# Driving a diesel...



## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

Gently, so that you can get best return on fuel economy, fuel economy is the reason the diesel is being offered.


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## Skraeling (May 30, 2012)

And then there are times you have to merge, or overtake or any other number of reasons that you have to move quickly.


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## Devilz (May 16, 2012)

Diesel is bit let down....poor mileage...car seems to lose power on low revs in higher gear


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## Junk68 (May 17, 2012)

Hi, I don't know what engine will be sold in the US, I'm driving a 2 liter diesel engine with 163 brake horse power... it's quite fun!
You do not have to get to 4000 rpm to feel some power, there's plenty of torque starting from 1200rpm, and concerning the fuel economy... if you drive like in Indianapolis, there's none!
besides that engine, Chevy sells two further engines in europe: 1.7 liter derived from ISUZU - not a very good engine - and the same 2 liter engine I have, but with 130 HP.
I belive is that the 163HP is the one to choose.
Plenty of torque, lot's of power and - if you don't drive like if someone is chasing you, also fuel economy


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## albow77 (Feb 18, 2012)

I have owned a 05 VW golf diesel. It had a 100 hp 177 lbs tq and it was a blast to drive. Once the clutch was let out and you could hold it to the floor and it will pull all the way to redline -- 6000 rpm I think. It could get 2nd gear rubber if you wanted to. The best thing about that car was I could drive 85mph down the interstate and still get 45 MPG. I have to drive 65 and baby the cruze to get 44.7 (my best so far). You really need to test drive a TDI VW to see a diesel in action unless you want to wait for the cruze to come out. They pull hard through the RPMs and the fun factor is 10 fold over the cruze. I love the TDI vws but the problems with the fuel systems on the new TDI is what kept me from buying another one. The cruze is working out just fine for me right now but I also might be upgrading to the diesel when it come around. It will need to get 50+ for me to upgrade.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

I test drove a Golf TDI and it was ALMOST as much fun as the GTI. Soooo much torque as soon as you hit the gas - and it pulls strong up to 4000 RPM.


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## Devilz (May 16, 2012)

jblackburn said:


> I test drove a Golf TDI and it was ALMOST as much fun as the GTI. Soooo much torque as soon as you hit the gas - and it pulls strong up to 4000 RPM.


you being rude comparing VW TDi to chevy, they don't even come close to their MPG and performance


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Devilz said:


> you being rude comparing VW TDi to chevy, they don't even come close to their MPG and performance


Until the Cruze diesel comes here, what else have we got to compare it to?

Clattery V8 diesel trucks and bus engines?:eusa_clap:


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## Junk68 (May 17, 2012)

albow77 said:


> I have owned a 05 VW golf diesel. It had a 100 hp 177 lbs tq and it was a blast to drive. Once the clutch was let out and you could hold it to the floor and it will pull all the way to redline -- 6000 rpm I think. It could get 2nd gear rubber if you wanted to. The best thing about that car was I could drive 85mph down the interstate and still get 45 MPG. I have to drive 65 and baby the cruze to get 44.7 (my best so far). You really need to test drive a TDI VW to see a diesel in action unless you want to wait for the cruze to come out. They pull hard through the RPMs and the fun factor is 10 fold over the cruze. I love the TDI vws but the problems with the fuel systems on the new TDI is what kept me from buying another one. The cruze is working out just fine for me right now but I also might be upgrading to the diesel when it come around. It will need to get 50+ for me to upgrade.


I don't think that comparing a car tath weighs less is good.
Cruze is heavyer tna a golf.
I have a Cruze with 2 liter diesel engine (progected in Italy in The GM Powertrain centre in collaboration with Fiat engineers - those who invented the common rail fuel injection)
You can't compare this engine to a loud and slow VW diesel!
GM's is much smoother and far more silent.
I drove also a BMW 3 series - diesel. Power and torque of both cars (BMW and Cruze) are compareable (even if BMW is faster, but costs at least twice as much - at least over here in Europe!)
Anyway, i found out about my car that if you direv it in city traffic, there's not much to talk about fuel economy:th_coolio:


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## Eugene_C (Mar 15, 2012)

Junk68 said:


> Hi, I don't know what engine will be sold in the US, I'm driving a 2 liter diesel engine with 163 brake horse power... it's quite fun!
> You do not have to get to 4000 rpm to feel some power, there's plenty of torque starting from 1200rpm, and concerning the fuel economy... if you drive like in Indianapolis, there's none!
> besides that engine, Chevy sells two further engines in europe: 1.7 liter derived from ISUZU - not a very good engine - and the same 2 liter engine I have, but with 130 HP.
> I belive is that the 163HP is the one to choose.
> Plenty of torque, lot's of power and - if you don't drive like if someone is chasing you, also fuel economy


I don't think any of those engines will make it to the U.S. exactly as they are now. They're spending $26 million to develop an engine that is specific to the U.S. market. There's a new 1.7L square engine that they just released in India for the mid-year model change that I suspect may be the direction that they're thinking for the U.S. 

For right now it's all a mystery.


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## albow77 (Feb 18, 2012)

Junk68 said:


> I don't think that comparing a car tath weighs less is good.
> Cruze is heavyer tna a golf.
> I have a Cruze with 2 liter diesel engine (progected in Italy in The GM Powertrain centre in collaboration with Fiat engineers - those who invented the common rail fuel injection)
> You can't compare this engine to a loud and slow VW diesel!
> ...




Well here in the US we have a Jetta TDI that weighs in at 3161 lbs and the Golf TDI that weighs in at 2994 lbs for diesel engines. The Cruze ECO manual tips the scale at 3009 lbs. I would say that what we have available to us is less than 200 lbs difference and the power difference is a in the VWs favor. It is more fun to drive and the MPG is better than the cruze. I have to baby the Cruze to get over 40 mpg. With the VW I could drive the speed limit -- 75 mph and get 45 MPG. The wind and weather had less of an effect on the milage also. With the Golf I could also tow smaller trailers -- 2 place snowmobile trailer with 2 sleds on it. Also had a 14' boat that I could tow at 85 down the interstate and I still got low 30s with. Until the Cruze diesel is in the US we have nothing to compare it to except the VWs.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

I have a Cruze turbo diesel auto and if you are used to a performance turbo petrol car such as a WRX I would suggest you forget a diesel as it is redlined at 4,500rpm and generally runs at about 1,800rpm in normal driving. To get the best out of it you have to develop a whole new way of driving as torque is the forte' of a diesel engine.


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## GermanCruzer (Oct 15, 2012)

After three weeks with our new Cruze 2,0 D (it is not our first Diesel - it is actually our 6th Diesel since 2004) I would like to share some Germany - based information on the performance, fuel economy and driving experience:

1. Engine

Compared to my Mazda 6 2,2 CD 185 hp with M/T the 163 hp Chevy engine is much smoother. While in my car the engine really sounds like a Diesel - paired with the 6-Gear Auto - the Chevy engine pretty much sounds like a gasoline engine. My manual makes things even a bit more hectic in comparison to the silky GM A/T. 
Knowing the preference of subtle engines sounds in the US, I believe that the overall audio appearance of the engine may appeal to the new-to-diesel US customer. Especially in comparison to its only class-competitor: the more-rugged VW Jetta TDI powerplant.

2. Performance

Most of our Autobahn (Interstate) in the area we live are not speed limited. We actually can drive as fast as we want if traffic allows. So the left lane (right lane overtaking is strictly forbidden in Germany - if the cops get us by doing that we`ll get a licence suspension of no less than a full year) is usually reserved for the fast guys doing more than 100 mph on average. Many 5 Series, E-S Classes, Porsches or Audis even exceed 150 mph easily. So you`d better keep off that lane if you`re not fast enough...

The Cruze is no such racer of course. But if the left lane is vacant we thought to give him a try. The GPS measured a maximum of 211 km/h on a stretch of 35 Kilometers. This equals to 132 mph for about 20 miles. The car reaches 100 mph very easily and until its top speed it of course lacks a bit of punch due to the torque nature of a turbocharged Diesel. We determined that it can escape a VW Golf TDI 140 hp pretty easily and can keep up with a BMW 320d, also sourcing from a 163 hp Diesel. On German Autobahn we determined that a crusing speed of 100 mph is the best option for the Cruze 2,0 D. This comes close to the relaxed nature of the Engine - Transmission combination. Knowing that there is plenty of reserve if we suddenly encounter a hasty left laner behind us. 

3. Consumption

About 55% of all new cars in Germany are Diesels. Why? Diesel Fuel has a tax discount on it over here. We pay about $ 8,40 per gallon 95 Octane Gas at the pump. Diesel is $ 7,41 per gallon "only". Combined with the better fuel economy of the modern Diesels it makes sense to get a Diesel care here if you exceed 10,000 miles annually. 

The Cruze - combined with the A/T - is not the most fuel efficient car over here. If a modest 60% high speed highway, 20% local highways and 20% inner city is taken into consideration, we can get it as good as 37 mpg. Knowing that the current (manual transmission) competitors here in Europe go by 45 mpg (in the real world), the Cruze can be considered an alternative for the cost-sensitive medium range driver up to - let`s say - 20,000 miles p.a. If you exceed that milage go elsewhere. And do not opt for the Automatic. 

That is why GM is not pairing the new Cruze 1,7 l Diesel 130 hp (which we had in our previous Astra - it is a realtively old ISUZU mill) with Automatic but with a modern 6-Gear M/T. With this you may achieve 45 mpg easily. But I can`t imagine that GM will offer this combination in the US or elswhere outside Europe.


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## cronyjabrony (Aug 10, 2012)

yeah we get screwed in North America. We have 1 small car diesel option VW. I dont get it. I love Turbo Diesels. The only thing I noticed when I test drove the Jetta TDI and I know its a VW thing (I have owned 2 different VW's in the past) is they scream on the highway, they are geared too short. I didn't buy a TDI because I found VW's are good new, lousy when they are older and high kms. Expensive maintenance didnt like that they have a timing belt etc.. But we need some more Turbo Diesel options in North America.


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## carbon02 (Feb 25, 2011)

GermanCruzer said:


> After three weeks with our new Cruze 2,0 D (it is not our first Diesel - it is actually our 6th Diesel since 2004) I would like to share some Germany - based information on the performance, fuel economy and driving experience:
> 
> 1. Engine
> 
> ...


GermanCruzer-

Thanks for your review and thoughts of the 2.0L Diesel. I've been googling this engine and reading up on it from Opel heritage, assuming this is very close to the engine we'll be getting in the USA. 

How long has this 2.0L diesel been in Germany/European car production? 

Any known maintenance items or parts that are being replaced on these that your aware of?

With the timing belt change interval of 100,000 miles, and a coolant pump that appears to require removal of the timing belt to get out, I can see these being a maintenance issue in the USA. Repair shops having enough volume to train people and work on an engine like this effectively at a reasonable cost.


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