Just got my 2nd Cruze - Comparison to my Previous Cruze

4394 Views 20 Replies 16 Participants Last post by 2016Cruze, Jan 29, 2016

Richard

Discussion Starter · Jan 11, 2016

Hi All,

I got my 2nd Cruze about 3 weeks ago. I previously had a 2013 with the RS Package. Both are 1 LT's. The one that I just got (2016) is in the Red Tintcoat. Doesn't have the RS Package, but it has some other nice packages (heated mirror, auto-dimming review mirror, My Link System, Remote Start, etc.).

There are several things that I'm disappointed with when comparing my current Cruze to the previous one.

1. The seats were never comfortable on the 2013, but I could accept them. With the current Cruze, the seats are abominable. They're hard like a rock and my rear end hurts every time I drive. There's no cushion at all in these seats. It really bothers me.

2. The Steering Wheel sucks. My 2013 had a leather wrapped steering wheel. The current one has a standard steering wheel which is very rough like sandpaper- so much so that I had to buy gloves to drive with. My hands were getting very sore.

3. The gas mileage is not great compared to my 2013. I'm getting 2-3 MPG less than the 2013. The car only has 500 miles on it and I remember the mileage improved with the 2013 when it broke in. Still, I don't remember it being this bad when I first got it. I was getting 27 - 28 MPG with mixed city and highway driving. With the 2016, I'm getting 24-25 MPG. I'm hoping it will improve when it breaks in.

I really wanted to get a Malibu, but my wife wanted another Cruze. She didn't want such a big care - the Malibu is only 8 inches bigger than the Cruze. Aside from the things I mentioned above, there were other things that I don't like about both Cruze's - the tiny engine that it has. It takes forever for the car to warm up on cold days. It was 11 degrees the other day and the car actually got colder when I was sitting at a traffic light. My brother's Altima is something like 190 HP and it's rated at the same gas mileage as the Cruze in the City and Highway.

I really feel that I made a mistake by getting a Cruze again, but I'm easily persuaded and I didn't go with my instinct.

It is a pretty nice looking car in the red tintcoat and there are some nice features that it has, but I really would have preferred the Malibu.

Not much to do but live with it.

Richard.

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1 - 20 of 21 Posts

lakemg

· #2 · Jan 11, 2016

Interesting comparison. Thanks for sharing your perspective. I have a 2016 too. Not too concerned about the seats, but the steering wheel does seem like a hard piece of plastic. I might have to do a steering wheel upgrade at some point like others have done.

Look at it this way...the money saved by not getting a Malibu can go towards a new Camaro or Corvette with a monster 6.2 L engine

chevrasaki

· #3 · Jan 11, 2016

Interesting... Sorry to hear, if it's not too late to take it back, maybe check out the buick verano? I also kinda like the ford focus.

blk88verde

· #4 · Jan 11, 2016

Sounds like GM continues to de content the Cruze. When I bought a 2011 ECO, it seemed like a premium small car. The leather steering wheel and shift knob were nice.

Reactions: 2

obermd

· #5 · Jan 11, 2016

@Richard, is your new Cruze a 2016 or a 2016 Limited?

IndyDiesel

· #6 · Jan 11, 2016

Oh well, sounds like your wife is happy so your not sleeping on the sofa :eusa_clap:

NickD

· #7 · Jan 12, 2016

Wife and I already went to the 2016 Chevy build your own site. We can build it their way, but not our way, so we are not interested.

So why do they call it a build your own site, when they should call it, built it our way.

Ha, remember when Buick offered an Estate wagon back in 1970 for only $2,900, had so many different options, couldn't even drive it that way. First question was, do you want wheels? By the time we were done, price skyrocketed to over $6,500, yes we want seats, etc. But at least they were offering a whole bunch of choices.

Richard

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jan 15, 2016

chevrasaki said:
Interesting... Sorry to hear, if it's not too late to take it back, maybe check out the buick verano? I also kinda like the ford focus.

What do you mean by "not too late to take it back". I thought once you drive the car off the lot, it's yours. I did hear of some cars where you had 30 days and if you weren't happy, you can return them. But I'm sure it wasn't as easy as it sounds.

Richard

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 15, 2016 (Edited)

I'm not really sure. I thought I saw some place that it was a limited, but again, I'm not sure.

Sorry, I was answering the question whether my New Cruze was a 2016, or a 2016 Limited.

UpstateNYBill

· #10 · Jan 16, 2016

Buy a leather steering wheel cover.

What speed is your fan set at? Was the engine fully warmed up?

SMKS

· #11 · Jan 17, 2016 (Edited)

2

Richard said:
I'm not really sure. I thought I saw some place that it was a limited, but again, I'm not sure.

Sorry, I was answering the question whether my New Cruze was a 2016, or a 2016 Limited.

EDIT - it looks like the 2016 Cruze isn't in dealers yet. I'm guessing you bought the old version of the Cruze, known as the Cruze Limited.

If they did change things like the seats and steering wheel it's probably to make the car cheaper for fleet sales. Generally when GM keeps producing an old model after the new one comes out it's to benefit fleet sales. The old Cruze Limited will be aimed largely at rental car agencies and other fleet customers.

================

Did you get the new model or the old model? For 2016, Chevy released a new generation of the Cruze, but they're continuing to sell the old Cruze as the "Cruze Limited."

2016 Cruze, the new model

2016 Cruze Limited, the old model they're continuing to sell

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jsusanka

· #12 · Jan 18, 2016

blk88verde said:
Sounds like GM continues to de content the Cruze. When I bought a 2011 ECO, it seemed like a premium small car. The leather steering wheel and shift knob were nice.

Yep totally agree. If I have to spend money that equals the price of the next segment up from the cruze just to get a leather steering wheel I will go with the bigger segment car. I want a leather steering wheel without getting leather everything. I am not crazy about leather seats but I am crazy about leather steering wheel.

S-Fitz

· #13 · Jan 18, 2016

blk88verde said:
Sounds like GM continues to de content the Cruze. When I bought a 2011 ECO, it seemed like a premium small car. The leather steering wheel and shift knob were nice.

It started with the 2012's. They lost the manual height and tilt adjustable passenger seat that was on all 2011's and the illuminated glovebox. Then the z-link rear stabilizer disappeared after that on the LT's.

2016Cruze

· #14 · Jan 27, 2016

From 2012 to 2016

So, I now have the 2016 limited LT1 RS ,which the dealer swears is a 2 LT RS , still no glove box light or hood light and no auto dim rear view mirror and I now have manual seats.The front dash pocket has gone away for what looks like a speaker but is actually a vent for the info-tainment center They did manage to get led's driving lights on the front and they managed to do their version of HID looking fog lights. Still stuck with the crap halogen headlights. Same tires and wheels and they haven't figured out how to put 4 wheel disc on the **** car. I did go with the automatic this go round and I am far from impressed with it. GM has had the 6 spd auto since 2011? and it's still is stupid as a brick. They , the dealer, tell me that it's learning my driving style. ? The blower seems much quieter in AC or heat which I appreciate. I have a back up camera now which I didn't have. Mild front end changes to trim and grille. The dealer ,when I complained, told me that the floor mats only have 1 hold down peg per side. The other complaints I had when I took it in for it's check up after 800 miles was that the car was floating all over the road and the transmission was starting out in 2nd then down shifting to first then back to 3rd maybe? Strong gas smell after a hard acceleration. Lots of harmonic rattles in the dash and around the seat belt mounts. One other issue was that it went into a battery save mode and stabil-trac / please service soon display popped up and then went away. The dealer seems to have addressed all of the issues I brought up ; I really don't know what they did to the transmission but it feels really good now.It's suddenly smart? The steering /wandering sailboat issue is gone and the rattles and dash buzzes are kinda fixed.

The one issue I am really wondering about is my TPM's, traction control system and stabil-trac systems functioning. When I am going down the road ,reg city driving, the tps is reporting various tire pressures constantly. My 2012 was rock solid as far as reported pressures. When I turn the stabil -trac and traction control off the tps levels of quite quickly at 37psi. Any ideas?

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GlennGlenn

· #15 · Jan 27, 2016

Richard said:
Hi All,

I got my 2nd Cruze about 3 weeks ago. I previously had a 2013 with the RS Package. Both are 1 LT's. The one that I just got (2016) is in the Red Tintcoat. Doesn't have the RS Package, but it has some other nice packages (heated mirror, auto-dimming review mirror, My Link System, Remote Start, etc.).

There are several things that I'm disappointed with when comparing my current Cruze to the previous one.

1. The seats were never comfortable on the 2013, but I could accept them. With the current Cruze, the seats are abominable. They're hard like a rock and my rear end hurts every time I drive. There's no cushion at all in these seats. It really bothers me.

2. The Steering Wheel sucks. My 2013 had a leather wrapped steering wheel. The current one has a standard steering wheel which is very rough like sandpaper- so much so that I had to buy gloves to drive with. My hands were getting very sore.

3. The gas mileage is not great compared to my 2013. I'm getting 2-3 MPG less than the 2013. The car only has 500 miles on it and I remember the mileage improved with the 2013 when it broke in. Still, I don't remember it being this bad when I first got it. I was getting 27 - 28 MPG with mixed city and highway driving. With the 2016, I'm getting 24-25 MPG. I'm hoping it will improve when it breaks in.

I really wanted to get a Malibu, but my wife wanted another Cruze. She didn't want such a big care - the Malibu is only 8 inches bigger than the Cruze. Aside from the things I mentioned above, there were other things that I don't like about both Cruze's - the tiny engine that it has. It takes forever for the car to warm up on cold days. It was 11 degrees the other day and the car actually got colder when I was sitting at a traffic light. My brother's Altima is something like 190 HP and it's rated at the same gas mileage as the Cruze in the City and Highway.

I really feel that I made a mistake by getting a Cruze again, but I'm easily persuaded and I didn't go with my instinct.

It is a pretty nice looking car in the red tintcoat and there are some nice features that it has, but I really would have preferred the Malibu.

Not much to do but live with it.

Richard.

Its posts like this that make me (and the wife) happy we got the loaded 2015 CTD Cruze. I literally can NOT get her out of it. 700-800 per tank will do that to you!!

ls1vazquez

· #16 · Jan 28, 2016

Wow. That's a bummer to hear. I own a 2012 Cruze Eco and the seats are a under cushioned and the ride is a bit stiff.

Looking at the Malibu's once I knock another years of payments off of this current ride.

Eddy Cruze

· #17 · Jan 28, 2016

2016Cruze said:
From 2012 to 2016

So, I now have the 2016 limited LT1 RS ,which the dealer swears is a 2 LT RS , still no glove box light or hood light and no auto dim rear view mirror and I now have manual seats.The front dash pocket has gone away for what looks like a speaker but is actually a vent for the info-tainment center They did manage to get led's driving lights on the front and they managed to do their version of HID looking fog lights. Still stuck with the crap halogen headlights. Same tires and wheels and they haven't figured out how to put 4 wheel disc on the **** car. I did go with the automatic this go round and I am far from impressed with it. GM has had the 6 spd auto since 2011? and it's still is stupid as a brick. They , the dealer, tell me that it's learning my driving style. ? The blower seems much quieter in AC or heat which I appreciate. I have a back up camera now which I didn't have. Mild front end changes to trim and grille. The dealer ,when I complained, told me that the floor mats only have 1 hold down peg per side. The other complaints I had when I took it in for it's check up after 800 miles was that the car was floating all over the road and the transmission was starting out in 2nd then down shifting to first then back to 3rd maybe? Strong gas smell after a hard acceleration. Lots of harmonic rattles in the dash and around the seat belt mounts. One other issue was that it went into a battery save mode and stabil-trac / please service soon display popped up and then went away. The dealer seems to have addressed all of the issues I brought up ; I really don't know what they did to the transmission but it feels really good now.It's suddenly smart? The steering /wandering sailboat issue is gone and the rattles and dash buzzes are kinda fixed.

The one issue I am really wondering about is my TPM's, traction control system and stabil-trac systems functioning. When I am going down the road ,reg city driving, the tps is reporting various tire pressures constantly. My 2012 was rock solid as far as reported pressures. When I turn the stabil -trac and traction control off the tps levels of quite quickly at 37psi. Any ideas?

So are you very happy or very sad? If you had a previous CRUZE it seems some of your observations would have been very noticeable to the naked eye? If your Dealer swears you have or were sold a 2LT perhaps they switched it on you? I have the cheaper plain 1LT CRUZE with the power seat, quite fashionable!

2016Cruze

· #18 · Jan 28, 2016

My feelings are mixed at the moment. I was really happy with 2012 , no service issues, manual trans though. Sales didn't seem to know anything about the car they were selling. Service seems less than helpful if not subversive. I do have 2 pins now holding my floor mats down though.

Eddy Cruze

· #19 · Jan 28, 2016

2016Cruze said:
My feelings are mixed at the moment. I was really happy with 2012 , no service issues, manual trans though. Sales didn't seem to know anything about the car they were selling. Service seems less than helpful if not subversive. I do have 2 pins now holding my floor mats down though.

I almost lost my life with the two pins thing so I feel your pain! Hyundai added a second pin hole for my OEM all weather mats,, my Car only had one post, one day I floored the Sonata and the mat slid under the pedal and the Car went out of control. There's a first time for everything!

iggy

· #20 · Jan 28, 2016

Remind me to test drive the next Cruze I buy.

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