2017 Chevrolet Cruze Road Test and Review

Chevrolet has sold over four million Cruzes around the globe since 2008, making this compact the brand's best-selling car. Now in its second generation, the 2017 Cruze has continued to build upon that popularity with a unique blend of comfort, technology, and value. Slotted between the Sonic and the Malibu in Chevy’s extensive lineup, the Cruze is available as a four-door sedan or a sexy and versatile five-door hatchback. It also offers the only diesel engine in the compact class. Rated for up to 52 mpg on the highway, it’s the most efficient car in the extremely competitive compact segment aside from hybrids and electric vehicles.

Thanks to its low starting price, high fuel economy and inspired style, the Cruze competes very successfully against a long list of high-quality small cars including best-selling the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.

Let's take a closer look at the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze.

The 2017 Cruze sedan and hatchback are available in a handful of trim levels. The four-door sedan is offered in L, LS, LT and Premier trim levels, while the hatchback is limited to the LT and Premier. All Cruzes are front-wheel drive, like nearly every competitor. Prices start at $18,725, including a $875 destination charge, for the sedan L and top out at $23,995 for the top-of-the-line Premier like our test vehicle. The hatchback starts at $23,065. Load up the options and a fully stacked Cruze Premier will crest $29,000.

Cruze offers two very different fuel efficient engines. Standard across the board is a 153-horsepower 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with start/stop, which shuts off the engine at red lights to save fuel. It works with the standard six-speed manual transmission or the optional and far more familiar six-speed automatic. 

In the Cruze sedan, Chevy also offers a 1.6-liter diesel engine with 137 hp, which will also be available in the hatchback in 2018. The diesel is offered with a six-speed manual or an optional nine-speed automatic transmission. There isn’t a hybrid model, although Chevrolet's Volt plug-in hybrid is similar to the Cruze in size and layout.

Climb in the 2017 Cruze and you’re met with quality materials and dynamic design. The interior of our Premier test vehicle felt modern, but it wasn’t overly complicated or overstyled. That’s a good thing. It also packed plenty of luxury features. 

Control placement is well thought out, the Cruze’s gauges are straightforward and attractive and the leather covered seats in our test vehicle felt great. On a cold morning the seat heaters warmed up quickly, and I liked Chevy’s thick leather-wrapped steering wheel. The contrasting stitching on the seats and dash and the abundance of chrome trim give the interior an upscale feel.

Options on our Cruze test vehicle also included many active safety systems, including a lane-change alert, blind-spot monitoring, a lane-departure warning and rear parking sensors, along with a rear-view camera that comes standard on all models. A rear cross-traffic alert, which warns the driver if vehicles are approaching from the side when backing out of a parking space, is also available, as is a forward collision alert, which will warn you if it detects a vehicle or an object blocking your path.

Our test car included the optional Following Distance Indicator, which alerts you if you’re driving too close behind another vehicle, and automatic control of the vehicles high-beams so you’re not driving around blinding other drivers. However, unlike on many competitors, adaptive cruise control is not offered.

The 2017 Cruze seats four adults very comfortably, and five in a pinch. Its rear seat space is about typical for this segment, but the Honda Civic, which is the limousine of the compact class, offers much more rear legroom. Preteens enjoyed our test car’s standard onboard Wi-Fi, wireless phone charging and optional rear heated seats. The rear cupholders are built into the fold down armrest.

Parents with small children will appreciate the Cruze’s easy to reach LATCH connectors in the outboard seats and three easily accessed upper tether anchors. The Cruze initially received a four-star overall crash test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, but a mid-year update improved it to the top five-star score.

The Cruze’s fuel economy is also very good for this class. With the 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine and the automatic transmission, it's rated at 30 mpg city and 40 mpg highway. The optional diesel is rated at 30 mph city and a class leading 52 mpg highway with the six-speed manual.

The Cruze sedan offers 14.8 cubic feet of trunk space, which is one of the larger trunks in its class, along with a split-folding rear seat. Still, if cargo volume is a priority, go for the hatchback. It offers 24.7 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 47.2 cubic feet with the rear seat folded flat. That’s about the same as you get in a Honda Civic or Mazda3 hatchback.

Storage inside the Cruze’s interior is also generous and well thought out. The center console bin is large and offers USB ports. There’s another bin ahead of the shifter, and the door pockets are large and have slots for water bottles. The two front cupholders are well-sized and accommodate mugs with handles. The cupholders are also well placed just to the right of the shifter, so tall drinks don’t interfere with any of the controls. Your Big Gulp Diet Mountain Dew shouldn’t be a problem in the Cruze.

The Cruze comes with standard Bluetooth, a 7-inch color touchscreen, voice activation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility and onboard Wi-Fi. But the really good stuff is optional. Step up for the Sun and Sound with Navigation Package, which costs $1,995, and you get an 8-inch touchscreen and one of the best navigation systems in the class. Chevy’s intuitive MyLink infotainment system offers simple menus, quick response and clean graphics. Inputting an address is easier than in many luxury cars, and the system makes it very easy to switch back and forth between the navigation map screen and the audio display.

Chevy also offers its clever Teen Driver Technology on the 2017 Cruze. This system enables the vehicle to monitor your teen’s driving habits and sends you updates and alerts. It also disables the cars audio system until its front seat occupants have buckled their seatbelts and allow you to set a max volume limit, and also to establish a speed alert. 

Although the attractive Cruze sedan will never get lost in the school parking lot, the pinup of the Cruze lineup is the five-door hatchback. It brings some European glamour and a muscular stance to the mix with a beautifully integrated spoiler and an aggressively detailed rear view. Large 18- and 19-inch wheels are available which really set off the hatchback’s lines.

With its sculpted curves and a low, racy hood line, the 2017 Cruze sedan looks a lot like its brand brother, the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid. Both are about the same size and share an attractive profile. Up front, the Cruze’s large grille is similar to the Malibu’s and its squinty headlamps remind us of the Camaro, while its intricate daytime running lights are very Audi-esque.

Out on the highway, the 2017 Cruze loves to cruise. At 75 mph its interior is extremely quiet and comfortable, with a smooth, very composed ride. It's also very satisfying to drive around town, where it feels agile and easy to maneuver. And it’s plenty quick with the 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and the six-speed automatic transmission. Floor the gas when the light turns green and the Cruze will reach 60 mph in just over 7.5 seconds.

There are sportier cars in this segment, but the Cruze handles well enough to satisfy most drivers, especially when equipped with its available 18-inch wheels. Still, its steering doesn’t offer as much feel as you’ll find in the more athletic Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Volkswagen Golf or Mazda3, which are the enthusiast favorites in this class.

From its well-appointed interior to its exceptional fuel economy, the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze is a high-value compact that checks many of the boxes for first-time buyers and young American families. It’s a solid overall choice if you’re looking for a quiet, comfortable and efficient compact sedan or hatchback with available technology like onboard Wi-Fi, blind-spot monitoring, and a forward-collision alert system.

If you can, step up to the more attractive and far more versatile hatchback, and those that love to road trip will adore the optional diesel with its 52 highway mpg and over 700 miles of range.