Why the Chevy Cruze Eco is the greatest car you can buy for under $10k

"Mike Farber" (mikefarber) 10/30/2019 at 12:20 • Filed to: Chevrolet, chevy, chevy cruze, used cars, Oppositelock

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By God, just look at it, in all its $199/mo with $0 down glory.

You know, I used to despise the 1st. Generation Chevrolet Cruze. I always deemed it the car someone would buy without doing any prior research. I knew there were much better options out there, with the Civic and Corolla being far more reliable. But then, in a Joe Rogan-like turn of events, a buddy of mine showed me his example. It was a silver Eco model with a 6-speed manual transmission and a rear fascia riddled with stickers about biking. As it turned out, my preconceptions about the successor to the cursed Cobalt didn’t do the car justice. Sure, it won’t survive a nuclear apocalypse, but there are so many advantages that outweigh its numbered lifespan.

To be clear, this is specifically about the Cruze Eco, not the LT with an RS Package that your friend probably drives. Those are just ok.  

Fuel Economy

Given its namesake, you would expect the core of the Cruze Eco to be centered around fuel efficiency, and you’d be right. My friend tells me he only has to fill his Cruze up once a month. To put it in numbers, the thing gets 28 miles per gallon... in the city. I almost had you there. Expect a whopping 42 miles per gallon on the highway with a combined measurement of about 33. My similarly sized Volvo S60 averages just 21 mpg for comparison. Given that comparison, it’s easy to assume that my hunk of Swedish Metal is also leaps and bounds quicker than the Eco. Well...

Performance

The Chevy Cruze Eco is no slouch. My Volvo scoots to 60 in 7.2 seconds. With a manual transmission (more on that later), the Cruze Eco can make it up there in 7.9. The difference is less than a second, and yet you gain over 10 miles per gallon for such an unsubstantial sacrifice. Power comes from a teeny-weeny 1.4 liter turbocharged 4-pot. Yes, rub your eyes until they turn red, but you’ll still read the same thing. Such speed comes from that small of an engine. Similarly to diesel engines, all that might comes from low-end torque. If it were up to me, this car’s powertrain would be the automotive equivalent to David from David and Goliath. Such performance is surprising, but always welcomed in my book.

Handling

One of the complaints you hear from auto reviewers is how uninspiring economical cars are to drive. People often refer to the Prius as the antithesis of driving pleasure. On the contrary, not only is the Cruze Eco peppy at the throttle, but it also feels tight around the corners. The power steering is “light and precise,” says U.S. News and World Report, making the Cruze Eco “one of the more enjoyable cars to drive” in the compact sedan class.

It comes in a damn manual

Need I say more? The ability to bang your own gears is the cherry on top of the sundae that is driving pleasure. Plus, with the manual transmission, the Cruze you will find will most likely be cheaper, given how low demand is for manuals these days. Reviewers in 2011 recommended the manual over the automatic due to its effortless shifting, and on top of that, acceleration is quicker with three pedals than with two.

What about its close rivals?

A three-pedaled Ford Focus SFE (the one with the funky dinner plate hubcaps) is the closest you can get to being a direct competitor to the Cruze Eco. But not only is the Cruze better looking than the Focus, with its clean lines, sharp angles, and polished wheels, but also manual SFE Focuses are extremely rare, let alone SFE Focuses in general. Most likely, you will have to settle with the dreaded Power Shift DCT which will go out every 70k miles. So there’s that. What about the VW Jetta TDI? 2016's news headlines should be able to answer that question. How about the Hyundai Elantra Eco? It’s a close one, but its numb steering and lack of a manual offering cause the Cruze to best it. Well, then surely nothing can beat the Mazda3, right? Except earlier, more affordable examples drink gas like cartoon sitcom dads drink their respective show’s fictional beer. Even newer examples, while better on gas, are still no match for the Cruze’s stinginess.

Any flaws? + Conclusion

Reliability has never been GM’s strongsuit. The only reliable GM car I could think of off the top of my head is the Buick Century with the 3100 V6. You can find a bunch of these on Craigslist for less than $3k, but they’ll all be buckets of rust, given they were made during the turn of the millennium by, well, GM. But I digress. Sure, the Chevy Cruze Eco may not be a 1994 Toyota Celica, but Scotty Kilmer doesn’t need to love a car in order for it to be perfect. No cars are, really. But the Chevy Cruze Eco, combining fuel efficiency, driving fun, and affordability, sure comes close.

Stephen Rivers > Mike Farber 10/30/2019 at 12:35

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Really nice write up.

412GTI > Mike Farber 10/30/2019 at 12:35

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Back when I worked for Enterprise in college, I too was surprised by the 1G Cruze. Always thought they were more comfortable and refined than anything else in the class.

I’ve only driven automatic examples, so FWIW, I did think they needed more power. Turbo lag + heavier curb weight wasn’t ideal in my eyes. Still, way better than a Sentra or similar. 

and 100 more > Mike Farber 10/30/2019 at 12:38

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Aaaaaand off i go to Craigslist... once again.

Mike Farber > 412GTI 10/30/2019 at 13:11

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From what I’ve read, you’re not alone. I also read that the auto Cruzes had rather delayed gear changes.

i86hotdogs > Mike Farber 10/30/2019 at 13:20

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If I remember correctly, the Cobalt also had an economical trim that was comparable to this. Believe it was the Cobalt XFE. Manual, rolling windows, no traction control.

Regular did a review on one.

Mike Farber > i86hotdogs 10/30/2019 at 13:31

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Man, I forgot about those. I remember Mr. Regular doing a review on one, it just totally blew over me. Still a Cobalt though. Plus MPG gain wasn’t even that substantial. Scion also did something similar with the tC, meant to be a clean slate for ricers to do whatever they wanted to it.

i86hotdogs > Mike Farber 10/30/2019 at 13:42

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A chick I knew in college drove one. I would always ask to drive it. She didn’t understand the exclusivity of it.

A clean slate trim should be standard for nearly every enthusiast model out there. Imagine an ecoboost mustang with roll up windows and minimal sound deadening: ultimate autocrossing vehicle.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Mike Farber 10/30/2019 at 14:50

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My experience from a rental Cruze wasn’t awful, but I certainly  wouldn’t own one

Gone > Mike Farber 10/30/2019 at 15:00

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We have an LTZ (auto only) that’s been good to us. (90k, avg 31.5mpg lifetime in 50/50 mix). G ood plugs are important and I only use Gen2 Dexos oil . I’ve read they do better on mid-grade, but we just put 87 in it. B es ides the common PCV issue, it’s been trouble free. It handles well and the LTZ has the benefit of the Watts rear.

The best combo is probably t he 2013+ LT 1.4 T/ 6spd manual w/ the RS package which gets the Watts rear and rear discs like an LTZ .

Standanley > Mike Farber 10/30/2019 at 16:16

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As a 6 speed Eco owner, I agree wholeheartedly with this review. I’ve had mine for 6+ years and put over 125k miles on it with only minor repairs - mostly wear and tear.

I keep a log and have averaged 35 mpg combined over the last 50k miles, and there are times on the flat highways of Ohio that I will get 48-50mpg for a 50 mile stretch.

Super happy, and I plan to run this one until the wheels fall off.

Clunker Connoisseur - In Lucas we (don't) trust > Mike Farber 10/30/2019 at 16:20

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What’s the benefit to a Cruze compared to, say, a dieselgate TDI? I could get . Jetta Sportwagen with a manual, better mpg, and a nicer interior for $10-14k from the right dealer. I’ve been in several non-eco trim Cruzes of this gen and ab solutely hated them

Mike Farber > Clunker Connoisseur - In Lucas we (don't) trust 10/30/2019 at 17:12

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The main advantage when pitting it against a Dieselgate TDI, really, is the fact that it still has a gas engine. Diesel, more often than not, costs more than gas, as I’m sure you know. I know you can get Jetta Sportwagens for dirt cheap too—I’ve seen plenty of 2013's for less than $8k—but maintenance will eventually become a nightmare (remember, we’re talking about the 2.0 TDI, not the trusty 1.8, plus it’s German so parts will be pricey anyway). But I agree with you, non-Eco Cruzes suck. There are far better options out there if you settle with one of those.

Clunker Connoisseur - In Lucas we (don't) trust > Mike Farber 10/30/2019 at 17:21

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I suppose the long term reliability is a concern with VAG products in general , but i definitely do like the few TDIs that I’ve driven. But still, why not a Volt over the Cruze? It has enough electric range to do your daily duties without using any gas, has good torque, looks interesting, and can still do long trips thanks to the gas engine. I see 2012-2014 models for under 10k with reasonable miles all the time

Mike Farber > Clunker Connoisseur - In Lucas we (don't) trust 10/30/2019 at 17:30

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A Volt can definitely be an option. I have a friend who dailies one  and he likes it. It even handles better than you’d think. It just isn’t good on long trips, however. If you run out of charge, you can only get so much power out of the gas engine. But otherwise, it’s up there.

Jordan > Mike Farber 10/31/2019 at 00:02

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For $10k, its terrible value. $10k isn’t a huge amount of money, but it can buy a good example of any 8+ year old car within reason. You can get a well-maintained F10 535i for that money, and it also had the option of a manual. Sure, maintanance is more expensive, but A) I t will be far more reliable than the Cruze , and B) Someone who can spend $10k on a car, while not rich, is hardly living paycheck to paycheck, and can still easily afford to pay double for tyres, brakes, and oil changes.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Mike Farber 10/31/2019 at 15:14

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What was your source for that 0-60 time?  Did you test it?