Rave reviews across US for improved Cruze bode well for Mahoning Valley

Over the past two weeks, thousands of words have been printed in The Vindicator about the new 2016 Cruze.

The Vindicator’s Kalea Hall was in Detroit for the unveiling of the Cruze and filed insightful reports before and after the event at The Fillmore.

Today, as we prepare to say a few more words about the Cruze, it seems appropriate to look outside the Mahoning Valley for some critiques of the Cruze – just to dispel any mistaken impression that the new Cruze has been the beneficiary of, shall we say, hometown refereeing.

AUTOMOTIVE NEWS VIEWS

A few days after the automotive press got its first look at the 2016 Cruze, Automotive News put together a compilation of what journalists and analysts were saying about GM’s revamped compact car.

“The new Cruze takes several strides forward in safety technology. There are 10 air bags, a side blind zone alert, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure alert and forward collision alert, all sensor-enabled steps down the road to autonomous driving.”

– Detroit Free Press

“The new Cruze strikes us as a big step forward. ... With better fuel economy and reliability, and a more comfortable back seat, the new Cruze could be more than competitive; it could be a real small-car contender.”

– Consumer Reports

“So it seems that Chevy has gotten the package right, with some of the best materials to be found in a compact car, plenty of space and a dramatically improved multimedia experience.”

– Cars.com

“The first thing you’ll notice about the new Cruze is the styling. The 2015 model certainly wasn’t a chore to look at, but the new version is larger, more aggressive, more expressive, and simply more attractive than its predecessor. Chevrolet’s best-selling, globally available passenger car isn’t just improved aesthetically though; it features upgraded tech, new powertrain options, and a lighter chassis that is 27-percent more rigid than the one underpinning the current.”

– Digital Trends

“The 2016 Cruze does everything expected of a new-generation car – gain power, gain efficiency, gain features – but it does so while also reducing complexity and, ostensibly, weight. ... We look forward to sliding behind the wheel on American soil soon.”

– Car and Driver

MERCEDES BENZ COMPARISON

The Lordstown plant, where the first generation of the Cruze is being built and the next generation will be built, is an economic anchor for the Mahoning Valley. Likewise, the Cruze is a vital part of GM’s resurgence as an automotive giant.

At the unveiling, Mary Barra, GM chief executive officer, said the 2016 Cruze, “represents everything today’s Chevrolet stands for: design, performance and technology.” It was no accident that she compared the Cruze safety and infotainment technology “to that of a Mercedes Benz C-class at half the price.”

The new Cruze will be offered in more than 40 global markets and GM intends to build on Cruze’s already strong global sales of 3.5 million cars.

America may still have its love affair with pick-up trucks and muscle cars – and GM does an extraordinary job in those markets – but the most competitive segment in the automotive world is that of the compact car. Barra said at the unveiling that when Chevrolet enters a segment, it intends to win, which means GM – from the top down – is counting on Lordstown to build its worldwide winner.

BIG WEEK AHEAD

This will be a proud week for Steve Notar Donato, Lordstown Assembly plant manager; Robert Morales, president of the United Auto Workers Local 1714; and Glenn Johnson, president of the United Auto Workers Local 1112, when the 4,500 men and women who already have built 1.3 million Cruzes will get their first look at the new car.

The in-plant unveiling will take place Thursday. Workers will get to see the vehicle that they have heard so much about and that they will be building for introduction to showrooms early next year.

The rest of us will have to wait a while for the Cruze experience, but if the advance word is any indication, it will be worth the wait.