New Chevy Cruze Compact Coming to U.S. in 2010

GM announced today that it will debut an all-new car called the Cruze at the Paris Motor Show in October. The five-passenger car will be roughly the same size as Chevy’s Cobalt sedan and will be sold in European markets staring in the spring of 2009.

GM has confirmed with Cars.com that the Cruze will also be sold in the U.S. starting in mid-2010 as a 2011 model. It will be called “Cruze” here as well. A separate source has the Cruze being built at the same Lordstown, Ohio plant that the current Chevy Cobalt is assembled. There wasn’t official confirmation that the Cruze will replace the Cobalt, but that seems like a very good guess. 

GM’s press release only said that the Cruze will carry on Chevy’s new design language seen on the new Malibu and Traverse crossover. We’ll see pictures and receive more information the closer we get to the Paris Motor Show.

Comments

[ziggy]

Here are some spy shots
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/10/spy-shots-next-gen-chevy-cobalt/

[Mart]

Weird that it'll be built here in the USA but it won't go on sale here until over a year after it goes on sale in Europe.

I would have thought, for the benefit of their market share, that it'd be good to replace the Cobalt asap.

[MSS]

I hope it looks like a mini Malibu. I like the way the Malibu looks but it looks really long, too long. Hopefully they will have a hit on their hands.

[Cheryl]

If you google the name, images come up. Does that mean they are re-using the name of something that failed before? And I also agree with the above comments...Cobalts time has come, Chevy needs a compact vehicle with the personality of the Malibu.

[Keith]

The Cruze name was used on a Chevrolet model sold only in Japan. It was manufactured by Suzuki.

[ziggy]

"personality of the malibu" - bland and nondescript.

[Cheryl]

It would be an improvement!

[Keith]

Works for Toyota - the company that is the epitomy of "bland and nondescript."

[Bowrider]

Chevrolet should learn a lesson from Ford and the Taurus debacle. Name changes aren't necessarily necessary. They should have stuck with Cavalier.

[ziggy]

I think GM has held the title longer though.

[GR]

Is this actually going to be a NEW Chevy Cruze or an old Holden Cruze? Or maybe just a rehash of the Chevy Aveo?

[SteveG]

I think I'm going to projectile vomit.
Cruze!? I was waiting for GM to come out with a replacement for my Cobalt and now they think I'm going to buy a Chevy Cruze!? Who in Gods name came out with that idiotic, moronic, witless name? I didnt think they should change the name at all but I would have had no problem if they changed it to Nova, Chevelle, Monza, even Optra.
To make matters worse they are waiting until 2010 in their weakest market to sell the replacement while not improving the current Cobalt at all! What do they think the resale value will be on current Cobalts? What about all the Cobalt fansites that exist now?
Cruze? Oh man, I think I am going to have to jump ship this time. Its just not worth an ulcer trying to prop up a company as clueless as GM. The next Focus may be my next purchase or the Mazda 3.
GM, you deserve whatever fate befalls you. I am nauseated right now.

[Jason]

The other post on Cars.com that show five new models make the Cruze look short, long and sleek. These spy shots make it look short and tall. It reminds me of the very blah Nissan Sentra and the okay-looking Sonata.

I am hoping the long, sleek look prevails.