[diesel]

This article hints at it with the manual transmission. I think it's very doable.

Chevrolet Cruze Diesel's Mileage Potential Is All in the Gearing

 

[Chris Tobin]

I've been thinking that with the 2nd gen Cruze being 300 pounds lighter and the new diesel engine being smaller and more efficient that the HWY mileage would come in at around 48-52 MPG... We'll have to wait for official word but 50 MPG seems very doable to me!

 

[jblackburn]

With that crazy 9-speed auto with a ridiculous number of gears to pick from, the auto will probably end up with the higher EPA sticker for city/combined. Somehow, despite the manual 2016 gasser having a taller 6th gear, the automatic gets the higher EPA rating.

In the real-world - it may end up being very close!

 

[Chris Tobin]

With that crazy 9-speed auto with a ridiculous number of gears to pick from, the auto will probably end up with the higher EPA sticker for city/combined. Somehow, despite the manual 2016 gasser having a taller 6th gear, the automatic gets the higher EPA rating.

In the real-world - it may end up being very close!

Modern lock-up torque converters and overdrive gear(s) have taken away much of the fuel mileage advantage that manual transmissions once had... I have seen some applications where the TC locks just above idle and stays locked until you come to a stop again acting just like a clutch and eliminating much of the hydraulic pumping loss of the automatic transmissions of yesteryear that were basically "slipping" 100% of the time. My guess is that GM is offering the manual transmission diesel just to woo VW TDI prior owners, but the take rate will still be very low...

The year Ford dropped the manual transmission option from the F-150 I was at the launch press conference and their new was met with a literal gasp from the crowd of automotive journalists. But Ford told us that there were only something like 1000 or so manual transmission F-150s sold the previous year. With the modern automatic being such a good transmission there really is little to no need for a manual transmission anymore... and VERY few buyers want or purchase them...

I personally enjoy driving a manual, but when commuting or sitting in bumper to bumper traffic an automatic is certainly easier on the left leg, especially if you have a performance clutch... We currently do not have a manual trans vehicle in our household, but my last TDI was a manual and we will be swapping a 6-speed manual into my sons 2001 VW Jetta TDI soon. I still very much appreciate a manual, but I understand why the OEMs are dropping them.

 

[spacedout]

I always thought the 2017+ cruze diesel will get a 50MPG hwy rating, comparing the known changes to the 46mpg EPA rating of the 2.0L cruze diesel. however with recent EPA testing changes that 46mpg rating falls to 44mpg, so I'm not sure all the changes GM makes are gonna be equal to 6MPG. My guess 48mpg hwy with the new EPA testing methods.

 

[mgulfcoastguy]

Okay get it on the sales lot so I can go test drive it.

 

[mr overkill]

I wonder if trifiecta and all will crack these cars and tune

 

[Sperry]

Gator and I have averaged 50 MPG since new but we have a lot of highway driving.. I'm thinking the new diesel will easily get 50 MPG and if I pull the trigger on one I'll be hoping for at least a 55 MPG average..

 

[DslGate]

This article hints at it with the manual transmission. I think it's very doable.

Chevrolet Cruze Diesel's Mileage Potential Is All in the Gearing

in one of the recent car mags, there was a discussion about how most new automatic transmissions with their large number of gears actually do better than manuals in mpg return. In fact, most modern manuals have gears 5 & 6 as over drives , leaving the lower gears for acceleration/ performance. A 10 speed auto offers the manufacturer a whole lot of more options for performance and fuel economy.