Cruze sales down 26 percent, union expects slide to stabilize

LORDSTOWN

Delivery numbers for General Motors’ Chevrolet Cruze are down 26.1 percent for the month, according to sales numbers released by the automaker.

The Cruze sedan, which is built at the Lordstown Assembly Complex, accounts for 13,892 of the 16,500 Cruzes delivered in August. The remaining 2,608 are Cruze hatchbacks, which are assembled in Mexico.

In August 2016, there were 22,340 Cruze sedan deliveries.

Glenn Johnson, president of United Auto Workers Local 1112 at Lordstown, said the decline was a continuation of a trend away from small-car purchases.

“Obviously, the shift is continuing from passenger cars to SUVs and trucks,” Johnson said. “But I do believe the numbers are going to stabilize.”

The 2017 Cruze received a five-star crash rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and was ranked among GM’s top vehicles in a 2017 J.D. Powers initial quality study.

“It’s a fantastic vehicle,” Johnson said. “Consumer preference seems to have changed, but we’ll be here ready for when their preference changes back.”

Read more about the situation in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.