[ProDigit]

It's the system that cuts the engine when it seeks the right gear.
If you accelerate mildly, the system won't seek a new gear, and will have a less than 0.5s delay.
But the moment you require more acceleration than the engine can provide for, the gearbox gets in the process, and that's where your lag comes from.


Also, the turbo starts kicking in around 2k rpm, and is aimed to run best at 2.25k rpm.
When the weather is above 100F, it runs best around 2500RPM; so a 20 degrees rise can easily increase RPM range by 250RPM, before the car starts pulling normally.


My recommendation, if you have the automatic, is to shift gears manually, around 3k RPM (drops down to 2.25-2.5k rpm in the next gear).
It doesn't really accelerate any faster from 3 to 4k rpm.
I wouldn't try to run the engine above 4k rpm. It doesn't sound good, and doesn't accelerate anywhere near good, unless you're going 110+ MPH. Then you need to be in 5th gear to maintain speed, or go faster.
6th gear is not good above 110MPH. You need the extra torque of a smaller gear there.


Also, the cruze with 1.4l turbo is made to cruise at about 55-60MPH.
Anything more and the turbo will drop MPGs down a lot, and it might be better to get a 2 liter NA engine, like from a Hyundai Elantra.

 

[ProDigit]

I think that the manual transmission, like the automatic, has quite a tall first gear.
It would appear that you're describing, like starting the car in second or third gear from a stop.

 

[ProDigit]

Have you ever driven a Dodge Dart (twin turbo)?
If so, you'll know what a short first gear is.
In fact, most cars of 2 liter or less, even 5 spd cars I've owned before, like my dodge Neon, had a shorter first gear than the cruze has.