Lordstown’s Cruze gets rave reviews at Detroit auto show

By Don Shilling

The Cruze’s designer gave the car a sporty feel, despite its size.

DETROIT — The next car to be built in Lordstown was welcomed warmly when it cruised in Detroit Sunday.

“The Chevy Cruze should be a success,” said Ronald Kuhn, an industry insider who saw the car at a General Motors press conference at the North American International Auto Show.

GM unveiled the car to the automotive press in October at the Paris Auto Show, but Sunday’s event was the first time auto insiders in North America could climb inside the car that will replace the Chevrolet Cobalt in April 2010.

“They got the proportions right,” said Kuhn, vice president of Motor City Market, an Internet marketing company.

He predicted the Cruze will duplicate the success of the Chevrolet Malibu, which was named Car of the Year at last year’s car show in Detroit.

Kelsey Mays, editor of Cars.com, said he is impressed with the sporty look of the car and the effort GM has made to place the Cruze above an entry-level sedan. He cited the roominess of the back seat and the use of upscale trim in the interior.

The only drawback of the model as it stands now is the back seat doesn’t fold down, he said. That could be a deal-killer for many buyers who look for that feature to add to cargo space, he said.

Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager, said GM aims for the Cruze to be have the most room and the best gas mileage of any compact car.

“We think it will create a whole new segment and be very disruptive, he said.

Read Don Shilling’s full report from the Detroit auto show Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.