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any news about the possibility of a manual trans?

8.5K views 44 replies 21 participants last post by  diesel  
#1 ·
dang, I'd probably have to sell my 2010 eco MT if GM would make the diesel with a manual trans. Has anyone heard if this is in the works. How many of you are like me---waiting? in vain?
 
#2 ·
They do plan on making the TD with a manual transmission. I didn't get a time frame yet but I wondered about that too when I heard they only had it in an automatic.
 
#3 ·
A manual would most likely improve fuel mileage, but one of the great things about the Cruze, in my opinion, is the ability to get 50+ MPG while laying back and enjoying the drive. Since this is a family car, my wife wouldn't enjoy it as much (and she currently loves it), if it had a stick.

I know there are a lot of manual trans fans out there and I think it would be in chevy's best interest to offer one.
 
#4 ·
If they do, I also hope they offer it in a slightly less "loaded" model. It would be nice to be able to grab a MT diesel in the same price range as maybe an AT Eco.

That being said, I'd probably get the auto anyway as my wife commutes far more than I do, and she isn't as much of a fan of manuals as I am.
 
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#5 ·
No news of a manual transmission in the CTD not needed the current CTD is blowing the EPA estimate by a long shot and no one really want a manual anymore. I am waiting and I hope they do if not I might be buying something else.

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#6 · (Edited)
Unless sales massively pick up I doubt it. I think it's easier said then done to outfit the diesel in different trims and gearboxes just to sell a few thousand if you're lucky...VWOA's diesel sales are the market, we have room to get a piece but there is a ceiling of people that it truly appeals to.

It's a niche option and always will be in the US, especially with the hefty emissions standards that make diesels so much more expensive to manufacture/maintain.

There's a reason other manufacturers aren't even attempting to get in it. There's just not a market for all of them to be worth it.

I hope I'm dead wrong :)
 
#7 ·
GM needs to just wake up.. Most people could care less if the car has leather seats and all.. Keep the price down, give it a few different trim levels, and see where she goes..

I'd buy a CTD manual as well.. But, I don't care for the leather seats, the Infotainment center, and some of the dash design.. Give me good seats, a good stereo, a good HVAC system, with a nice sticker price, and I'm there!
 
#8 · (Edited)
Remember, the major problem we (both in Oz and the USA) have with getting automobile manufacturers to build the sort of diesel cars we want to buy is the entrenched "people in X won't buy diesels" attitude.

Not only is it entrenched, but a lot of senior (****[1], I want to be nasty, but I don't want a post full of *'s, let us call them "things") things have built their careers on the basis of not having a successful diesel vehicle manufactured by their company.

These things will only get their bonuses if their pet engine makes its sales figures, and the diesel, being more efficient and having more torque and so on, is a direct and in-house challenge to them reaching that target.

The things removed the manual transmission from the diesel when GMH started building the Cruze in Australia, because "Aussies don't want manual cars, let alone diesels" - and the only reason the diesel is built here is because the sales figures couldn't be hidden, someone further up the food chain saw them and insisted the diesel remain.

And remember, anything that is built has to have some input from all of the power-blocs within the company, and it is easier to stamp your authority on something by blocking it rather than facilitating it.

All of the above said, I do hope they bring back the manual for the diesel, but from what people with the 6-speed auto are saying, it doesn't seem to be as bad as it might have been. :)

EDIT:
1 - Oh, of course, I forgot that the word that sounds like something that contains or constrains water (or other liquid) is an obscenity in the barbarian lands. Sigh.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I really would've liked to have bought a Cruze diesel, however, for the price. It's not worth it...Who honestly needs a diesel when you have the Eco hitting 40+mpg? Do a little gas -> diesel price figuring and see how long it'll take to break even.
If I remember correctly, I would have to drive the diesel Cruze like 300,000mi to break even!
If the diesel were hitting 60+mpg, it only then may actually be justifiable. For a $5k-$7k price difference. They can keep it. Just my honest opinion.
 
#16 · (Edited)
I really would've liked to have bought a Cruze diesel, however, for the price. It's not worth it...Who honestly needs a diesel when you have the Eco hitting 40+mpg? Do a little gas -> diesel price figuring and see how long it'll take to break even.
If I remember correctly, I would have to drive the diesel Cruze like 300,000mi to break even!
If the diesel were hitting 60+mpg, it only then may actually be justifiable. For a $5k-$7k price difference. They can keep it. Just my honest opinion.
You're missing some key points as Kpax and diesel pointed out. First and foremost, you cannot fairly compare the diesel Cruze price point to the Eco. It was never meant to be. In a way that's like comparing a V6 Camero to a ZL1.

The diesel isn't about saving money. It never was. You're buying a premium product. For the price of a Prius, you're getting high mileage and much better performance. It's no different than paying extra for a sporty car, except in this case, you not only get better performance than the gas Cruze, you get better mileage! Talk about a win/win!!

If saving money is all you're about, for those of you who keep preaching the MT Cruze Eco as the end-all be-all, why do you even own one of those? Why not a Cruze LS? You'd have to drive your Eco MT nearly 200,000 miles to pay off the price premium of the Eco MT over the LS. Heck, if saving money is all you're about, why not a Sonic or even a Spark? You could drive your MT Eco for 300,000 miles and not pay off the premium over a Sonic LS, and that's all highway miles. Add in city miles and it gets even higher.

So why do you have a MT Eco? Because you wanted more car than a Sonic or even a Cruze LS gave you. You wanted more space than a Sonic, and more features than a Cruze LS, and you found in a MT Eco you got the car you wanted with the added benefit of high mileage.

The same exact principle applies for the diesel. For the price you pay, you get far more than just a diesel engine. You get all the premium features of the 2LT plus some extra stuff not offered on any other Cruze as was mentioned earlier, plus you get a much better performing car, and the cherry on top is you get the highest highway mileage of any non-hybrid car on the market.

So if you're a MT purist, I can understand that. I'd like to see a MT diesel as well, but as far as the rest of it goes, you really can't compare the diesel to the gas Cruze as they are essentially two different cars.

If saving money is all you care about, the Cruze LS buyers on here are the best off of all of us.

(One final aside, much of the "premium" paid for diesel engines is made up for in resale value, which you forgot in your calculations. Assuming resale is even 10% higher than a gasser Cruze, the diesel purchase premium becomes almost moot.)

EDIT: In case I confused anyone, I am not contradicting my previous post. If a lower level Cruze diesel (especially MT) was available, it would be nice, but I am also fully aware of what I am getting with the existing Cruze diesel and therefore don't see it as unreasonable.
 
#10 ·
Making the Diesel an auto only and pretty much a 2LTZ is the issue. Bare bones stick I would have considered it even tho diesel never drops below $3.80 in this side of the country at least. I loved the **** out of the Diesel VW stick we had as rentals in the UK. We drove them like rental cars across that country and still got 600 mile range. It's almost like they purposely sabotaged the sales. If they were going limited runs route they could have made them hatch/wagons.
 
#11 · (Edited)
The comparisons to the gas cruze are reallllly getting worse and worse.

The diesel has better brakes, suspension, interior (material+dead quiet), endless power on tap compared to the 1.4 turd in the echo, much higher quality auto tranny then in the auto gas...This off the top of my head...You really are getting what you pay for. A premium product, not just a gas cruze with a diesel motor stuffed in it. This targets young male adults with higher then average incomes as GM has said.

It's not 5-7k more then a gas cruze. People that buy the diesels aren't just people concerned with fuel economy. The diesel gets better milage and will leave an echo in the dust at the same time. That appeals to some people who can afford it.

It's a niche car, always will be. This is why it's outfitted the way it is. It's a premium, special product for a particular buyer. It's not mainstream, never will be.

PS based on it's price I have no issues with the gas cruze and think it's a great car for it's segment as well. I've said it before but if I didn't get my diesel, a 14' Mazda 6 touring would be in my garage. Same price range.

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#15 ·
Slow down now. This is a niche car now, but will not always be. Mazda is bringing a new Mazda6 Diesel, which when you now have 3 major diesels(that are not luxury brands) out there it should increase the spotlight on those engines more.
 
#17 ·
These last few posts should be separated into their own thread called "Why Buy a Cruze Diesel?" :)
 
#19 ·
There are some great posts in here with very good points. I get sick of people saying you pay such a high price for the diesel compared to the gas version. When I was looking for a new car I wanted all the goodies and when I priced out a 14 ltz and a diesel they were **** close in price so it was a no brainer for me what car to go with.

People who have a base model car with no options have no room to say how much better of a value their Eco is over the diesel. Glad you guys have explained all the reasons it is comparing apples to oranges.


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#20 · (Edited)
Drive a Prius then drive a Cruze diesel. Same price point, but I get more goodies in the Cruze plus close to hybrid mileage on the highway. And overall I prefer the turbo diesel to turbo gas. And I don't think that there is any way the 1.4 Eco cars will consistently last 300k miles +. Of course, no one knows how long the new diesels will last yet with all their emissions garbage, but I'd guess the turbo will be good fit 200k and 500k on the motor before needing to be rebuilt and you can bet I'll get rid of the car if I start having problems before warranty is up.

The manual trans option should have been available from the start to compete better with the jetta, but there's not as much awareness that there is a diesel Cruze like diesel VWs. Here in Colorado, it's surprising when you see a VW that is gas

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#21 ·
If Chevrolet decides to put a manual transmission in the Cruze Diesel, I'll be one of the first ones to order it from my local dealer.

The primary thing that has held me back from buying a Cruze Diesel has been the lack of a manual transmission.

I loved my 1999 Jetta TDI 5 Speed, but reliability started to really decrease around 200,000 miles so I got rid of it and bought my current Cruze. I started looking at a new Golf or Jetta TDI, but their HPFP issues scared me away.
 
#25 ·
We'll see more CVTs before we see 12 speed autos. CVTs have been showing their worth in Nissans and Subarus for several years now, and are showing up more and more in other cars. I wouldn't be surprised to see a CVT option in the next-gen Cruze.
 
#28 ·
PanJet, thanks for your spot-on post. This is my first post here; I'm in a 2012 Volvo C30 right now, and am seriously considering the Cruze diesel. I had two TDI's, but my last one shredded its high pressure fuel pump, so no more VW's for this boy. Only thing with the Cruze is lack of an MT, although it appears "shiftable". That said, how many people with shiftable autos do you see actually shifting them? As for the CVT's, in my experience they are horrible. Better leave that to Toyota and other brands with no heart, soul or imagination. I'm a GM man at heart, and can't wait to get back in the fold.
 
#40 ·
i shift my diesel cruze in town sometimes, always downshift on the hills

most of the time i let it do what its sposed to do.

ive only owned 3 vehicles with autos....all have had aisin transmissions....my other two have 400,000 miles between them with trans repairs totalling $60.

eggspecting good things with this aisin trans as well.
 
#31 ·
but that is what the future holds. i was reading tonight on autobeat that in 2020 they autonomous cars will be on the market and that if the world goes to that means of driving the world will save 5.5 trillion in gas based on the fact the cars can do a better job of driving than humans can do. maybe no more accidents? then you can talk all you want on the cell. but when that happens the manual trans will be history. the car will not push a clutch. and the ecu can control the shift points.

but until then better get used to the cvt they are the best for gas savings, that is why they are used.
 
#34 ·
My research area is in AI. I highly doubt autonomous cars will be ready by 2020. Maybe 2030 though.
The new S class Mercedes is semi-autonomous. I test drove one and it was kind of eerie having it steer for me by reading the line markings on the road.
 
#38 ·
Welcome to CruzeTalk MotleyCruze. I am so glad to hear that you are considering a Cruze TD. Please let me or Erica know if you need any assistance locating a Cruze TD in your area or have any questions about it. The best way to reach us is by sending us a private message. (Cool username by the way.)

Jackie
Chevrolet Customer Care
 
#45 ·