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Chevrolet Cruze hatchback

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This is mostly for the European market where it should go on sale before next summer.

I like the design. Nothing amazing, but it does look more than just a hatch version of the sedan.
It is pretty much its own car.

Let’s hope the new Focus hatch is a hit in the US, so GM finds the guts to bring this over here.
Considering how long it’s taking them to bring us the sedan, we could see this for the 2018 model year, if we’re lucky…

Conversation 26 comments

  2. Hey, I have an idea… let's look at pictures of this for the next three years. Maybe it can be in the next Transformers movie too! Then when it finally comes to us, we'll be plenty sick of it like everything else Chevy has done lately.

  6. Haha last comment was funny…by the time we get this their benchmark of the MK5 or whatever Jetta will be obsolete, and so will this car, of course. Just like the Camaro looks and seems like it has been on the road since about 2006.

  7. This looks more forward looking than the sedan. The back end of the sedan is boring. I really liked the Cruze and thought it would sell well….until I saw the new Focus.

  8. Thanks to a very well done C pillar and rear, the hatch looks much better than the sedan. The Cruze sedan's roofline and C pillar cut are nothing special.

  9. NO lets have a press release about it twice a month for 3 years, saying its coming to the states, then in 2 weeks nope ! the again in 2 weeks someone changed there mind, then 2 weeks later well anounce it will get 230 mpg ! then u guessed it 2 weeks later a revision of that last press release… lol

  10. It's nice but even the hot hatchback don't sell well in the USA. At least, Chevrolet "USA" can sell it in SS version with the 260 hp 2.0 Ecotec. It would make a serious competitor to the GTI, the MS3…

    Here in Canada, it could sell it also with the 1.8 and/or the 1.4 Turbo. The compact hatchbacks are selling well here : the Golf, the Matrix, and the 5 doors of Mazda 3 and the Elantra are really popular on our road.

  11. GM looks at Ford's current lineup and Chrysler's future lineup and arrives late to the party with … this? Really?

  12. Oh great the 2014 Cruze way ahead of debuting. Now we got to be teased for 3 years before it arrives. By then the Mazda 3 and Kia Forte will receive a facelift.

  13. This looks great! But I gotta say, I guess the engineers COULD'NT figure out how to NOT use the black spacer on the c pillar area? This looks better than the sedan but still, they could'nt figure out how to make it more integrated with the window and door?

    STILL, I wish this vehicle was coming to the USA! Oh well….I guess I'll buy a Hyundai or KIA…

  15. Not coming to the US? BIG MISTAKE (More Like BIG HYPE). Mitsu said the same thing about the Lancer Sportback. Although, they should have followed through the on that particular promise. I've yet to see one on the road.

    But this? They can't afford to be choosy…not with everyone else hatching at the party.

  16. This looks boring, boring, boring. Oh wait, it's a new Chevy Optra (or to my neighbours to the south, Suzuki Reno). Really? People care about this car? I get it to a degree. Every new car introdution interests me. But anyone with half a brain would pick a Mazda3, Lancer, or Golf before this. I guarantee you they're better to drive. If you've spent time behind the wheel of a fair amount of cars you would know that the Japanese and Germans have the Koreans beat hands-down for handling and comfort. You can argue all you want, you'll still be wrong.

  17. The problem with hatchbacks in the US is not just that people don't want to settle for a hatchback; it's that most people here can afford something better (i.e. BIGGER). But that's changed dramatically in the last 3 years. The standard of living is noticeably lower and it doesn't look like it will ever get back to the high levels of spendable income we had in the Clinton & Bush years for quite a while–if ever! And THAT'S what GM, FIAT, FORD, and others are REALLY speculating on. Will American's have their spending freedom permanently restricted to the point where they start trading Sequoias, Surburbans, Rams & Chargers in on Fiestas, Fiats, Mini's and Civics EN MASSE??? Personally I think there's a fundimental & PERMANENT (1-way) change going on in the spending habits of Americans today. It will eliminiate competition among premium automobiles and increase demand for small hatchbacks from GM, Ford, Chrysler(FIAT)–not to mention Korea, Japan & China. Will we see this new GM HATCH in the US anytime soon? YES, I think so. Not because GM "decides" to bring it in as a "niche" vehicle, but because the average American no longer has the financial ability to buy what ever makes them happy. They're going to start buying what they can finance, fuel, maintain, and afford to operate. And that ain't gonna be Expeditions, Enclaves, Rams, or Corvettes for very much longer! The bad news is that those who made the switch to small sub-compacts long ago may find themselves riding the bus and seeing the car of their dreams only on the internet!!!

  20. The tail lamps look very 2001, but I guess I prefer it over the pixelated LED tail lamp look that everyone else is doing now. And the logo on the trunk sucks.

  21. It looks a) cheap; and b) korean, two things even the korean automakers are running away from. The Astra is much better suited to fight the Focus. Compared to this, the 2012 Focus and the 2012 Avante/Elantra look like Audis and BMWs.

  22. The front clip of the Cruze has always been its weak point because it already looks dated. But the body of the hatch looks so good that the clip is now very distracting.

    The front clip needs to be totally redone. I think Chevy should drop that grill design to start. If they insist on a silver bar, then they need to recess and minimize it. They need to drop the gold color from the Chevy badge. It needs to be chrome or body color. As mentioned earlier, that badge is very detracting from the overall beauty of the car's rear. The headlights have always been odd but now they look terrible. Perhaps GM should orient them more vertically…

    That said, it will be interesting to see how this car competes with the 2012 Focus. That is going to be the car to beat.

  24. The problem with this is that I'm not seeing anything new. Just Chevy playing catch-up again. Aside from the tired LED driving lights, there's nothing here that's any better than a 2004 Mazda 3. Even the Altezza tail lamps are from ten years ago.

  25. Rick, you took the words right out of my mouth. Chevy needs to 86 that hideous grill and corny gold badge ASAP! Smaller bar, or get rid of it period, and shrink the logo and chrome it at least.

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