MY14 Cruze

[Waughy]

Tyre and inflator kit is fitted in the well when an actual wheel isn't fitted. The higher floor is required (using spacer blocks under the carpet and board) when an alloy or steel spare is fitted as only a cheese cutter would fit otherwise.
Re the nut cover removal issue, you could perhaps keep a 92112267 plastic nut removal tool in there. About $4.50. These Cruzes use the same nut covers as some VY and VZ models- which used this tool.

Thanks Davo. The brochure on the holden site with the specs says the inflator kit is standard on all models. I don't care much for it, just thought it was meant to be in there.
The 16" steel spare just fits height wise to allow the boot floor piece to sit flat.
I'll chase the removal tool next time I'm near a dealer.

[Marco]

Booked a test drive of one for Monday. (At least I think I did - the reception person took my details but there was some confusion about whether someone will call me back to confirm or not!)

[seasmi]

Our SRI has a 16 inch steely with a Kuhmo on it. (Bridgestones on vehicle) The steel wheelbrace has a hook on the end of it that can be used to pull off the covers I found.

[Waughy]

Finally gave my Cruze a wash today. Got a few quick snaps while it's clean.

[Marco]

Took the Cruze SRi for a drive at lunchtime today; it's a good thing. For the money, it's a great thing.

Had to laugh though, they couldn't give me a price or a trade-in value because their IT system is down and they couldn't get in touch with the main showroom where the valuers and managers are. Later voicemail back at $21k changeover ($24k for Cruze, $3k trade on the Vectra) which is close but right now, no cigar.

[Marco]

Probably should add some more about my general impressions of the car. At least on a short test drive, it feels solid - not at all a tinny shitbox like lots of other small cars still are. Chunky pillars and side rails, solid feeling doors, all the rest of it.

Engine is a good thing, not OMG awesome but very fit for purpose in a sporting-ish family hatchback. 132kW and 230Nm, 1.6 litre turbo so it doesn't have bags of low end but a nice midrange and top end once the turbo is on boost. There's a tiny bit of turbo lag - you don't get the same instant foot-down response that you do in a large capacity NA engine but to be honest I was actively looking for it; my wife didn't notice anything at all. It won't slam you back into your seat with sheer speed but it's a good combination of easy to drive (light clutch, difficult to stall, gets away well in most gears) and quick enough for purpose.

Handling seemed decent enough, not that we were pushing hard. Suspension is on the firm side, bumps are felt, but I think that's preferable to a pillow soft ride and so should you. Didn't feel too heavy at the front end, turned in nicely, not much body roll. Electric power steering was light, a bit hard to judge feel from a short test drive but seemed better than the Cruzes I tried a couple of years ago before Holden's engineers did any work on the locally made cars.

Good interior and boot space, nicely designed interior, lots of hard plastic about the place but the context of this being a $22.5k car with a good drivetrain and suspension, and absolutely loaded with kit, it's perfectly acceptable for a few dollars to be saved on door trims and the like. It's not at say Golf standards, or even VF Commodore standards, but it's not "get me out of this plasticky little box" either. All the bits you touch like the wheel and gearshift are leather covered and feel nice. Unlike what everyone says about Aussie cars, it all seemed well put together as well.

On the whole it seems to be a fair way ahead of anything else you can buy new for $22.5k in terms of things that count. So yeah, I liked it, will happily buy one, will be happy to drive it too.

[redvxr8clubby]

If you were shopping it against a Focus that price would be midway between a Trend and a Sport, against a Mazda 3 a MaxSport would be a little dearer, both engines as 2 litre NA on paper less power. Have you checked out either one for comparison purposes? The SRI sounds very good for the money. Mazda have a new 3 coming, but 5 or 6 months away- early 2014. Hopefully plenty of people buy a Cruze and support Aussie manufacturing, I like the 1.6 turbo in the Cruze, it seems to be the right size engine for them, never driven one myself though.

[Marco]

Not interested in the Focus. We looked at the 3 but it's too small for us and felt very cheap and nasty. It would want to be a good drive because you wouldn't want one otherwise.

[Waughy]

After 5500ks I'm still very happy. No issues to date and the 1.6 goes quite well. My parents had a 2007 Mazda 3 and I never really liked it. Was a bit gutless and the motor did sound quite tinny. It was auto too which was downer for me. If I'm going to own a 4cyl it had to be manual.

[seasmi]

Probably should add some more about my general impressions of the car. At least on a short test drive, it feels solid - not at all a tinny shitbox like lots of other small cars still are. Chunky pillars and side rails, solid feeling doors, all the rest of it.

Engine is a good thing, not OMG awesome but very fit for purpose in a sporting-ish family hatchback. 132kW and 230Nm, 1.6 litre turbo so it doesn't have bags of low end but a nice midrange and top end once the turbo is on boost. There's a tiny bit of turbo lag - you don't get the same instant foot-down response that you do in a large capacity NA engine but to be honest I was actively looking for it; my wife didn't notice anything at all. It won't slam you back into your seat with sheer speed but it's a good combination of easy to drive (light clutch, difficult to stall, gets away well in most gears) and quick enough for purpose.

Handling seemed decent enough, not that we were pushing hard. Suspension is on the firm side, bumps are felt, but I think that's preferable to a pillow soft ride and so should you. Didn't feel too heavy at the front end, turned in nicely, not much body roll. Electric power steering was light, a bit hard to judge feel from a short test drive but seemed better than the Cruzes I tried a couple of years ago before Holden's engineers did any work on the locally made cars.

Good interior and boot space, nicely designed interior, lots of hard plastic about the place but the context of this being a $22.5k car with a good drivetrain and suspension, and absolutely loaded with kit, it's perfectly acceptable for a few dollars to be saved on door trims and the like. It's not at say Golf standards, or even VF Commodore standards, but it's not "get me out of this plasticky little box" either. All the bits you touch like the wheel and gearshift are leather covered and feel nice. Unlike what everyone says about Aussie cars, it all seemed well put together as well.

On the whole it seems to be a fair way ahead of anything else you can buy new for $22.5k in terms of things that count. So yeah, I liked it, will happily buy one, will be happy to drive it too.

You observations here are pretty spot on Marco. We have done nearly 3000 k's now and can feel it freeing up nicely but the thing I really like is the suspension. As you say, a little on the firm side and some bumps felt but I've given ours a little try-out around a particular tight windy bit of bitumen with the missus and can say pleasantly that the average driver will scare himself long before the SRI /V scares them. Very sure footed and had to stop due to complaints from the passenger side. (just had an op) For us this is good value and even better being Australian made although to the missus it wouldn't have made a lot of difference if it was a SRI /V or CDX. I did buy it for her,,,,,,,,, didn't I !!! Of course!

[seasmi]

After 5500ks I'm still very happy. No issues to date and the 1.6 goes quite well. My parents had a 2007 Mazda 3 and I never really liked it. Was a bit gutless and the motor did sound quite tinny. It was auto too which was downer for me. If I'm going to own a 4cyl it had to be manual.

Same here, not problems whatsoever although still early at 3000 k's. Was expecting a blemish somewhere as there's usually something even if very very minor. I know how you feel about wanting manual only as I was the same once. I guess old age got to me but this 1.6 t in the Cruze with the sports auto is good value and nothing like autos of old, but then again I haven't tried any other latest brand ones either.

[Waughy]

Only downsides so far are the stone chips on the bonnet and windscreen, unavoidable but annoying. Also, I'm using a Galaxy S4 phone and have found that through bluetooth I can't get any listings for tracks, albums etc, it just says "list is empty". So I have to set my music up before I drive off so I'm not touching the phone when I shouldn't be. That's using the poweramp app (g00gle play and samsung apps are disabled). The timer for each track gets to 3 seconds then goes back to zero also, but the music plays fine. I've used the USB connection as well and it works perfectly, as does Pandora. I had an iPhone 5 as well and it was the same on bluetooth. I find the S4 connects easier to bluetooth as well, I had a few issues with iPhone and had to unpair and start over a few times.
Next is to find out how much and how easy (or not) to update to the mylink with satnav system. Was hoping to hold out for it but couldn't at the time. No big deal to not have it. Was a bit disappointed to see you can't record anymore as well, but no big deal again seeing as I have a 32Gb card in the phone to store music on.

[Marco]

Just ordered one. Manual red SRi hatch, $23250 d/a in the ACT (or $19750 changeover, down from yesterday's $21k offer). Wife happy and I subscribe to the "happy wife, happy life" theory so it's all good

Best of all - now I can do whatever I please to my SS as it won't need to be Mum's taxi Monday to Friday

[seasmi]

Congrats and well done Marco, you've done well!

[seasmi]

Only downsides so far are the stone chips on the bonnet and windscreen, unavoidable but annoying. Also, I'm using a Galaxy S4 phone and have found that through bluetooth I can't get any listings for tracks, albums etc, it just says "list is empty". So I have to set my music up before I drive off so I'm not touching the phone when I shouldn't be. That's using the poweramp app (g00gle play and samsung apps are disabled). The timer for each track gets to 3 seconds then goes back to zero also, but the music plays fine. I've used the USB connection as well and it works perfectly, as does Pandora. I had an iPhone 5 as well and it was the same on bluetooth. I find the S4 connects easier to bluetooth as well, I had a few issues with iPhone and had to unpair and start over a few times.
Next is to find out how much and how easy (or not) to update to the mylink with satnav system. Was hoping to hold out for it but couldn't at the time. No big deal to not have it. Was a bit disappointed to see you can't record anymore as well, but no big deal again seeing as I have a 32Gb card in the phone to store music on.

Ok, I might have to take back what I said cause the iphone works perfectly through Mylink but the HTC one X has trouble with the music. Bluetooth not a problem just can't seem to sort and play music. No doubt an update somewhere along the line. I also now have the mandatory stone chips but I guess thats life!