal driving. I get almost double the mpg from the diesel compared to the gaser. Sure they aren't totally comparable but the $1500 premium is going to be payed of pretty quickly at this rate. And i only have 3k miles on the car so far.


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## glangford (Dec 11, 2013)

I was going to test drive a Cruze diesel before I bought my 328d. Problem was the closest available was at a dealer 50 miles away. I did drive several iterations of VW as well. What made me not drive the extra and test drive the Cruze was the MPG. Even though the highway is 46, the city is only 27, much lower than the 3 series 32 and VWs 30. The Cruze suffers from a conventional 6 speed auto whereas the VW offers a more effiecient 6 speed DCT and the BMW the ZF 8 speed. In the end I chose a 1 mpg hit in highway vs a 5 mpg hit in city. VW took themselves out of the running with an automatic transmission failure on the test drive.


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## UncleJ (May 7, 2006)

Jon, any word on a Avant/Sportwagon version of the Cruze? I would be seriously interested in that -- or the crew cab diesel Colorado that is supposed to be showing up in a year.:angel:


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## AutoUnion (Apr 11, 2005)

I've driven the Cruze multiple times and really like the 1.4T model, but I honestly don't think I would spend that kind of money to pick up a diesel version of it. I've driven the diesel also, and it really didn't wow me.

If I was spending ~$25-27k on a fuel-sipping DD, it would be the new MK7 Golf TDI or even a Toyota Prius.


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## Pat_X5 (Aug 23, 2008)

I have to say prior to pickup up the diesel X late last year, I test drove the Cruze diesel sedan, Audi A6 TDI, and BMW 328d.
Have to say that after test driving the diesels, #1 is Audi, #2 is BMW, #3 is Chevy Cruze.
The Cruze had the worst performance with an awful lag to spool up the turbo.
Even though the price point was very low compared to the Audi and BMW, the Cruze would be a great youth driver or non BMW type driver.


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## UncleJ (May 7, 2006)

Or for someone who sits in traffic every day on the 405 wondering when the nightmare will end and the cars start moving again. Hard to wring out the full potential of a BMW/Audi/anything under those circumstances.


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## Hoooper (Jun 17, 2013)

UncleJ said:


> Or for someone who sits in traffic every day on the 405 wondering when the nightmare will end and the cars start moving again. Hard to wring out the full potential of a BMW/Audi/anything under those circumstances.


ideal scenario for a modern pinto AKA chevy spark


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## F32Fleet (Jul 14, 2010)

Hoooper said:


> ideal scenario for a modern pinto AKA chevy spark


Or an EV. If I had to deal with the 405 I would want my EV to have a solar panels integrated into the roof.


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## Pat_X5 (Aug 23, 2008)

:rofl:


BMWTurboDzl said:


> Or an EV. If I had to deal with the 405 I would want my EV to have a solar panels integrated into the roof.


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## Pat_X5 (Aug 23, 2008)

UncleJ said:


> Or for someone who sits in traffic every day on the 405 wondering when the nightmare will end and the cars start moving again. Hard to wring out the full potential of a BMW/Audi/anything under those circumstances.


Well said!

For those that sit in the traffic mess daily, how about a 3 cylinder gas car -do they still make the Ford Festiva with 3 cylinders ??? :rofl:


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## Flyingman (Sep 13, 2009)

Pat_X5 said:


> Well said!
> 
> For those that sit in the traffic mess daily, how about a 3 cylinder gas car -do they still make the Ford Festiva with 3 cylinders ??? :rofl:


Wasn't it the GEO Metro that had the 3-cylinder? I had to use one of those from GSA many year's ago and swore I'd never do that again. I couldn't even begin to accelerate to pass a truck in the right lane and then when I hit the wind flow near the front it about sucked the dam car under the trailer of the truck. No thanks.


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## glangford (Dec 11, 2013)

Flyingman said:


> Wasn't it the GEO Metro that had the 3-cylinder? I had to use one of those from GSA many year's ago and swore I'd never do that again. I couldn't even begin to accelerate to pass a truck in the right lane and then when I hit the wind flow near the front it about sucked the dam car under the trailer of the truck. No thanks.


Yes, the Metro had 3 cylinders, but they also sold a4 variant as well. They were highly sought for during 2004 when multiple hurricanes shutdown the Gulf.

The new f56 base model mini now has a 1.5 L turbocharged engine, standardizing to 0.5 L per cylinder across the bmw/mini lineup. It's 136 hp and a sizable increase in torque from the normally aspirated r56 1.6 L 4 banger. Review describe it as very smooth. The i8 also uses a 3. Nothin wrong with 3 cylinders.

Years ago I went to EPCOT, the year they opened. Their car of the future concept was a three cylinder diesel by GM.


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## UncleJ (May 7, 2006)

There was also a concept car, a Mercury version of a Ford Freestyle Station Wagon/SUV thing with a 3 cyl diesel and a hybrid drive. I believe emissions killed any chance for it. The concept was before the state of the diesel emissions art had advanced (?) to its current state, and so it was not feasible even though it got incredible mileage.:angel:


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