# 2018 Hatchback.. Manual or Auto?



## rry3158652 (Jan 23, 2018)

I have a 2018 DHB with the 9 speed automatic and I am very happy with it. I test drove the stick and opted for the automatic, I wish the stick had a shorter throw and a more positive feel.
Be aware of the start/stop feature with the automatic. Many people do not seem to like it, personally I don’t mind it but I can see their side also.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

I think the autostop could use some improvements. I"m all for clean air. But i think it goes a little overboard for certain situations. LIke parking and engine restart before shutting down your car. I also want my a/c going full time. Another PITA is going to work. I get close to the box to enter the code for the gate. But i can't turn the steering to steer to the gate untill the gate opens up enough to take foot off brake and start car back up. 

To me. It's a lot of unwanted and unnecassary wear and tear. 

To get around it. There's the L6 option. And that started getting on my nerves. So I opted for the tune. Best money I've ever spent on a car. The car has more power. The trans works like they've worked for the last 100 years. No lugging engine. And no more autostop. 

I can understand the concept of saving fuel by having the trans run at lower rpms. But having to push the pedal down further. Really defeats that purpose.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Stick with the auto. As you said, it's quite refined and is into it's 3rd production year now. I owned a manual Cruze in a heavy traffic area and definitely appreciate the auto now. 

GM has also had some issues with the M32 manual that they never quite sorted out. Flywheel issues weren't uncommon with the Gen 1, and it's come up on a few Gen 2s as well. 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

If you like any kind of "uplevel" options like a sunroof, you'll be forced into the automatic anyway, since clearly a transmission dictates if you can have a hole in your roof or not...

The manual is also not available with the 8" current-gen MyLink system - you'll be stuck with the 7" previous gen (not the previous _previous_ gen of MyLink found in the Gen1 Cruzes). The current MyLink is much better, and has Android Auto/Apple CarPlay. You also can't get the Bose speakers with the manual, either.


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## Barry Allen (Apr 18, 2018)

snowwy66 said:


> So I opted for the tune.


What engine tunes are available for diesel cars?


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## HiccaBurp (May 8, 2018)

Thanks for the input everyone! 

The auto start/stop, if it bothers me.. i'll either do the L route or get a tune. I probably will get a tune anyways down the road once i get closer to the end of my warranty.

The other thing I liked about the Cruze was the really good turning radius.


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

I did not know the diesel automatic had start stop.

Rob


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## HiccaBurp (May 8, 2018)

Hi Rob, hey, before Wauconda I lived in Des Plaines.. 

Yes, the automatics have it. It seemed smooth on my 20 min mixed roads test drive.. but i'm sure i'd get annoying after a while

Alex


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

HiccaBurp said:


> Hi Rob, hey, before Wauconda I lived in Des Plaines..
> 
> Yes, the automatics have it. It seemed smooth on my 20 min mixed roads test drive.. but i'm sure i'd get annoying after a while
> 
> Alex


Gasser here, but I've grown to like it in city traffic. When it annoys me in stop-and-go slog, I just plop it in L and forget about it. When I want it to shut off again, back to "D". 

It does seem more jerky on restart with the A/C running and in high heat, at least on mine. The rest of the time it's pretty seamless.


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## HiccaBurp (May 8, 2018)

jblackburn said:


> Gasser here, but I've grown to like it in city traffic. When it annoys me in stop-and-go slog, I just plop it in L and forget about it. When I want it to shut off again, back to "D".
> 
> It does seem more jerky on restart with the A/C running and in high heat, at least on mine. The rest of the time it's pretty seamless.


On my extended test drive, it didn't seem intrusive. However, i'm sure there will scenarios where I'll want to disable it by putting in L. I told the dealer before I would purchase, I would want to drive the vehicle for at least a whole day on my own in my environment. They were cool with that.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

Barry Allen said:


> What engine tunes are available for diesel cars?


You'd have to ask the diesel guys that. Trifecta websight says they have it for 14 and 15 2.0L models. And they want $550. And that's all they offer for diesel cruzes. 

Google be your friend also. I don't know what other options there are.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

snowwy66 said:


> You'd have to ask the diesel guys that. Trifecta websight says they have it for 14 and 15 2.0L models. And they want $550. And that's all they offer for diesel cruzes.
> 
> Google be your friend also. I don't know what other options there are.


I have not seen any Gen 2 Diesel tunes on the market, as of yet.


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## KeithP (May 16, 2018)

rry3158652 said:


> I have a 2018 DHB with the 9 speed automatic and I am very happy with it. I test drove the stick and opted for the automatic, I wish the stick had a shorter throw and a more positive feel.
> Be aware of the start/stop feature with the automatic. Many people do not seem to like it, personally I don’t mind it but I can see their side also.


I had the opposite result, after driving both I opted for the manual. I originally wanted an automatic because I was getting tired of rowing through the gears in traffic (all of my commuter cars to date have been manuals), but I just couldn’t get over my personal hang ups about the auto start/stop - it really bugged me. I recommend folks drive both to get a first-hand impression of the feel (positive and negative) of each transmission choice and pick what’s best for them. As others have also pointed out, I wish some of the other options weren’t bundled the way they are based on your transmission choice but it is what it is.....


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