The 2018 Chevrolet Cruze hatchback will hit the market in the middle of the following year. It will offer a lot of options such as diesel or gasoline engine and six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic transmission, so the buyers will have a lot to choose from.
The car, which is supposed to come out in the North America, will be diesel-powered, as it is confirmed by the president of the GM North America, Alan Batey confirmed in Detroit. The current model comes with a 1.4-liter turbocharged I-4 gasoline unit and one can opt for either six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic transmission.
Considering that the sedan version will also have a diesel variant, the announcement has been pretty much expected. The sedan will be sold in the beginning of 2017 and it will be followed by a hatchback. We might expect that the new model will be a bit more expensive that the 2017 Cruze, which starting price is $22,190.
A 1.6 turbodiesel unit that will also be installed in the Chevrolet Equinox will be in the hatchback. Insignia, Opel Astra, and Zafira are some of the cars with that powerplant. The assistant chief engineer for diesel cars in North America, Mike Siegrist, said that although Hungary was the home of the engine, but in order to reach the US soil, it must have been homologated to meet emissions as well as to adjust to the different weather conditions and climate.
About 15% of the compact car segment in the USA is hatchbacks, whereas in Canada that number increases, so it is natural for Chevrolet officials to believe that younger buyers will be attracted to a manual and diesel option.
“People who drive diesels love diesels,” according to Batey. Furthermore, GM sees the great opportunity after the Volkswagen diesel scandal. “We will do everything we can to seize the opportunity,” as he said.
Also, once the fuel prices go up, diesel will become a more economical option and GM will have diesel-powered vehicles ready in the lineup. About that, Batey said: “We have to be prepared because things change quickly.” Moreover, he added that it is no trouble for them to install diesel to the brand.
Although the Environmental Protection Agency hasn’t yet verified a diesel, Siegrist is sure that they will launch the vehicle as they have planned. As for the mileage, it will be “spectacular”, but he refused to talk about it.
