2014 Chevrolet Cruze

The Cruze doesn't try to outdo the Hyundai Elantra or Ford Focus on the outside, although its confident exterior lines are a huge step ahead of its predecessors, the cheap and apologetic Cobalt and (going further back) Cavalier. The roofline arches back to a short trunk that holds far more than you might think. The proportions are good--long hood, short trunk--and its smooth sculpting is pleasant and won't age quickly, even if doesn't turn many heads.

Visually, the Chevy Cruze is only slightly smaller visually than the redesigned 2013 Malibu, a "mid-size" sedan that's suffered in the market for lack of rear-seat room. Its beltline is lower and less upswept than the Malibu's, too, giving it decent outward visibility these days.

Fit and finish have been excellent on every Cruze we've tested, and there are a lot of smart design touches: knobs with rubber ribs that make them easier to grip and padding in the right places--though we found the sliding elbow rest on the center console bin didn't extend far enough forward. The upholstery has a high-quality feel even in low-end cars, and the exposed stitching on the optional leather upholstery again conveys the impression of value and luxury.

The wraparound instrument panel, with a mild version of Chevy's classic "twin cockpit" layout, pulls off the difficult trick of being stylish and functional. It's nicely detailed and pleasant to look at, and its areas of hard plastic don't look downmarket as they do on some competitors. The central vents in the dash flank the vertical console, and everything's easy to reach.

If you want a dash of sporty, the RS Appearance Package adds racier front and rear plastic fascias, a rear spoiler, "aero" rocker moldings, and front fog lamps. Inside, it provides backlighting in an icy blue, along with chrome accent rings around some controls, and opaque bezels for the instrument clusters. It changes the ambiance of the car without affecting the mechanicals--which stay stock--and can be ordered as an option on the LT and LTZ trim levels.

New this year is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine, known as the 2.0T and closely related to one sold for years in Europe in various Chevy and Opel models. It produces 151 hp and a substantial 264 lb-ft of torque, and is paired to a different, beefier six-speed automatic only (there's no manual gearbox offered). The driving feel of the Cruze Diesel is quite different; it lags and is hesitant off the line but then surges forward swiftly through its gears and accelerates hard once it gets going. This makes it borderline annoying in stop-and-go traffic, but delightful on the highway.

In picking powertrains, choose the one that's best for the driving you do. If you drive long distances at highway speeds, the diesel is the one to get, though it comes in at the high end of the Cruze range with a sticker price around $25,000. If your Cruze will be used around town, choose the 1.4-liter turbo, which is smooth and almost as fuel-efficient--especially if you go for the Cruze Eco model.

The Chevy Cruze handles and holds the road well enough, but it's more of a predictable family sedan behind the wheel than sportier competitors like the Mazda 6. On corners, the independently suspended rear wheels stay in touch with the pavement even on choppy surfaces. The ride is its strong point, never harsh or busy, though it comes at the expense of some body roll that discourages hard driving. Overall, the Cruze inspires confidence even if it's not the nimblest of mid-size sedans.

Base Cruze models come with rear drum brakes, while all others get four-wheel discs. The mid-level LT model gets a Touring chassis and high-end 2LT and LTZ trims move up to the Sport chassis--which has a slightly lower ride height, retuned shocks, and slightly stiffer spring rates. Unless you're doing mostly highway driving, we recommend the Sport if you have the choice.

The Cruze Diesel gets slightly larger front brakes to compensate for its extra weight; they work fine and stop the car confidently, even if they're a little jumpy at times. (It also gets a stronger 12-volt battery, a higher-output alternator, and so forth.) One other diesel peculiarity: We found that its ultra-low-rolling-resistance tires squealed on corners long before those of other Cruze models.

There's rear seat leg room even behind long-legged drivers, though the limited width will be what tips you off that the Cruze is still a compact sedan. Four adults will fit, but five remains a stretch. Still, the Cruze is noticeably roomier inside than the Honda Civic or the Toyota Corolla. The seats themselves feel sturdier and more luxurious than those of the Hyundai Elantra. The rear seat also folds forward for longer cargo, and on most models, the trunk offers an underfloor compartment as well.

Refinement is where the 2014 Cruze really stands out. With sophisticated sound insulation and baffling--from special engine mounts and nylon sound baffles in the bodywork to acoustic lining for the headliner and triple door seals--Chevy's compact sedan is quieter, calmer, and more pleasant at speed than pretty much any other mass-market compact.

The high-efficiency gasoline model, known as the Cruze Eco, has a number of modifications that cut its weight and improve its gas mileage. It has a simpler rear suspension, special lightweight aluminum alloy wheels, even lighter speakers, as well as higher gearing and active grille shutters. To get that 40-mpg-plus highway rating, you'll have to live with a slightly noisier car.

The Cruze Diesel also adopts a number of the Eco items to improve fuel efficiency as well. From the outside, you'll absolutely know it's a diesel, with the characteristic knocking sound audible from many feet away. But there's no soot or visible exhaust out the tailpipe, and from the inside of the car, it's only the different power range--a lag in revving, then fast shifts snapped off as the diesel propels the car forward at increasing speeds--that let you know.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration too awarded the Cruze five stars (its top rating overall), and five stars in every category except rollover safety, for which it earned four stars.

Although the Cruze has pretty good outward vision compared to most of its competitors, it offers a rearview camera as part of certain option packages.

All Cruze models contain OnStar with Automatic Crash Response, which automatically notifies OnStar and first responders--such as a 911 operator--that a crash has taken place, along with some information the chance of severe injury. An Enhanced Safety Package was new last year; it adds Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and rear park assist—all advanced accident-avoidance features limited to luxury-brand vehicles just a few years ago..

The Cruze also does well in safety tests around the world. The car's basic structure—only slightly different in other global markets—has earned top ratings in Euro NCAP, KNCAP (Korea), C-NCAP (China), and ANCAP (Australia) tests.

Most buyers will start shopping with the LT trim level, to add items like a USB port, Bluetooth, remote start, chrome wheels and power rearview mirrors. The LT trim level can be upgraded to the 2LT to add 16-inch alloy wheels, leather seats, a power driver's seat, heated front seats, cruise control, a USB port, Bluetooth, remote start, and steering-wheel audio controls.

The top-of-the-line gasoline Cruze is dubbed LTZ, and the Cruze Diesel--priced at about $25,000, and with very few options available--is more or less an LTZ with a different engine. Either of those models gets automatic climate control, heated mirrors, park assist, and a snazzier gauge cluster, 18-inch flangeless alloy wheels, as well as optional heated seats.

Last year, the Chevrolet MyLink system was made standard on 2LT and LTZ Cruze models (and optional on the LT). Based around a color touchscreen in the center of the dash, it will likely lure busy parents and younger shoppers for whom seamless smartphone connectivity is crucial. MyLink offers voice control for hands-free calling, music, and radio functions, plus built-in Gracenote to grab playlists and album-art graphics. Built-in Pandora and Stitcher apps let you stream music over your smartphone's data connection.

You can still get a traditional touch-screen navigation system as an option on the Cruze LTZ. All versions of the Cruze come with a six-month subscription to OnStar's Directions and Connections services--but you'll have to subscribe after that. It lets you dial an operator, who can beam travel directions to the car--which will then guide you if you miss a turn. Overall, we've found it to be a tremendously useful feature.

The Cruze Eco model is a fuel-efficiency special without the complication and weight of a hybrid powertrain. Instead, the Cruze Eco has marginally thinner steel panels, smaller welds, and reduced flanges at its welded joints, cutting body weight by about 25 pounds altogether. Its lower ride height (about the same as the Sport models), a rear spoiler, a larger front air dam, active grille panels to block airflow when it's not needed for engine cooling, and an underbody air diverter are among its features to cut aerodynamic drag and improve fuel economy.

It works, too. The 1.4-liter engine in the Eco delivers up to 33 mpg combined in the Cruze Eco with a six-speed manual gearbox (28 mpg city, 42 mpg highway). That drops to 31 mpg combined with the six-speed automatic (26 mpg city, 39 mpg highway).

Then there's the new-for-2014 Cruze Diesel. Like many diesels, it overdelivers on its EPA ratings when used at highway speeds. We've seen real-world 40-mpg fuel efficiency in highway use, and at its EPA highway rating of 46 mpg, it can provide more than 700 miles of range.

The combined EPA rating for the Cruze Diesel is 33 mpg (27 mpg city), the same as the Cruze Eco with six-speed manual. In the end, it's a matter of how and where you drive. We pick the diesel Cruze for high-speed highway efficiency, but find the gasoline Cruze more pleasant to drive and equally fuel-efficient in around-town stop-and-go driving.