Review: 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Turbo Diesel is not for the weak of bladder

Excerpt from the New York Daily News, by Nick Kurczewski…..

“You won’t be making many pit-stops in the Cruze Diesel. The driving range is  estimated to be more than 700 miles.

The 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Turbo Diesel is one of the latest salvos in the  growing diesel market here in the U.S.

In Europe, diesel engines have long outsold their gasoline counterparts,  thanks mostly to the superior fuel economy and driving range they provide.  Diesels are more expensive to build – and to buy – but the money saved out the  pump is often enough to balance out the higher initial purchase price.

Chevrolet has now decided to enter the market for affordable diesel sedans  which, until recently, has been dominated by Volkswagen. The VW Jetta TDI sedan  has been one of the only players in the segment and, at least on paper, the  Chevy sedan looks to have the upper-hand.

The Cruze Diesel has better highway economy (46-mpg versus the VW’s 42-mpg),  better range (712 miles vs. 609), and more horsepower than the VW. The Cruze  Diesel’s 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder musters 151-horsepower and 264 lb.-ft. of  torque at 2,600 rpm.

In comparison, the Jetta TDI delivers 140-hp and 236 lb.-ft. of torque.

So the Chevrolet is the clear winner here, right?

As it stands, the Cruze does many things very well. The mileage and range is  fantastic, and there is plenty of room onboard for 4 adults. The 13.3 cu ft.  trunk is also pretty spacious.

The styling inside and out is anonymous but, to be fair, you can levy the  same critique against almost every car in this segment – from the Honda Civic  and Toyota Corolla, to the Nissan Sentra and VW Jetta.

Buyers of compact sedans aren’t usually looking to make an artistic  statement with their vehicle purchase.

What they’re more interested in is safety (the Cruze has 10 airbags) and  maintenance (Chevy offers a longer 5-year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty on  the Cruze Diesel). An optional safety package includes side blind-spot alert,  rear cross-traffic alert and rear park assist.

Leather seating, 17-inch alloy wheels and GM’s MyLink infotainment system  are all fitted as standard equipment at the Cruze Diesel’s base price of $25,695  (including $810 for destination).

That’s almost equal to the $25,115 you’d pay for a VW Jetta TDI equipped  with its optional 6-speed automatic. Unlike the Chevrolet, however, the Jetta  diesel is also offered with a manual transmission.”