# Bought One. New Owner Impressions



## Patman (May 7, 2011)

Impressive MPG! Hope that is true to fact for you unlike the MPG on most gas Cruzes that are @ 10 % optimistic for time being.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

I will do a manual calcualtion too at some point to see how accurate it is. Will be interesting to see.


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

This might be a good place for this.......

If you have never heard of the Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour it is taking place as I write this.
On their facebook, you can read about the various cars participating.
Anyways, one of those cars is a new Cruze Diesel and they are giving continual mileage reports.

This driver is generally operating in the +50 MPG range! Amazing!

Rob


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## tecollins1 (Nov 6, 2011)

Thats pretty good at that speed and the fact it isnt broken in yet!
Most eco guys get the best MPGs around 60-62 mph. 
I cant wait to see what you get after the engine is broken in and you start to "hypermile" the car!

BTW wecome to the Forum!


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## trevor_geiger (Nov 29, 2012)

Congratulations on you diesel Cruze purchase, welcome to the forums buddy.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Nice early numbers! Let us know if the DIC is 10% high like most other Cruze's, or if GM recalibrated it. 

For the seats, some folks have said the cloth seats are more comfortable than the leather seats, and vice versa. I hope the seats work out for you!


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Thanks for the warm welcome everybody! I look forward to sharing my experiences with the car at time goes on.


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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

Welcome to theforum. 

Let's see what you get at lowers speeds. Great number for that speed.

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


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## H3LLON3ARTH (Dec 16, 2011)

Welcome to CruzeTalk very nice numbers I love the torque on these cars when I drove the tester at Lordstown I got on it and man. Keep up the nice numbers and post more pictures of the car and then after you break it in show us those MPG.
I will more than likely purchase this car if they ever bring it out in manual transmission, other than that I will keep my ECO.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Welcome to CruzeTalk and congrats on your Cruze. It sounds like, and not just from you, that Chevy got the ECO-D right.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

Welcome to CruzeTalk. Congrats on your new vehicle purchase! Just want to make you aware that there are Chevrolet Customer Care Agents here in the forum to assist you if you even have any questions concerning your vehicle. Just send us an message and we will do our best to assist you. 

Jackie
Chevrolet Customer Care


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

I just took it on a long trip today that involved 95+% highway, but over an hour of that was stop and go NYC traffic. The 25 mile loop (very cool feature, by the way, the 25, 50 and 500 mile loops) dropped to about 28MPG in the traffic and hit a high of 55.5 at highway speeds. There was a bit where I was closer to 65MPH for a while, but 80% of the time, the cruise was set at 73. This includes two rest stops and about 4 red lights. I am impressed wih the computer readout of MPG on this particular trip.

Now, spending that type of quality time with a car in a day gets you very familiar very quickly with the car. I have to say that I was able to find a comfortable position in the seat, but over time it really became apparent that this car has a lot of quality bits to it. It was very quiet on the highway, felt very solid, almost like a Mercedes or BMW and not the least bit of driver fatigue in 8+ hours of driving. This is seriously an impressive car all around. My other car is a Mercedes GLK250, so I am very familiar with the "German feel" and Chevrolet comes vey close with this car. The steering feel was very impressive, with a very nice amound of feedback that never felt artificial. I read an article about them changing the steering in the diesel and it's way different than my friend's LS.

Anyway, loving the car!


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

Welcome and congratulations! The Cruze definitely has German feel to it. I have owned a 2002 MB c230k 6M and 1984 Porsche 944 with sport suspension.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

As another diesel Cruze driver I find that the only time it disappoints me is when I arrive at my destination.


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## Eugene_C (Mar 15, 2012)

diesel said:


> Hello everybody. I have been lurking for a while but finally decided to join now that I took delivery of my 2.0 TD (purchased in Ohio)....
> 
> I did a quick computer fuel mileage check and found that over 44.6 miles of highway driving at an average speed of 72.1 mph with some up and down hills yielded 51.1 mpg.
> View attachment 14923


Nice. Ohio was not one of the "Official Start-up" markets but the cars are already showing up there. That's a good sign. 

Q: Are the dealers ordering the engine heater in the Ohio market? 



Patman said:


> Impressive MPG! Hope that is true to fact for you unlike the MPG on most gas Cruzes that are @ 10 % optimistic for time being.


Yeah but even at a "10% optimism," that's still 46 mpg on the highway at 72 mph, with an automatic and 150 hp. Not bad at all.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Aussie said:


> As another diesel Cruze driver I find that the only time it disappoints me is when I arrive at my destination.


Haha yes I agree!



Eugene_C said:


> Q: Are the dealers ordering the engine heater in the Ohio market?


Mine did not have any options. The other one had sunrood only. I'll bet it's not necessary, even well below 0.


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## nebojsa (Jan 3, 2011)

I love my 2013 ECO 6M , but i do miss my old 98 VW TDI. It was a stick just like my Eco is, but the one thing that i do miss was the torque in the diesel. My old diesel/turbo was only 90 hp but the torque was awesome. I do stall this car from time to time,just have to get used to it and i am.

The only problem i had with my old diesel was in winter when it got really cold, the interior did not get hot unless you drove highway speed. I FROZE my self many times just doing city driving.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A THERMOSTAT PROBLEM ,BUT NO. Just the way it was .I am not saying that you will experience this problem,that was then. You will love the diesel especially on those hill climbs .


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

diesel said:


> Haha yes I agree!
> 
> 
> 
> Mine did not have any options. The other one had sunrood only. I'll bet it's not necessary, even well below 0.


It is winter in Australia right now and the heater works before the engine reaches operating temperature and the heated seats take care of the rest. Not as cold as USA but cold enough to be able to tell. You start to feel some heat before the gauge starts to move.


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## gulfcoastguy (Feb 21, 2013)

I've got a modern VW diesel. Just turn on the seatwarmer untill the temperature guage is moving. Installing a block heater can speed that up.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

nebojsa said:


> I love my 2013 ECO 6M , but i do miss my old 98 VW TDI. It was a stick just like my Eco is, but the one thing that i do miss was the torque in the diesel. My old diesel/turbo was only 90 hp but the torque was awesome. I do stall this car from time to time,just have to get used to it and i am.
> 
> The only problem i had with my old diesel was in winter when it got really cold, the interior did not get hot unless you drove highway speed. I FROZE my self many times just doing city driving.
> I THOUGHT IT WAS A THERMOSTAT PROBLEM ,BUT NO. Just the way it was .I am not saying that you will experience this problem,that was then. You will love the diesel especially on those hill climbs .


The electric heater in the Cruze will solve that issue!


Sent from AutoGuide.com App


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Aussie said:


> It is winter in Australia right now and the heater works before the engine reaches operating temperature and the heated seats take care of the rest. Not as cold as USA but cold enough to be able to tell. You start to feel some heat before the gauge starts to move.


How cold does it get, and how long does it take for the glow plugs to make the engine ready to start? I paid attention this morning at 65F and it took a couple seconds.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

diesel said:


> How cold does it get, and how long does it take for the glow plugs to make the engine ready to start? I paid attention this morning at 65F and it took a couple seconds.


Can get to -1 or -2C (0C=32F). Car starts instantly at any temp. I have never seen the glow plugs active ever.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Aussie said:


> Can get to -1 or -2C (0C=32F). Car starts instantly at any temp. I have never seen the glow plugs active ever.


I notice that when I get in and turn the key like a gas car it cranks over right away, but when I do it old school, the glow plug light comes on for a couple seconds. I kind of like seeing the light - reminds me of my first diesel Benz years ago.


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## rescueswimmer (Mar 28, 2013)

I had to read the manual to make sure that was the glow plug light. The sales guy said they did not use them anymore. I thought that seems odd, especially in cold climates he said the computer controlled all of that. Its always better anyway to let the glow plugs get hot. Less wear and tear on the whole system.


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## Eugene_C (Mar 15, 2012)

rescueswimmer said:


> I had to read the manual to make sure that was the glow plug light. The sales guy said they did not use them anymore. I thought that seems odd, especially in cold climates he said the computer controlled all of that. Its always better anyway to let the glow plugs get hot. Less wear and tear on the whole system.


It's my understanding that these new ceramic glow plugs heat up very quickly compared to the old-school glow plugs.


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## rescueswimmer (Mar 28, 2013)

absolutely, If you go by the glow plug light the light is on for maybe 2 seconds. If you jump in and turn the key, It starts up just like a gas engine, in the Summertime. Not sure how that will translate in the dead of N.A. winters.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Wonder if remote start waits for the glow plugs. It just started instantly when I pressed the key thing. 

It would be pretty funny if it sat there cranking itself like a Power Stroke in the winter =D


Sent from AutoGuide.com App


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## jpm84092 (Jun 23, 2013)

I am a newbie to this forum, but not to the Cruze (owned a 2011 Cruze ECO) and now own a 2014 Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel. Mine does not get the mpg numbers you guys are posting, but I also life in the Land of Mountains and Mormons (Utah) where there are some serious and severe challenges to getting good fuel mileage. On a recent trip from Salt Lake to Las Vegas, my little torque monster faced steep grades and high temperatures (100+ F) that required me to run the air conditioner. I turned on the air, set the cruise control to 75 mph and sat back and watched as the car faced 20 - 40 mph headwinds (both ways - a front moved through) and the aforementioned steep climbs. Still, that little oil burner got 42 - 44 mpg under those wicked conditions - with the A/C on.

This week there is an even more challenging ride as I climb the Rocky Mountains of Utah and Wyoming, travel across Nebraska, face the rolling hills of Iowa, the flat-lands of Illinois, and finally arrive in Milwaukee. The forecast calls for high temperatures so the A/C will be on for most, if not all, of the trip.

The torque is awesome. One of the most challenging road climbs in the USA is Parley's Canyon located just outside of Salt Lake on I-80. The climb is from 4000 feet to 9500 feet in just about 10 miles. Non-turbo semi-trucks manage 20 mph and the turbo variety can make 30 - 40 mph heavy and maybe 50 - 55 mph empty. My little torque monster climbed Parley's at 65 mph in 6th gear with no downshifts or hesitation. I used to have to downshift my 2011 Cruze ECO to make that climb.

In my opinion, the Chevy Clean Turbo Diesel is the KING of the Cruze line; especially for somebody living in or driving in the Rocky Mountains of Utah, Idaho, Colorado, or Wyoming where some passes get all the way up to 14,000 feet or so. For a little torque monster like to Cruze CTD to face the Rocky Mountains with ease and still get fuel economy around 44 mpg is impressive.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

jpm84092 said:


> I am a newbie to this forum, but not to the Cruze (owned a 2011 Cruze ECO) and now own a 2014 Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel. Mine does not get the mpg numbers you guys are posting, but I also life in the Land of Mountains and Mormons (Utah) where there are some serious and severe challenges to getting good fuel mileage. On a recent trip from Salt Lake to Las Vegas, my little torque monster faced steep grades and high temperatures (100+ F) that required me to run the air conditioner. I turned on the air, set the cruise control to 75 mph and sat back and watched as the car faced 20 - 40 mph headwinds (both ways - a front moved through) and the aforementioned steep climbs. Still, that little oil burner got 42 - 44 mpg under those wicked conditions - with the A/C on.
> 
> This week there is an even more challenging ride as I climb the Rocky Mountains of Utah and Wyoming, travel across Nebraska, face the rolling hills of Iowa, the flat-lands of Illinois, and finally arrive in Milwaukee. The forecast calls for high temperatures so the A/C will be on for most, if not all, of the trip.
> 
> ...


Welcome to the forum! I have been averaging 42 MPG overall with about 30% city and 70% highway. I have a fuelly account but not sure how to add it here. Almost 3000 miles so far and I love it more and more every day. It's a fantastic car.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

tecollins1 said:


> Thats pretty good at that speed and the fact it isnt broken in yet!
> Most eco guys get the best MPGs around 60-62 mph.


Good point about the break-in. My Eco seems to be getting slightly better mileage now that it's a year old with a few miles on it.

Regarding vehicle speed vs. MPG, generally the slowest you can go in the tallest gear will return the best cuising economy. All automatics will force a downshift out of top gear as speed slows past a certain point, so maintaining speeds just above that point (if possible) should be the car's peak economy speed. Check out this thread on Ecomodder for more info, I added my Cruze numbers in post #100 on page 4:

Speed vs. MPG charts (post 'em if you got 'em) - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com

In 6th gear at 31 MPH (50 km/h) my Eco gets 78 MPG, while at 62 MPH (100 km/h) it "only" gets 49 MPG. These are two-way averaged runs over the same stretch of road with cruise control set in warm, calm conditions, to best eliminate variables. I used the on board computer corrected to -7% (DIC readings averaged 52.9 MPG @ 62 MPH). I plan to do more testing in the near future while datalogging a few changes to the car.


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## Beaker (Mar 21, 2012)

What did the diesel run you guys out the door without tax?


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

diesel said:


> It was very quiet on the highway, felt very solid, almost like a Mercedes or BMW and not the least bit of driver fatigue in 8+ hours of driving. This is seriously an impressive car all around. My other car is a Mercedes GLK250, so I am very familiar with the "German feel" and Chevrolet comes vey close with this car.


My better half drives a '11 3-Series BMW, and on two separate occasions she's mentioned how quiet my Eco is on the highway. I think her car is a bit quieter than mine, but the TD is quieter than an Eco so you're probably right on the money in that regard. Overall I think the Cruze has excellent build quality and fit/finish. It's obvious the budget isn't as high as with the premium brands where material choices are concened, but they've done a good job within what they had to work with.



diesel said:


> The steering feel was very impressive, with a very nice amound of feedback that never felt artificial. I read an article about them changing the steering in the diesel and it's way different than my friend's LS.


Can you elaborate a little more on the steering? How would you compare the two as far as effort and feedback are concerned? Do you know if this was an across-the-board change for 2014, or is this something specific to the TD maybe to do with the higher weight of the car?

The steering in the Eco is quick and light, but lacking in feedback. I'm not aware of any differences between the Eco and other models?


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Beaker said:


> What did the diesel run you guys out the door without tax?


I asked for and got a grand off, plus I had another rebate on top of that.


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## rescueswimmer (Mar 28, 2013)

They changed the steering in the diesel, Its a little stiffer if that makes sense, Less Cadillac of the 80's feeling and more like a corvette. If that makes sense. Just requires a little more effort to turn the wheel. Gives it a secure feeling and not so much mechanical assist. According to GM they wanted a more European feel to it. From what I understand its just a flash to the computer to not assist as much.


diesel sent you a PM.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Quick update - Passed 5000 miles yesterday and no issues whatsoever. It looks like this car will be very reliable and durable.


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## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

Glad to hear your car is doing great! I have a question for you regarding RPM. What does the diesel run on RPM for say, 65-75 mph? 

One of my very few minor annoyances of my Cruze is running near 3,000 rpm at 70-75 mph. Obviously it's not a big deal as it is the norm with small four-cylinders, but it is something I've had to get used to as when I got my Cruze, I stepped down from an Impala with a torquey V6 which would pur down the freeway all day long at 80+ mph (I lived in Montana) at just over 2,100 rpm. 

My Cruze is an '11 model, so it has the higher final drive ratio than the '12s or '13s which were stepped down a bit for better economy. I've driven both a '12 and a '13 and the improvement is only a couple hundred RPM at best, although, no noticeable loss in acceleration vs. my '11 despite my '11 having a higher ratio. I'm strongly considering trading to the diesel at some point, and I'm just curious where it revs at with its lower final drive ratio and high torque. It'd be nice to be back down in the 2,000-2,500 range at 75-80 mph.


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## spike (Jul 26, 2013)

Just received my Turbo Diesel 2 days ago. I had owned a 1998 Jetta TDI (loved it), but the Cruze IMO was better that the new TDI (maybe not the Passat, but the Passat is $$). Looking forward to this forum - hopefully will learn something.

I would like to purchase a dashboard cover. Seems no one lists one for a 2014 model yet ?

Where is the best place to purchase accessories ?


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Welcome to the forum!

I picked up a few things from Autoanything. As far as the dash mat goes, I don't believe there's any difference between the TD and gas models, or '11-'14 models as far as the dash shape is concerned. I would double check with the company before ordering to be sure.


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## spike (Jul 26, 2013)

Thanks. Actually, I was looking at autoanything website. The word I have is that a 2014 Dash is the Same as 2013.
Wonder if there are any differences in the body style ?


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

PanJet said:


> Glad to hear your car is doing great! I have a question for you regarding RPM. What does the diesel run on RPM for say, 65-75 mph?
> 
> One of my very few minor annoyances of my Cruze is running near 3,000 rpm at 70-75 mph. Obviously it's not a big deal as it is the norm with small four-cylinders, but it is something I've had to get used to as when I got my Cruze, I stepped down from an Impala with a torquey V6 which would pur down the freeway all day long at 80+ mph (I lived in Montana) at just over 2,100 rpm.
> 
> My Cruze is an '11 model, so it has the higher final drive ratio than the '12s or '13s which were stepped down a bit for better economy. I've driven both a '12 and a '13 and the improvement is only a couple hundred RPM at best, although, no noticeable loss in acceleration vs. my '11 despite my '11 having a higher ratio. I'm strongly considering trading to the diesel at some point, and I'm just curious where it revs at with its lower final drive ratio and high torque. It'd be nice to be back down in the 2,000-2,500 range at 75-80 mph.


Can't speak for the US Diesel but my Holden Cruze diesel is doing 1750RPM at 110kph (68mph). It has a final drive of 2.66-1. 1750 RPM is peak torque in my car and redline is 4,500rpm.


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## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

Aussie said:


> Can't speak for the US Diesel but my Holden Cruze diesel is doing 1750RPM at 110kph (68mph). It has a final drive of 2.66-1. 1750 RPM is peak torque in my car and redline is 4,500rpm.


The U.S. diesel has a 3.20 final drive. The 1.4L gas is 3.83 and the 1.8L is 3.94. My 2011 LT has a 3.87 final drive.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

> Originally Posted by spikeJust received my Turbo Diesel 2 days ago.


Welcome to the forum! If there is anything we can help you with, please let us know.

Amber N. (assisting Jackie)
Chevrolet Customer Care


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## Luigi (Jun 16, 2013)

PanJet said:


> Glad to hear your car is doing great! I have a question for you regarding RPM. What does the diesel run on RPM for say, 65-75 mph?
> 
> One of my very few minor annoyances of my Cruze is running near 3,000 rpm at 70-75 mph. Obviously it's not a big deal as it is the norm with small four-cylinders, but it is something I've had to get used to as when I got my Cruze, I stepped down from an Impala with a torquey V6 which would pur down the freeway all day long at 80+ mph (I lived in Montana) at just over 2,100 rpm.
> 
> My Cruze is an '11 model, so it has the higher final drive ratio than the '12s or '13s which were stepped down a bit for better economy. I've driven both a '12 and a '13 and the improvement is only a couple hundred RPM at best, although, no noticeable loss in acceleration vs. my '11 despite my '11 having a higher ratio. I'm strongly considering trading to the diesel at some point, and I'm just curious where it revs at with its lower final drive ratio and high torque. It'd be nice to be back down in the 2,000-2,500 range at 75-80 mph.


When I am cruising at 75, I am doing about 2100-2200. Set your cruise for 85, you can still get 40mpg too.


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