# Cruze diesel going to get a manual transmission option?



## MKsmn515 (Apr 12, 2014)

I currently have a 2011 Cruze Eco manual and I love it and have been thinking about getting a diesel version. Then today I see they don't come with the option of manual trans 

Has anybody heard if they will be coming out with this option? 

Anybody else put off not buying a diesel cruze because of the lack of the manual?


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## 2013LT (Jul 3, 2013)

I wanted the Diesel but I really don't like automatic. So I passed on it  I really hope they bring about a manual diesel to complete with VW.


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## tracepk (Aug 20, 2013)

I did. The auto trans in the cruzes in general is a slushbox piece of ****. If the diesel had a manual Id totally have gone that route.


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## Zenturi (Jan 25, 2014)

If this happens it'll be on the redesigned Cruze for 2016. And even at that I very much doubt it. I would think a diesel coupe or hatch would show up first.


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## plasticplant (Mar 26, 2013)

tracepk said:


> I did. The auto trans in the cruzes in general is a slushbox piece of ****. If the diesel had a manual Id totally have gone that route.


Did you happen to test drive a CTD? It's not a "chevy" transmission and so far everyone I've talked to seems to really like it. Including myself.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

I love my transmission. One of the smoother 6 speeds on the market from the 10 or so different 2013-2014 six speed cars I've driven.


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## oilburner (Jun 13, 2013)

don`t know about USA but canada gets a manual diesel for 2015. check GM Canada website. both US an cdn come from Lordstown.
can`t think of a reason why you guys wouldn`t get it as well.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

I'll be interested to see what gains come from the manual equipped diesels


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## Zenturi (Jan 25, 2014)

I'm ok with the auto trans, since the Cruze is FWD. I'm keeping an eye on the Colorado/Canyon, might get a manual trans 2 door in a few years. Have not decided if the 2.5L 4 banger in the base truck is enough though. GM isn't offering a manual 6.


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## MilTownSHO (Oct 9, 2013)

money_man said:


> I love my transmission. One of the smoother 6 speeds on the market from the 10 or so different 2013-2014 six speed cars I've driven.


What cars did you drive?! The Cruze Diesel transmission is far from smooth and I drive different rental cars for work all the time.


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## 19890 (Sep 5, 2013)

I passed up on the diesel here in Oz. Wanted one but no manual, and not in the top of the range model. My wife has a Mini Cooper diesel with the 6 speed, it's a great little car to drive, gets around 850-1000 kms per tank, depending on how it's driven. No regrets in getting the 1.6T in the Cruze though, it's fun to drive too.


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## danhr (Apr 19, 2014)

Zenturi said:


> I'm ok with the auto trans, since the Cruze is FWD. I'm keeping an eye on the Colorado/Canyon, might get a manual trans 2 door in a few years. Have not decided if the 2.5L 4 banger in the base truck is enough though. GM isn't offering a manual 6.


they are offering the colorado with the 4 cylinder duramax in 2016 though.

and i'm perfectly content with my slushbox. it has enough overdrives and can handle the torque of the diesel.....


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## plasticplant (Mar 26, 2013)

MilTownSHO said:


> What cars did you drive?! The Cruze Diesel transmission is far from smooth and I drive different rental cars for work all the time.


How many miles do you have on your CTD Show? I'll admit, the first 1000 or so miles, smooth is not the word I would use. But since then, its been 10x better.


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## plasticplant (Mar 26, 2013)

I feel like people just want the manual for better MPG (which is reasonable) and to say they drive a stick, but at 46 MPG in the auto, I'm not willing to do the "extra work" a manual requires for a minimal MPG gain. I'm quite content with my 40 MPG (mixed driving) tanks. Now if this car wasn't my DD, I would be all over a manual. Unfortunately, its a dying breed who want them. GM will bring it to market in the U.S. ONLY if they will make money on it. I think they feel the ECO 6m is good enough, plus they would have to find a manual gearbox that can handle the additional torque load. I'm interested in seeing what the Canadian manual will utilize.


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## plasticplant (Mar 26, 2013)

tracepk said:


> I did. The auto trans in the cruzes in general is a slushbox piece of ****. If the diesel had a manual Id totally have gone that route.


It's bold generalizations/statements like this that hurt the Chevy name brand and the many new and wonderful cars they are starting to introduce. We are all Chevy fans, as we would not be members of this site if we were not. Before trashing a gearbox that's not even made by the company, do your research before posting something like this. A person just checking this site out for info could read that and immediately be scared away. The CTD is one of the best cars GM has put out in a long time! It's bad enough people don't even no about it.


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## MKsmn515 (Apr 12, 2014)

I'm just not much of an automatic person. Manuals are more fun to drive in my opinion and the Eco manual trans is absolutely phenomenal. The whole dropping in to 6th gear at 35/40 mph is also cool.

I was just headed to the Chevy dealership today to drop my car off for some warranty work and was interested in test driving a diesel since I will be there. Doesn't mean I won't ever get an auto diesel but I am way more likely to do so if it is a stick shift.

Wish the diesel had Eco wheels also.

Let's hope in the next couple years they make a manual one!


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## tracepk (Aug 20, 2013)

Zenturi said:


> I'm ok with the auto trans, since the Cruze is FWD. I'm keeping an eye on the Colorado/Canyon, might get a manual trans 2 door in a few years. Have not decided if the 2.5L 4 banger in the base truck is enough though. GM isn't offering a manual 6.



If you be patient a year or two GM is supposed to be releasing a 2.8L duramax turbo diesel in the new colorado.


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## ParisTNDude (Oct 7, 2013)

I have owned lots of cars...75 and counting in my lifetime, about equally mixed manual to auto. For me, driving the manual adds an amount of sport to the driving experience such as in my many years in the Italian and German Alps....awesome in a highly modified C5 6M Corvette. The Vette quickly and easily revved to 6500+ RPMs and downshifting to engine brake the car (mostly to hear the exhaust) while slowing for a 90 degree corner was simply awesome and fun. I've driven at least 20 laps of the Nurburgring in Germany with 173 corners in 13 miles at greater than 165 on the straights. Yeah, that's what "driving" is all about. However:

If anyone thinks your going to experience that kind of driving fun in a stick shift 4 cylinder diesel, ...think again. With a red line somewhere in the 4k RPM range, and an exhaust note much like a muffled trash truck, it will be anything but fun. It may make some feel more, well, um, MANLY...but it won't be fun. The 1.4 liter Eco with a manual IS entertaining, but the diesel Cruze with a manual just wouldn't be. For those that want the manual for a minimal improvement in fuel mileage, that seems a reasonable rationale...go for it. I will enjoy my Cruze 'til trade in time for what it is, a very comfortable, nice driving economy car.


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## warloc (Dec 10, 2013)

I wouldn't trade my auto for a manual even if it was cheaper. The auto trans shifts when it should, doesn't down shift on grades, and it even works super when decending a step grade. If you like you can use the sport mode but I only use in the ice or snow.


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## tracepk (Aug 20, 2013)

plasticplant said:


> It's bold generalizations/statements like this that hurt the Chevy name brand and the many new and wonderful cars they are starting to introduce. We are all Chevy fans, as we would not be members of this site if we were not. Before trashing a gearbox that's not even made by the company, do your research before posting something like this. A person just checking this site out for info could read that and immediately be scared away. The CTD is one of the best cars GM has put out in a long time! It's bad enough people don't even no about it.


Better for them to read and expect it than have to find out after buying one like most people do. And ill admit after the diesel one breaks in it is better than its gas-mounted counterpart. But still not great.


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## ParisTNDude (Oct 7, 2013)

plasticplant said:


> It's bold generalizations/statements like this that hurt the Chevy name brand and the many new and wonderful cars they are starting to introduce. We are all Chevy fans, as we would not be members of this site if we were not. Before trashing a gearbox that's not even made by the company, do your research before posting something like this. A person just checking this site out for info could read that and immediately be scared away. The CTD is one of the best cars GM has put out in a long time! It's bad enough people don't even no about it.


I most assuredly agree with your response to the comment made by Tracepk. The transmission in our Cruze is somewhat different than most transmissions, but is certainly a good transmission. They use it because it will handle the greater torque output of the diesel engine and there are other built in advantages. If you don't understand why it does what it does, I can understand some disliking it, but it's certainly not substandard...IMO.

When I had the transmission in the Vette dynotuned, they took the smooth shifting slushbox feel out of the shifts while in the S mode and I really love the way it bangs the shifts. The tuner says such an adjustment would prolong the transmission life since it doesn't slide the clutches into and out of each gear. I really like the way the Cruze transmission operates...I noticed the idiosyncrasies at first, but don't even know when it shifts now.


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## MKsmn515 (Apr 12, 2014)

I went to the dealership today to drop off my Eco and look at the cruze diesel and I asked the sales guy and I said they had one but he didn't no u where it was. Eventually he found it at there lot a few miles away where they keep extra inventory. He said it wasn't a popular version of the cruze so they didn't keep it on the main lot.

He also told me that it is built in Germany and is shipped here and not built in Lordstown with the other ones.

I don't know if that is 100% true but that's what the salesmen told me.


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## tracepk (Aug 20, 2013)

MKsmn515 said:


> I went to the dealership today to drop off my Eco and look at the cruze diesel and I asked the sales guy and I said they had one but he didn't no u where it was. Eventually he found it at there lot a few miles away where they keep extra inventory. He said it wasn't a popular version of the cruze so they didn't keep it on the main lot.
> 
> He also told me that it is built in Germany and is shipped here and not built in Lordstown with the other ones.
> 
> I don't know if that is 100% true but that's what the salesmen told me.



I believe the engine is built in germany, rest of it is assembled here if im not mistaken.The entire cruze line is based off their german counterpart the opel astra, Including the diesel.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

plasticplant said:


> I feel like people just want the manual for better MPG (which is reasonable) and to say they drive a stick, but at 46 MPG in the auto, I'm not willing to do the "extra work" a manual requires for a minimal MPG gain. I'm quite content with my 40 MPG (mixed driving) tanks. Now if this car wasn't my DD, I would be all over a manual.


This is exactly why I have a automatic 1.4T vs the ECO manual. I compared fuelly.com average MPG and the gain was only 2-5mpg better with the manual. Thing is most of that was only picked up on the highway so in real world the difference may be even smaller. 

I'm more than happy with my MPG and am always amazed when $4 gas on long trips still only cost around $25 for 250 miles.


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## grs1961 (Oct 23, 2012)

ParisTNDude said:


> ...
> If anyone thinks your going to experience that kind of driving fun in a stick shift 4 cylinder diesel, ...think again. With a red line somewhere in the 4k RPM range, and an exhaust note much like a muffled trash truck, it will be anything but fun...


The manual diesel *is* fun to drive - the fact that I have picked up 4 speeding tickets in the last 18 months, and am sitting on 11 points (12 points is mandatory suspension for 3 months, or pay $$$ and promise to break no more road laws for 12 months) indicates that.

And it's not as if I haven't driven fast and exciting cars before - I've driven Formula 5000 open-wheelers around tracks (yes, I'm old) - but what a modern European-designed diesel is capable of is quite surprising. Particularly to someone who thinks diesels are still back in the lug-lug-lug stage.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

MKsmn515 said:


> I went to the dealership today to drop off my Eco and look at the cruze diesel and I asked the sales guy and I said they had one but he didn't no u where it was. Eventually he found it at there lot a few miles away where they keep extra inventory. He said it wasn't a popular version of the cruze so they didn't keep it on the main lot.
> 
> He also told me that it is built in Germany and is shipped here and not built in Lordstown with the other ones.
> 
> I don't know if that is 100% true but that's what the salesmen told me.


I love how salesmen make up stories and state them as fact. (It is assembled in Lordstown)


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## ParisTNDude (Oct 7, 2013)

grs1961 said:


> The manual diesel *is* fun to drive - the fact that I have picked up 4 speeding tickets in the last 18 months, and am sitting on 11 points (12 points is mandatory suspension for 3 months, or pay $$$ and promise to break no more road laws for 12 months) indicates that.
> 
> And it's not as if I haven't driven fast and exciting cars before - I've driven Formula 5000 open-wheelers around tracks (yes, I'm old) - but what a modern European-designed diesel is capable of is quite surprising. Particularly to someone who thinks diesels are still back in the lug-lug-lug stage.


I hope no one mis-construes my earlier comment to mean you can't have fun driving a diesel Cruze...I'm sure that isn't true since I enjoy getting behind the wheel and driving mine. I'm focusing on the manual transmission issue and if you've driven both a manual Cruze and a gas Cruze, you have to have found that the diesel just doesn't present itself as a European style road racer rally car. Yes, it's got plenty of punch, but not because it has a manual transmission.

I have lived and worked in Europe for a total of 13 years, until my recent retirement and return to the states. One of my jobs as a US government employee required my office, under my direction to lease our every day office transportation for 52 employees and naturally all of them were European econo-cars. I drove every one of them, both diesel and gas, manual and automatic for many miles. By our contract with the car rental company, we changed them out every three months...trust me, we went through a lot of different cars in my last two years. Although the diesel had plenty of low end punch, when it hit the RPM limiter at around 4K, it was a huge disappointment compared to the gas car that could wind out to 6500 or even 7000 rpm. The enjoyment of driving these little cars, including Renault, Peugeot, Fiat, Ford, Mini, and Smart cars was pretending to be the rally car driver. 

I'm not giving an opinion for everyone, I'm giving MY opinion...that's my story and I"m sticking to it...lol.


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## MKsmn515 (Apr 12, 2014)

Finally test drove a Cruze diesel today when I went to pick up my 2011 eco from the dealership, it was having work done.

I like the leather and navigation in the diesel but the diesel is $6,500 more than a new eco but only gets combined 1.5 MPG better. The Eco manual actually gets better EPA city milage by 1 mpg.

I don't think an extra 7 grand is worth at most 10 mpg better


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## Zenturi (Jan 25, 2014)

I'd admit there were very good deals on leftover manual trans 2013 ECOs when I bought my CTD, and I thought a about it a bit. But in the end, I accepted that it's a 4 door FWD economy car. I'll get a manual trans again with something RWD.


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## Su8pack1 (Apr 17, 2014)

The automatic works pretty nice, but a manual option would be nice.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

Somebody said the Cruze auto was terrible, well I have the 6T45 auto in my diesel and it is silky smooth to drive so I really don't know what he is talking about.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

MKsmn515 said:


> but the diesel is $6,500 more than a new eco


wrong


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

oilburner said:


> don`t know about USA but canada gets a manual diesel for 2015. check GM Canada website. both US an cdn come from Lordstown.
> can`t think of a reason why you guys wouldn`t get it as well.


Are Canadian emission laws as strict as USA? Could be the reason USA doesn't get one as well.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

MKsmn515 said:


> Finally test drove a Cruze diesel today when I went to pick up my 2011 eco from the dealership, it was having work done.
> 
> I like the leather and navigation in the diesel but the diesel is $6,500 more than a new eco but only gets combined 1.5 MPG better. The Eco manual actually gets better EPA city milage by 1 mpg.
> 
> I don't think an extra 7 grand is worth at most 10 mpg better


We've done this before. We get the tq, reliability, better transmission, and numerous other things. Plus, every Eco I looked at was only like $2k cheaper


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## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

I would like to see the Cruze LTZ finally have a manual trans option.


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## MKsmn515 (Apr 12, 2014)

money_man said:


> We've done this before. We get the tq, reliability, better transmission, and numerous other things. Plus, every Eco I looked at was only like $2k cheaper


The 6 speed manual in the Eco is awesome. I like it better than the 6MT in my 2009 civic si I had before. The auto transmission in the 2014 cruze loaner I had for a week and the transmission in the diesel I drove didn't impress me at all.

I understand reliability and torque. The extra goodies with leather and mylink are nice but not necessary the difference in price was way more than 2,000 between the diesel and eco when I was talking to the salesmen running the numbers to see what the best he could do for me.

If chevy actually wanted to try and sell a few of these cars they would actually promote the TD and give it different trim options including a trans like the Eco manual. Until then the golf and jetta will be the king of the small diesel market.

The manual trans for the diesel has been engineered and sold in other markets in the same exact car with different logos. I could understand if this was a benz ML blue tech and it s isn't have a manual option but this is a frickin chevy!


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## MKsmn515 (Apr 12, 2014)

boraz said:


> wrong


So you are just going to give a one word answer and not support it. I'm going off msrp, supplier invoice pricing along with trying to make a deal with a salesmen at the dealership. 

And it wasn't like I was at a small dealership that doesn't sell alot of vehicles


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

MKsmn515 said:


> The manual trans for the diesel has been engineered and sold in other markets in the same exact car with different logos. I could understand if this was a benz ML blue tech and it s isn't have a manual option but this is a frickin chevy!


The Cruze in other markets uses a different engine to USA. Also the volume sold most likely doesn't justify the engineering required to get the emissions to comply.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

To be honest man, drive a bunch of newer 6 speed auto fwd cars and you won't be impressed with any of them. The extra gears make every 6 speed I've ever driven hunt every now and again and they're sometimes slow to downshift and numerous other little quirks that weren't there with 4 speed transmissions. 

The Aisin af40-6 is one of the best of all the 6 speeds I've ever driven. I almost never feel a shift unless the transmission is cold. To compare any new automatic to a manual isn't a fair comparison.


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## DJSW (Apr 8, 2014)

I'll throw this out there. I ended up getting my CTD for $21,7** before taxes/fee's. Try finding a similarly equipped ECO AUTO that is not the same price within $1K.
You cant compare an auto Diesel to a manual Gas car and say its better and the price was $6k difference. They are two completely different styles of cars aimed at two different kinds of buyers. I love manual transmission's, and have/will always own one, but most people don't like to row gears anymore.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Or they have girlfriends and need to buy automatics so they can take the truck without complaints


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## Zenturi (Jan 25, 2014)

You'd really need to like shifting, to drive a manual CTD.

Most of the power on my CTD feels like it's in the 2000 to 3000 RPM range. Yeah the tach goes to 5000, but I feel like I'm working the engine pretty hard by 3500. There's not much reason to go higher other than to prove it is feasible.


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## MKsmn515 (Apr 12, 2014)

DJSW said:


> I'll throw this out there. I ended up getting my CTD for $21,7** before taxes/fee's. Try finding a similarly equipped ECO AUTO that is not the same price within $1K.
> You cant compare an auto Diesel to a manual Gas car and say its better and the price was $6k difference. They are two completely different styles of cars aimed at two different kinds of buyers. I love manual transmission's, and have/will always own one, but most people don't like to row gears anymore.


With leather and mylink? The best the salesmen I dealt with could do was 25,500. I don't have any ties to GM or family so maybe I missed out on discounts you were able to get


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Best my guy would do with sunroof, nav, and premium audio was $27500


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## DJSW (Apr 8, 2014)

Leather, mylink, and the safety package (lane departure warning, etc) was all included. No sunroof (I'm to tall) and no nav (I have my phone that works ten times better anyway) and no premium audio (I have family friend that does audio that can do much better). No family ties, and the only discounted I got was the $1500 cash back Chevy has been offering for months now. I went in and told them what I wanted, how much I would pay, and got what I wanted within my price range. Granted there where 10 dealerships within 50 miles of me, and over a dozen different CTD to choose from. 
I also looked at a ECO that was an auto. Had all the same options as my diesel except it had fog lights and he said the lowest he would go on that was $20,900. But we drive 22K+ per year so a diesel made way more sense to us.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

I'm 6'4" and have a sunroof with no problems


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## DJSW (Apr 8, 2014)

Must sit way back or tilt your seat further back then I do. I'm only 6'2" and my hair was touching with a sunroof where I normally sit while driving. Plus I also live near Seattle and a sunroof here is...pointless, unfortunately.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

DJSW said:


> Must sit way back or tilt your seat further back then I do. I'm only 6'2" and my hair was touching with a sunroof where I normally sit while driving. Plus I also live near Seattle and a sunroof here is...pointless, unfortunately.


Are you aware that the driver's seat can be lowered?


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## DJSW (Apr 8, 2014)

Yea, my wife has to pump it way up to sit right. I have a bad back so I have to sit almost straight up. No worries, I still love my CTD!


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

DJSW said:


> Yea, my wife has to pump it way up to sit right.


save it for The Badlands


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