Returning an EPA-estimated 42 mpg (5,6l/100km) on the highway, the new 1,4-liter turbocharged Cruze stands unsurpassed within its segment in terms of fuel economy, according to Chevrolet.
Chevy will actually point out how the Cruze’s 42-mpg highway rating tops competitors such as the four-cylinder Focus (40 mpg), Nissan Sentra FE (40 mpg), Mazda 3 (41 mpg), Hyundai Elantra (37 mpg) and even the VW Jetta (40 mpg – though not the hybrid version). The 42 mpg highway rating is strictly associated with the L, LS and LT Cruze versions, whereas the top-of-the-line Premier model offers an EPA-estimated 40 mpg (5.8l/100km).
Responsible for these numbers is the new, direct-injected 1.4-liter Ecotec turbocharged engine, which has a hand in the nearly 250 lbs’ (113 kg) worth of reduced weight on the previously mentioned L, LS and LT models. Then there’s also the Stop/start technology, which improves efficiency in slow moving traffic, helping the Cruze achieve an EPA-estimated 30 mpg (7.8l/100km) in city driving.
“Offering a maximum highway range of up to 570 miles per tank – you can spend less time at the pump,” says Steve Majoros, director of marketing for Chevrolet. “The 2016 Chevrolet Cruze has more horsepower and torque, and is lighter than the previous generation making it more fun to drive.”
The Cruze is also the “most connected car” in its class according to Chevy. They base that statement on the fact that it comes with built-in 4G LTE WiFi and other connectivity features, including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There are also 10 air bags as standard, plus a wide array of crash-avoidance systems such as Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keep Assist and Forward Collision Alert.
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