# 2011 Chevy Cruze 2LT Review



## AutoGuide.com (Jul 26, 2010)

It would be generous to say that General Motors hasn't had the best luck with small Chevrolets. Their first attempt, the Chevrolet Citation, was best known for its malfunctioning brakes, while the Cavalier's main selling point was its price – ditto the Cobalt, which had its nameplate unceremoniously retired after a single generation. 

Rather than take yet another kick at the compact can, GM has effectively abdicated development of their newest small car, the Chevrolet Cruze, to other divisions across the globe, most notably Opel and GM Daewoo Auto Technology Company (yes, that Daewoo). Built in 8 factories (located everywhere from Australia to Kazakhstan) and sold in over 60 countries, the Cruze has to satisfy a dizzying set of demands, serving everyone from affluent North Americans who may buy the car for their adult children, to overtaxed Europeans who will pay incredible sums for what they consider a "family car."

The North American launch of the Cruze was delayed by about a year, but the Cruze ended up arriving here at the best possible time – the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Nissan Sentra are all long in the tooth and due for a re-design. The new Hyundai Elantra and Ford Focus are only now hitting dealers, and cars like the Suzuki SX4 are on the radar of almost nobody. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the Cruze has the upper hand in a segment devoid of new product – but that means that GM won't be able to blame anyone else should the Cruze suddenly stall in the marketplace.

More: *2011 Chevy Cruze 2LT Review * on AutoGuide.com


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