It seemed bold of Chevrolet to release the Cruze as a four-door compact saloon in a market that seems to view the ever-decreasing sector with the same sort of contempt it reserves for a certain Reliant three-wheeler. Time was that small family cars with an attached boot were as common as the hatch variety. The Rover 200, Vauxhall Nova, Ford Orion, Austin Montego, Peugeot 305 - most cars had, at least, a four-door variant. Nowadays there's nary a four-door compact on the road. Even the Skoda Octavia, while retaining the body shape, plumped for five doors; leaving only the Cruze flying the flag for a separate boot. However even the Cruze was built that way out of necessity, rather than design. Built as a world car, with the vast majority of its parts common across all markets, the Cruze was sold as a four-door because that's what markets outside Europe expect from their cars. But now there's a five-door on the way and at attractive prices. Will this be the car that does for Chevy what Hyundai and Kia's small, affordable cars did for the Korean manufacturers a few years ago? The US manufacturer will certainly hope so - its 2011 figures are down on 2010, though Chevrolet UK MD Mark Terry is keen to point out that a number of models have been replaced in the last 12 months. With the petrol-electric Volt on its way and the arrival of a true halo car in the form of hard-top and drop-top versions of the Camaro also coming to the UK, the Cruze hatch has the potential to launch Chevy into the mainstream as the spearhead of a a clutch of new volume cars that includes the Spark city car, Aveo supermini, Orlando MPV and Captiva SUV. First impressions are good; the Cruze hatch adopts the prevailing design language for small family cars - meaning lines sweep backwards and upwards, leading to suggestions of a coupe-like profile. This is, of course, nothing of the sort but it's certainly as up-to-date as the Focus or Astra. There's also a certain chunkiness to the Cruze that reflects Chevrolet's styling DNA, as seen most recently on the refreshed Captiva and is also evident on the forthcoming Volt petrol-electric vehicle. It certainly ensures that the Cruze stands out a little from the hatch-pack crowd, but it reminded me of Dodge's latter styling on its volume models to a degree, which is not an especially good thing. The Cruze's stats stack up though - it feels roomy inside and on large tyres felt a little taller than other hatches on the market. Chevy says it's amongst the best in the sector for passenger space and there's more than 400 litres of boot space and plenty of storage spaces dotted around the cabin. The interior is another big step up for Chevrolet, the quality of fittings and finishing a lot higher than one could reasonably expect from what it's probably fair to call a 'budget' family car. It's not up to the level of mainstream European or Japanese small family cars, but it's near enough as dammit. Cruze five-door specifications Entry-level Cruze LS trim is only available with the lowest-powered 1.6-litre petrol engine but features generous amounts of kit as standard at £13,995 including ABS, Electronic Stability Control, a raft of airbags, CD-Radio with AUX input, 4 speakers and electric front windows,. Cruze LT trim adds electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors and four-way adjustable seats, chrome detailing, front fog lights, rear park assist, steering wheel audio controls, interior leather trim and 16" alloy wheels. Top spec Cruze LTZ trim adds climate control, light-sensing headlamps, rain-sensing automatic wipers, cruise control, CD-Radio with CD changer, AUX input, six speakers, auto-dimming rear view mirror and 17" alloy wheels. If that doesn't grab you there are plenty of paid options, including a rear DVD pack to keep the brats happy on that long summer holiday shlep at £342. Chevrolet Cruze engines and transmissions There are currently two petrol engines in 1.6 and 1.8 guises and a range-topping 2.0-litre VDCi turbodiesel; but a 1.7-litre turbodiesel will be added at a later date. Chevrolet says the 1.6-litre petrol will appeal most to retail buyers, while business users will favour the 1.7-litre diesel for its low running costs. Petrols are available with a five-speed manual transmission as standard, with an auto box an option with the larger engine, while the 2.0-litre diesel has six-speed manual or slick six-speed autobox with manual function. Chevrolet Cruze 1.6 petrol Chevy's entry-level engine on the Cruze hatch is a 123bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine with manual shifter starting at £13,805 - a price that compares well with most competitors for the size of the engine and asking price. However, the 1.6 feels badly underpowered and the unit struggles at low revs - peak torque is 154Nm at 4200rpm. Hard work with the gearstick brings decent acceleration in the mid range but slight inclines or any overtaking required constant shifting down to get engine speed back. However for the price there's a lot of car with the 1.6 petrol, which is only available with entry-level S specification, and the car should make more sense for retail buyers with only nominal improvements in performance with the larger 1.8. Official fuel consumption is a respectable 43.4 mpg on the combined cycle, while CO2 is rather high for an entry-level engine at 153g/km, meaning annual road tax of £155. Chevrolet Cruze 1.8 petrol The 140bhp 1.8-litre petrol engine also feels rather underpowered and takes a long time getting into the sweet spot of the rev range, with torque of 176Nm at 3800rpm. While those figures appear decent the engine still needs working hard, which may become tiring in long drives, especially in town or on country roads with a manual box. There's also an automatic transmission availabe with this engine on the Cruze hatch, which may not sound like an electrifying combination, but may appeal to those seeking an easy, economical car to drive in a relaxed manner. Top speed on this engine is 124mph while the 62mph sprint takes a 10.2 seconds while fuel consumption drops only slightly from the 1.6 to 42.8mpg. However, during some spirited driving in the Cruze we managed only 31.2mpg. CO2 emissions are 155g/km - meaning barely an increase over the 1.6 and the same annual VED. Chevrolet Cruze 2.0 VDCi automatic The 160bhp 2.0-litre VDCi engine in the Cruze packs a hefty 360Nm of torque at a lowly 2000rpm and feels an altogether different car as a result. All that torque from low down means the Cruze pulls strongly and there's little detectable turbolag; the automatic gearbox also eager to change down to push up revs when required. The autobox feels like a good fit with the diesel engine, both of which are smooth and responsive, however there's a peculiar dead spot at around 2,000 revs when power drops off before picking up again - something lost in translation between engine and wheels. However, while the engine emits 147g/km when equipped with the manual box, plumping for the automatic means emissions of 175g/km - a stiff penalty for selecting the superior transmission for private and business users. What's more, choosing the auto box will mean more frequent trips to the pumps, with 42.8mpg fuel consumption in contrast to the manual's 50.4mpg combined. That's unfortunate as it means the most engaging powertrain combination is the most expensive to run, though a well-equipped hatch with a 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine and autobox at £18,795 should appeal to buyers nontheless. Choose the manual and you'll save a grand and a fortune in running costs. Chevy Cruze hatch verdict Automotive journalists will make much of cars that are fit for purpose or good for their market. For an affordable small family car the Cruze is just that. It ticks the required boxes - but adds a bit more besides. Individual looks, a decent ride/drive balance, good interior space and quality and some strong powertrain choices add up to an impressive all-round offering that's sufficiently different from the rest of the supermarket car park. However, while Chevrolet sees the likes of the Kia cee'd, Citroen C4 and Hyundai i30 as natural competitors, cars like the Ford Focus - in new entry-level Studio edition - now occupy similar prices. Both the new Focus Studio and entry-level Cruze LS retail at £13,995, while the 1.6-litre petrol Renault Megane Bizu undercuts both by £2,000. That's bad news for Chevrolet because the Focus is the superior car and the prospect of going head to head with the likes of the Renault Megane and Vauxhall Astra - the latter is based on the same platform - is bad news. Specification levels look a little stronger at £13,995 and there may be discounts available on the Cruze, but this is a tough sector for car-makers looking for conquest sales from other manufacturers. Its stand-apart looks and slightly taller stance on the road will count for something with car buyers who fancy something a little different though. For them Chevrolet's five-door, one-world Cruze could fit the bill.
