Tough to get data on the projected lifespan of the turbo but it is a wear item. Of course the turbo is just one of many differences between these vehicles.

 

So far the 1.4T is holding up rather well, between a couple Eco's who have already racked up 100K+ miles, and a Sonic owner who has tuned his to pump out over 200hp and 250tq to the wheels and drives that thing hard for at least 10K+ going to the drag strip and just tuning/modding.

I would say that as long as you take proper care of your car's engine, and you don't get a random defect/bad part, the 1.4T will last as long as you need the car.

 

I had read you have to be more careful with a turbo and always wait 30 seconds before turning off the engine. Would a turbo be more high maintenance in this regard?

In other words, can the Cruze 1.4 turbo easily get to 150-200k mikes WITHOUT any major issues associated with the turbo?

You do not need to cool off a modern turbo with idling.

I would not worry so much. Early turbos were more prone to failure, some with as few as 50,000miles. I checked on the 1.4T turbo price a few years back, it was around $400. Don't know if its still currently true but at that time a 1.4T complete create engine was thousands less than the 1.8L cruze engine.

There is quite a few people with more than 50,000miles already, at least one with more than 100,000 with no turbo related issues.

 

In my opinion, you are just as likely to run into problems like carbon build up with the Kia Forte's engine that uses direct injection. Maybe even more so than worrying about the Cruze 1.4's turbo.

 

you are just as likely to run into problems like carbon build up with the Kia Forte's engine that uses direct injection.

According to my brother, who supplies tools to car dealers, he sees the techs cleaning carbon build up from relatively low mileage BMWs and Minis with DI fairly often. Can be a pricey job when out of warranty.

 

Bowtieguy,
I understand, thats why if I do go with the 2014 Forte, I would go with the base 1.8 Liter 148hp engine, not the GDI.

 

Ah, my mistake I didn't notice the 1.8 isn't DI. The 1.8 is only available on the LX, which is more comparable to the Cruze LS than the trims with the 1.4T(LT/LTZ/Eco). In that case, and comparing the price points/options of the Forte LX with the Cruze LS, I would honestly give the Forte a try. But if it was Forte EX vs Cruze LT/LTZ/Eco, I would take the Cruze.

 

Not concerned here. I'll take a turbo over GDI any day. When the turbo fails, it's easy to bolt on a new turbo, change the oil, and be good to go. Cleaning intake valves is something I'd rather not do. Although, Hyundai's engines haven't been known for deposit issues.

 

Yes, the nice thing about the Forte LX with 1.8, 148hp, you can get it with the "Popular Package", which adds very classy looking 16" wheels, 6 speakers, turning signals in the
mirrors, etc, as opposed to the base Cruze LS that I believe is those cheap hubcaps only.

 

Yup. im slighty leaning towards the Forte, been I still may be swayed back to the Cruze 1LT! Still doing my research on the pluses and minuses of both vehicles.
I do like the peace of mind of the 5/60 10/100K KIA warranty though. As a current Hyundai owner, I am very familiar with that warranty and have saved a bunch
of money with a few issues for my 2005 Elantra GLS.

I test drove the Forte when I was looking for a new car last year in January. It was very high on my list due to price. Here's what did it for me.

- The road noise. In the Forte, it's terrible. Get on the highway with it, then get in a Cruze immediately afterward. Also try revving that Forte engine up, and do the same with the 1.4T.
- The fuel economy. The Cruze wins, hands down. Check the fuelly.com ratings, not the EPA ratings. The Cruze consistently averages 7-8mpg better.
Forte: Kia Forte MPG Reports | Fuelly
Cruze: Chevrolet Cruze MPG Reports | Fuelly

- Power ratings are not SAE certified with the Forte like they are with the Cruze. Don't compare horsepower ratings until you see some dyno results. The Cruze is guaranteed to put down the power it is rated for.
- Interior quality. The Cruze wins, hands down. There's just no competition. The Kia feels like sheet plastic.
- Interior space. The Cruze wins again, hands down. In fact, I had 1/2" of head room in the Forte when I test drove it, with the seat in the lowest position.
- Safety. The Forte's 6 airbags doesn't compare to the Cruze's 10 airbags and an absolutely incredible safety record.

IMO, the Cruze is simply more car than the Forte. It wasn't worth the $1-$2k price difference for me to buy the Forte over the Cruze given what I was giving up. I also didn't like how they tried to make the car feel faster by making the throttle extremely sensitive; like an on/off switch.

Big point on safety with a Cruze: safety ratings are only officially posted against other cars in its class. Otherwise, one would have a very difficult time explaining how a Suburban can get similar safety ratings to a Malibu. We both know which one would fare better. That's a detail that most people don't consider. From what we've seen in Cruzes that have been involved in collisions, they greatly exceed their reported safety ratings, and do very well against much larger cars.

While I will admit that they've come a long way from where they were 10 years ago, so has GM. The Forte is, in most respects, far behind the Cruze.

 

Right now the 2014 Forte LX automatic with the Popular Package is retailing for $19,100, according to Kia's configurator. A 2013 Cruze 1LT automatic without any packages is retailing for $18,965. Equipment and features between those two are pretty darned close. Those are the two I'd be cross-shopping, not the Cruze LS.

It sounds like you are digging the Forte more than the Cruze. At the end of the day, get what makes you happy. Life is short, drive what makes you happy.ccasion14:

 

Yup. im slighty leaning towards the Forte, been I still may be swayed back to the Cruze 1LT! Still doing my research on the pluses and minuses of both vehicles.
I do like the peace of mind of the 5/60 10/100K KIA warranty though. As a current Hyundai owner, I am very familiar with that warranty and have saved a bunch
of money with a few issues for my 2005 Elantra GLS.

 

I still may be swayed back to the Cruze 1LT!

Check out my "cruze accident" thread to see how well they(cruze) protect the occupants in a real highway speed crash.

 

Sounds like you have a good relationship with your Hyundai dealer. Is the local Kia dealer part of the same network? If it is and the local Chevy dealer is only so-so, buy the car that has better local support in case a problem arises. You're also familiar with the quirks of a Hyundai/Kia vehicle, which helps your case for buying one.

Also, your 2005 Elantra is the high-water mark for the Elantra IMO. Hyundai nailed the styling, the engine power, the fuel economy, and put together a darn good interior. The current-gen MD Elantra (the sedan, not the i30 hatch Hyundai calls an Elantra here) has more features, but is missing the fun to drive nature of the XD and the RD/J2 Elantras. I put a lot of miles onto a J2 Elantra wagon with a stickshift, and have happy memories of that car. It was a ball of fun to drive.

 

Sciphi,
You are absolutely right! Those 2004-2006 generation Elantras were great. My 2005 Elantra GLS actually rides quite a bit smoother and quieter than current Elantras.
My 2005 was using Multi-Link rear suspension, now they are all torsion beam rear suspensions. But I never liked the mushy brake pedal feel of my 2005 Elantra.

 

Now the better question, have you driven both cars you are looking at? Most modern cars will go 150,000 miles with few minor & no major repairs. That means it really boils down to which car you like to drive better.

 

My major concern with the turbo was the experience I had with GEICO where I was accident free with them of something like 25 years when I purchase my 88 Supra with a turbo. Using the argument that I was picking up an extra 3 mpg with it went nowhere. Had to change insurance companies, but still greater than normal rates. Because it had a turbo.

Just the contrary with the Cruze, rates were even lower than my much older 04 Cavalier. Turbo didn't make any difference, but the fact that the Cruze has ten air bags did. Statistics!

In regards to getting robbed on replacement parts, that includes anything in a car that can go wrong. What about an 18 buck MSRP on one of those little cheapa$$ plastic clips that holds the back seat in? Or laying out 40 bucks for a tire valve?

In quoting out literally thousands of projects for production, never was the high dollar items that drove up the price, was always that little stuff that did. Would be far more concerned about your ABS modulator, another throwaway piece of crap. And watch out for junk on the road, that catalytic converter replacement can break you. Should never have been placed that under the vehicle, Fort Knox would be a more logical spot for it.

 

And watch out for junk on the road, that catalytic converter replacement can break you. Should never have been placed that under the vehicle, Fort Knox would be a more logical spot for it.

Been driving for over 20 years and 100s of thousands of miles and never lost a cat to road debris.

Supra had high insurance rate because it would have been classified as a sports car and not because of the turbo engine. Same reason a n/a camaro will have higher rates than a supercharged Buick ParkAve.

 

While I was looking for a new car, I discovered that just comparing the listed specs. and features of cars was a bit like comparing apples and oranges. Yeah, they both might have the same features, but the implementation was different enough to make one more attractive than the other. I ended up downloading the operator's manuals to see how different features compared. My feeling is that I spend a lot more time inside driving the car than looking at it, so how things operate is very important. And on the driving point, do drive the cars as much as you can, as close together as you can, and over the same course to be able to see which one(s) you like. I know that sounds like a lot of work, but $20K or so is a lot of money to me.

 

Yep, as of right now there aren't many other cars safer than a Cruze. We've seen some terrifying crash pictures, and the folks are reported to walk away with a few bruises and airbag scrapes. Safety ratings on the Cruze are a little better than the Elantra, upon which the 2014 Forte is based.

Really, it comes down to which dealer you like better, and which car you like better. No point in getting a great car if the only dealer in the area is horrible.

 

Well stated XR. Unless you do side by side objective comparisons, you will make a subjective decision and that might change how you feel about it down the road, so to speak. The published manufacturer descriptions can be misleading.

 

Supra is considered a touring car, anyway, the heck with GEICO, far happier with Erie and saving 15% for 15 minutes is BS with all those commercials.

If we get off the subject of safety and switch over to luxury, Cruze practically has every luxury option a person could ask for. With maybe the exception of two items.

First is a dash mounted DVD player, that you can't use when driving anyway. So when do you use it? Ha, can say to the wife, instead of watching a DVD on our ten foot protector, let's go out and sit in the car and watch it on a seven inch screen. Besides that, can pick up a portable unit for around 50 bucks.

Second, is a super high performance engine, that you can't use legally anyway, but does look impressive on TV commercials. But with a minor drawback, giving those oil companies a lot more money.

For quietness, Cruze is very hard to beat in any price range. Did have a couple of problems, stuffed some foam in my driver's side weather stripping, and some more in that slide out arm rest.

 

The 2014 Forte is all new. It is not the same as the 2013 Forte...

But as XR did, you should thoroughly test drive and crawl in/out/over both and see which suits you better.

 

To be fair, I have seen the 2014 Forte as well. I maintain what I said previously, although not enough 2014 models have been posted on Fuelly.com to merit much comment with regard to fuel economy.

Even as a 2014 model, it still feels like a Kia. A dressed up Kia, perhaps, but still a Kia.

 

The Cruze has a surprising TIGHT read seat, VERY disappointing. I was over at another Chevy dealer in my general area and they have a new color called "Blue Ray Metallic".
It was a 1LT Automatic, very sharp, dark blue color.

 

Yes, but you drive in the front, do you not?

Here's what it comes down to. These are both cars in the compact segment, so there will be sacrifices. If you get a car with more rear seat, you will sacrifice front seating, or headroom, or trunk space. Pick your poison; they don't call them compact cars for nothing. If you want something bigger, try a Malibu or an Optima, or slide the front seats up an inch or two. In the Cruze, the front seats go VERY far back. I'm 6'1" and I can't even reach the pedals with my toes if the rear seat is all the way back.

I carried 3 full grown people in the back of my Cruze for 2 weeks when my sister, brother, and brother in law came to visit me. The shoulder room was a bit tight with all three of them back there, but they had no issues with knee room.

 

Everybody's tastes and experiences are different. I looked hard at a Elantra, having had good experiences with Hyundai vehicles in the past. It didn't suit my tastes, and what I wanted out of a vehicle. The Cruze Eco MT continues to fit the bill very well, even after ~2 years of ownership.

The rear seat isn't bad, nor is it the best one out there. The average-size folks I've had back there were fine. Then again, I rarely use the back seat for anything. It was not on my criteria when I bought the car. But for fitting a few car seats and growing kids, it'll hopefully be okay.

OP, keep us in the loop on your search.

 

I dont think you will have any issues with the components of our engines. And if anything you got this great community backing you up.

Kia Forte however is well a Kia. Id go all technical but im on a phone in a far away land. But if there was any issues with our cars I doubt rental companys would buy them as fleets... just saying.

I am 6 ft tall my wife is 5'7 but puts her seat as far back as me and for a COMPACT car it is very spacious. Any passengers in the back never complain just compliment. So get the Cruze and as you can see. We on CRUZETALK are really passionate about our cars lol.

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Good points XR and Sciphi,
Have you guys noticed also that the center armrest is way to small and mounted too low? No matter how I adjusted my seat, my elbow would not rest in a natural position.
Also, on the test drive while at a light, the Cruze 1LT slighty jerked forward, twice! I asked the salesman if he felt that and he respnded "no, i didnt feel anything." But I can tell by is reaction he felt the same thing.
But I absolutely LOVE this Blue Ray Metallic color, I thing its the best color I seen on a car. Its the perfect color for the Cruze.

Any of you Cruze experts here know if the 2014 Blue Ray Metallic will be available in the gray interior? The one I saw was black interior
which I hate.

 

The armrest is small, but I find the height to be acceptable. It can be moved forward a few inches though for long-distance comfort.

The transmission is adaptive and takes a while to learn your driving habits. In addition, it will feel like it jerks a bit as it's coming to a stop due to the upshifting to keep the RPMs high and keep DFCO enabled. DFCO cuts off fuel and uses the car's wheels to turn the engine while the car is slowing down.

You may be able to custom order a car with a special interior, but I don't know off the top of my head if you can get that specific color combination in a lot.

 

The engine will be the last thing in the car to let you down. Little issues (electrical, rattles, etc) will plague you way before then with either car.

NEVER buy the first year a car was redesigned. It's just asking for problems.

If rear seat room is an issue, step up a class. They're all small in this class in the rear seat - except the Corolla, but it's junk. I borrow my girlfriends car if I'm hanging out with my guy friends. My 6' + friends just are not comfortable in the Cruze (likewise, I'm not comfortable in most of theirs). The Cruze is fine for 5'8" or less people in the back (in fact, we did 2000 miles with me and 3 girls in one and everyone was fine).


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