# Is the Cruze fun/sporty to drive?



## wbwing (Feb 23, 2011)

I am looking to get a new Cruze and test drove one today, but have a few questions that I couldn't find concrete answers to upon searching the forums and reviews.

Namely, one thing I am really looking for is "fun to drive". And handling/sportyness is my key criteria for this. I drove the LT1 w/o alloy wheels this morning and got a really smooth and quiet drive, but couldn't really get a feel for how it handles. The car really felt "drive by wire", as in, I couldn't really feel the road (really aloof). The main issue with this feeling was that I couldn't really feel the limit of the car through the corner, so I was hesitant to push it very far. Ofcourse, as it was a test drive, I didn't want to drive too aggressively on a car I'm not familiar with. So I want to ask those that have been driving the car for a while, is the car really fun to drive/handle well? Also, has anyone driven both the LT1 and LT2 with 17inch wheels and Z-link suspension? is there a big difference? I'd rather stay close to the price point of the LT1, as that has a pretty nice interior as is and I don't need all the features of the LT2, but if the LT2 with 17 inch wheels is a lot more fun to drive, it would be worth it. 

Second question, when I floored it, it didn't feel super powerful, but when I looked at the speedometer I realized I was already going pretty fast. Does the car feel good on the freeways and such? Get up mountains and pass cars pretty easily? I'm thinking it might have just been how quiet the car was.

Any help would be greatly appreciated


----------



## bigbee60 (Nov 24, 2010)

I picked my car up last Friday (ordered 11/12/2010). It is a LT2 RS with 16" alloy wheels, but the same Firestone 60 series FR710 tires and front disc/rear drum brakes with regular suspension as on the LS and LT1 models with steel wheels. Before ordering the car I had driven for a week an LTZ model which comes with the 18" alloy rims shod with 45 series Michelin Pilot tires, sport suspension, and four wheel disc brakes. The LT2 17" wheel package also has the sport suspension, and four wheel disc brakes with 50 series tires (Goodyear on the model I test drove). I also test drove an LT1 with 16" steel wheels in my shopping phase and at a Chevy ride and drive event.

To compare the models, I found braking the same in all trims - even with the all disc in 17" wheel LT2 and 18" wheel LTZ models. In all cases the stopping feel and distance is very good, but the pedal travel as you apply the brakes is long before it firms up. I'd say the pedal travel is 2-3" before the brakes are fully applied. Steering feel is pretty heavy and you can feel the electric power steering effect in the somewhat muted feedback. Despite that, the car really corners well as both my own car and the LTZ handled a decreasing radius off ramp on my work commute as good as any vehicle I've owned with the exception of my Boxster S summer ride. The car has lots of understeer built in and the ESP will activate and turn the nose in if you get silly in a cornering situation. The LT1 I drove at the Chevy event was very composed in a handling course with cones and sections for panic braking and emergency lane changes. Acceleration is a bit tepid compared to a V-6 or V-8. I had a 2005 Malibu with the trusty 3.5L V-6 and it was much heartier in acceleration than the Cruze (~7.5 sec. vs. 9 sec. 0-60mph). You can feel the lack of torque from the small engine in the Cruze. Despite that, the Cruze never feels underpowered on highway merges or in up and downhill stretches on interstate highways. Engine braking is more noise than effect due to the small engine not being able to engine brake a 3000 lb car with such little torque on tap.

So is the Cruze "fun to drive"? I'd say yes, but the car is so quiet with the extra sound deadening that you just don't realize it. It's not a Mini or Mazda 3 that you can just toss around, but it's also not a Corolla or even new Elantra which both feel like wallowing potatoes on wheels.


----------



## wbwing (Feb 23, 2011)

Thank you very much. That was an incredibly useful and informative post. I am choosing between this and a used Malibu. I know that the Cruze will be more fun to drive, but if it is not a huge difference then I might opt for the much cheaper Malibu. Though the Cruze's interior is absolutely gorgeous.


----------



## INTIMIDAT3R (Jan 22, 2011)

Yes, the Cruze is fun to drive. 

I have a 2011 Cruze LT/RS and it's "snappy". It gets me into traffic safely, grips corners nicely, and has enough "juevos" to pass when I want to.

Sure the 138 hp 1.4L turbo isn't going to win any races, but I have a 2011 Camaro SS/RS for that.

I love my Cruze and wouldn't dream of getting a Malibu to replace it.


----------



## elwood58 (Feb 2, 2011)

I think the Cruze is pretty sporty and fun to drive. My previous car was a Pontiac Solstice GXP, with nearly twice the power. I will not be challenging anyone to a drag race, but it certainly has enough power to be entertaining. The ride refinement during normal driving is excellent, while the handling during spirited driving is also good. Cabin is very quiet, with just the right amount of driver feedback from the engine bay. Reminds me of the BMW, where they engineer the cabin to let certain drivetrain sounds in.

Go for it.


----------



## Aeroscout977 (Nov 25, 2010)

INTIMIDAT3R said:


> Yes, the Cruze is fun to drive.
> 
> I have a 2011 Cruze LT/RS and it's "snappy". It gets me into traffic safely, grips corners nicely, and has enough "juevos" to pass when I want to.
> 
> ...


What about the Malibu with the LY7? ;P


----------



## Yama1yzf (Feb 13, 2011)

Is the Cruze fun to drive?.......does howdy doody have wooden b*lls?


----------



## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

Yama1yzf said:


> Is the Cruze fun to drive?.......does howdy doody have wooden b*lls?


...maybe once upon a time, but today they're made of high-tech, polystyrene and nano-carbon plastic, not bio-*wood*.


----------



## cruze-control (Jul 23, 2010)

Yama1yzf said:


> Is the Cruze fun to drive?.......does howdy doody have wooden b*lls?





70AARCUDA said:


> ...maybe once upon a time, but today they're made of high-tech, polystyrene and nano-carbon plastic, not bio-*wood*.


this made me laugh so hard. lol. to the op. im sure the cruze is very fun to drive. at least thats what almost every single review has said so far. it might not provide the feedback you desire but its still a fun and peppy car to have.


----------



## Aeroscout977 (Nov 25, 2010)

Yama1yzf said:


> Is the Cruze fun to drive?.......does howdy doody have wooden b*lls?


I'm pretty sure Howdy Doody wasn't anatomically correct


----------



## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

JDM-USDM Love said:


> I'm pretty sure Howdy Doody wasn't anatomically correct


...do you mean those were *marbles* rolling around in his pocket when someone _"...pulled his strings..."_ (wink,wink)?


----------



## some_goat (Feb 21, 2011)

So far its pretty fun to drive , GM did good work on suspension and ride quality . Turning is scary easy . But this isnt the kind of car to be bought for performance. Granted when one person is looking at this kind of car they are looking for good MPG along with some hp . While it wont put u in the back of your seat , it seems dependable and will get you where u need to go . The interior adds to the flavor of the car aswell .


----------



## wbwing (Feb 23, 2011)

Thank you everyone for the responses. One more question, I am going to buy the car and be moving from AZ to Michigan. As such I have very little idea about car maintenance in the winter. I'm told that I should not buy a new car as there is no way to keep it from rusting in a few years. Is this true? Also, the salesman mentioned that the car frame was "dipped in rubber" to keep it from rusting and such. That sounds.... fishy to me. Is there any special rust protection on these new cars?

Once again. Thank you very much. I understand this won't be a sports car, but I would be dissapointed if it wasn't fun to drive. I think I'm getting a good picture of what to expect.


----------



## shawn672 (Oct 31, 2010)

lol I'm pretty sure the frame was not "dipped in rubber", I've never heard of this before

The fact that new cars will rust in a few years is complete crap. I live in NY where they heavily salt the roads all through the winter, and although I wash my car a lot, my underbody is in pristine condition. My mom has an 07 cobalt she bought new in late 2006 and theres no rust, and she never washes hers.. ever.. ever.. lol


----------



## some_goat (Feb 21, 2011)

Ive heard that undercoating thing for cars many times . I dont know if its true or not . But one thing to consider is that the car comes with a rust warrenty for like 6yrs and or 100k miles . If a car is going to rust its going to rust regaurdless of what the cars make and model is . I dont foresee this thing rusting for a couple decadeds . But then again im in the south with no snow what so ever . 

One thing that is going to suck for u is your registration . Having to pay a tax twice is going to suck on a new car . Hope fully it wont be much at all . Or u may luck out with an "Intransit" title if the move isnt that far away .


----------



## Aeroscout977 (Nov 25, 2010)

The under coating looks like rubber but it's a spray on. I didn't get it for either of my cars and like Shawn I delt with NY winters and have yet to have rust issue on either. Like Shawn as well I also wash them religiously in the winter. Before every winter I claybar and put 3-4 coats of wax on as added protection and piece of mind. Bottom line is treat your car good and it'll last. This goes for all major manufactures IMO.


----------



## some_goat (Feb 21, 2011)

Just out of curiosity , is the spray they use anything like Rhino Liner for truck beds .


----------



## Aeroscout977 (Nov 25, 2010)

some_goat said:


> Just out of curiosity , is the spray they use anything like Rhino Liner for truck beds .


I don't know what it consist of chemically but I would imagine it's a lot like the corrosion preventive compound we used on our aircraft. I'm guessing of course, but we used types 1-3 with each type becoming a thicker and a longer lasting preventitive with the increase in number. My old Acura Legend was undercoated due to the original owner living near salt water. It wasn't hard like Rhino Liner was. It wasn't soft either. Just didn't feel like it had a hard plasticy type feeling but was still pretty solid. Maybe a member from here works at Ziebarts or whatever and could give more info.


----------



## INTIMIDAT3R (Jan 22, 2011)

wbwing said:


> I'm told that I should not buy a new car as there is no way to keep it from rusting in a few years. Is this true? Also, the salesman mentioned that the car frame was "dipped in rubber" to keep it from rusting and such. That sounds.... fishy to me. Is there any special rust protection on these new cars?


"Dipped in rubber" = *BULLS**T!!!* *DO NOT* buy from that dealership!!! They're a bunch of snake oil salesman.

Two more pieces of advice, wait until after the move to Michigan so you avoid being "double taxed" on your car.

Next, take it to Zeibart and get a complete car care kit; rustproofing, undercoating, etc. They give you a 10 year warranty.

Michigan, like Iowa, uses salt on the roads like it's going out of style.


----------



## jrsmith84 (Feb 26, 2011)

Im enjoying my 2011 cruse LT RS. Nice power great on gas. Love driving it the most on back roads, handles great and awesome in the turns. Quiet and nice ride. Took the bottom of the airbox out made it a little quicker, also you can hear the turbo but only when hvac blower on low. Its a great car. Look forward to see what future products will be offered for it.


----------



## Aeroscout977 (Nov 25, 2010)

I don't get the double taxing I never had to when I purchased my first car in ga, titled it there then moved it up to NY 2 weeks later and retitled.


----------



## Gritts (Jan 23, 2011)

If you can afford the LT, the turbo engine can be 'tuned' to increase horsepower and torque quite a bit. If you're going for the LS, then consider a manual tranny to increase the fun-to-drive factor. Don't let the dealership talk you into a used car when you can buy a new one for just a bit more. Terms on a new vehicle (no. of payments) can go longer making the actual monthly amount the same as a used car. *Dealers usually make a lot more money on a used car over a new one! *


----------



## wbwing (Feb 23, 2011)

Hey, just thought I'd update everyone. I test drove the Cruze again on Friday, and it felt completely different. The car felt faster, and a lot more fun to drive. There still was a lot more electric feel then what I'm used to, but I felt more feed back then before. But it was definitely fun to drive and had confident handling. I finally felt comfortable enough to commit to this car for the next decade (barring any unforeseen issues) and I bought one the next day.

I LOVE my taupe grey LT2 Cruze with jet black interior. The whole first day I almost felt guilty for buying a car so nice. Everytime I'm in it I'm about to explode from how awesome the Cruze is. Seroiusly, it is mindblowing how nice this car is. I will love it if it is as reliable and solid as my family's cars traditionally have been (a worry for me with all the gadgets it's loaded with).

The interior is beautiful, but what really makes the car special is the drive. It feels and sounds way faster than it actually is. All of my friends said that it really feels sporty and I agree completely. The car handles beautifully, and has plenty of oomph whenever I need it or want it. The car is as good as everyone described it. It is quiet, except for the perfect amount of engine noise. This Cruze drives so "upscale". I've had a hard time driving conservatively in it, you feel like just pushing the peddle and hearing the glorious engine.

I didn't get the RS package, the but the car still looks great. I've barely mentioned the inside, which is spectacular. The LT2 is loaded with tech and the leather, and materials are beautifully done (the only gripe is how easily finger prints and dust shows up on the black plastic). The look is conservative, but from the front the car looks confident and strong, without trying to be aggressive. Obviously the interior is what really impresses people when they get in, but for me it is the complete package of luxury and comfort with the superior driving characteristics and solid overall efficiency. My perfect car was one that would be efficient on most days but plenty of fun when I wanted a little more spice. I've found that for sure.


----------



## topgun966 (Mar 5, 2011)

I can tell you I have had my Cruze LS (yes LS need to save money for med school) for a week now and I traded in my 2007 mustang gt conv. This is MUCH more fun to drive. While the Mustang had more torque/power etc the cruze is much funner in the city and traffic. Can whip around corners like none other. I even did the 25mph corner on Lake Shore drive at 70 (I know crazy but wanted to see) and the tires never felt like it was losing it one bit. I felt I could have gone faster. (That is close to a 80 degree turn)


----------

