# Autos.ca - Quick Comparison: Chevrolet Cruze Diesel vs Volkswagen Golf TDI



## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Seems like a reasonably unbiased review. I have driven the new Golf TDI and it's fine, but I like my Cruze better. In fact, I have test driven all sorts of VW TDIs throughout the years but none ever compelled my to buy like the Cruze. Thanks for posting.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

That was an interesting comparison. I wonder how my Cruze would stack up against the VW. It has a different engine (161hp) and transmission (6T45) and hydraulic steering which feels nicely weighted to me. It also has 266L/F of torque at the same 1750rpm as the VW. Also it is 36kg lighter at 1540kg than the US Cruze. Not saying it is better just different enough that it might make a difference.

PS. For me the biggest difference between the US engine and the one used in my car is the chain driven cams. Does the VW use belts or chains on the cams?


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## jalaner (Dec 28, 2013)

I think my 2014 CTD is downgraded a little compared with earlier hydraulic steering and a timing chain cars. At least it still has a real 6 speed tranny which I'm sure will eventually be replaced with cheaper CVTs in entry level cars.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

My son's mother in law has a diesel Jetta with dsg transmission and he said he likes it but the Cruze is a lot smoother to drive and he prefers it to the Jetta. He is not the sort of persons who just tells you what you want to hear he tells it like he sees it.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

jalaner said:


> I think my 2014 CTD is downgraded a little compared with earlier hydraulic steering and a timing chain cars. At least it still has a real 6 speed tranny which I'm sure will eventually be replaced with cheaper CVTs in entry level cars.


The timing chain engine is actually the newer design.


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## JRB'sOilburningCruze (Feb 25, 2015)

I don't want to trash VW, it is no doubt that their diesel engines are good. My coworker has a Jetta TDI and her husband has a Passat TDI with over 200K on each. She's had to dump some money into both for turbo's recently, but I don't have any gripes about that. It is the rest of the car that falls apart. And, VW's DSG transmissions are highly suspect. I'd take an Asian transmission or GM transmission over a VW transmission any day. 

I don't race my Cruze, or any other high speed stuff. I got it for the following reasons which so far seems to be very good at:
1. I have a 72 mile round trip commute every day, all highway. Diesel fuel economy is very good.
2. It is quiet. I had a convertible, and after a long day at work I really do appreciate the car being very quiet on the way home. Its a rolling decompression chamber. 
3. It is assembled in the US by a US company. I prefer to know that my hard earned money is going to support other hard working Americans. I realize that the engine is made in Germany, designed by the Italians, and the transmission comes from Japan. But I've driven by the Lordstown, OH plant and I know there are hard working people with families building the Cruze.

So it does exactly what it was designed to do, be a quiet, comfortable, fuel efficient, car.


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## Su8pack1 (Apr 17, 2014)

Interesting, thanks for the link.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Before I bought my Cruze, the Golf TDI (2011? 12?) was my favorite car I'd test driven. Fantastic powertrain, very torquey, surprisingly quiet for a diesel, fun to drive, and IT CAME IN A MANUAL.

But it came in somewhere around $26-27K without too many options. More than I wanted to pay for a small car - I could get a reasonably equipped midsizer for that. I hated the 2.5-liter (gas) engine, and didn't want to step up to a GTI because the ride was extremely firm and I've heard of nothing but problems with them. The Jetta was so cheap looking on the inside that I didn't even bother to drive one.

The 2012 Cruze came in 2nd place for a good all-rounder with a great price tag. Had it not come in a manual, I wouldn't own one. And of course the diesel didn't exist at the time.

Did drive a diesel Cruze when they came out, and while I didn't care much for the automatic (it's not bad, but it's just not programmed as well as other autos I've had), the engine pulls like a freight train compared to the VW. Does have lots more lag when you pull off, though - I am not sure whether that's programmed to keep from roasting the tires, or actual turbo lag.


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## warloc (Dec 10, 2013)

It may rate a little better in an article but just wait until you have to deal with a VW dealer, good luck with that. BTW they are having issues now since changing over to a DEF system from what I've read. Myself, I wouldn't buy a VW if it was better, cheaper or better looking, three things they are not IMO.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

J Blackburn, I've read in here that the CTD is electronically limited in 1st gear so the tq doesn't hurt anything. 


Sent from the sexy electrician


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Why are they comparing the golf to the cruze? They should be comparing the tdi Jetta to the cruze. 


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

money_man said:


> Why are they comparing the golf to the cruze? They should be comparing the tdi Jetta to the cruze.
> 
> 
> Sent from the sexy electrician


Jettas on a whole different level from the Cruze. It's economy car cheap. For some reason, the Golf gets the upscale interior. 

And yeah, GMs known to torque limit transmissions in trucks. Makes sense.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

The Jetta should be our main competitor not the golf. How do you directly compare a sedan against a hatch? The golf should feel peppy, it's lighter because it's not as big of a car. I wholeheartedly feel the Jetta should've been compared, not a Golf that was $6k more. Or at least compare a golf that was the same price. 


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

$36k for that golf is v6 Impala territory, and it's on par with the new Malibu ltz w/2.0T


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## Davep (Apr 14, 2014)

money_man said:


> Why are they comparing the golf to the cruze? They should be comparing the tdi Jetta to the cruze.
> 
> 
> Sent from the sexy electrician


Explained in the first paragraph of the article.

" Yes, it’s true that the Jetta is a closer competitor to the Cruze, but in the absence of a Chevrolet Sonic Diesel we wanted something to pit against our long-term tester Golf. Besides, we already compared the Jetta vs Cruze."


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

I didn't read that much, skipped to the good stuff. 


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## dhpnet (Mar 2, 2014)

I actually lived in Wolfsburg for a while, and I have been in a lot of VWs. I think they are good cars, but I personally would not even consider buying one. I would look at a lot of other brands before I would look at a VW. There are a lot of reasons including quality, price, value and reliability.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Their prices are the main reason I don't even entertain them. Along with how bad their interiors are


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