One of the clean diesels I was able to drive at Oregon Museum of Science and Industry’s (OMSI) alternative-fuel vehicle showcase, Drive Revolution, was the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Turbo Diesel in base trim.
The exterior is virtually identical to its gasoline drinking cousin, but has 17” aluminum wheels, a rear spoiler, aero performance package (which includes the lower front grille air shutter, mid-body aero panels, and front fascia air dam), and matching painted side mirrors.
Even though this turbo diesel vehicle is the base model, it has many amenities that would beg it to be listed as more. This ride features a remote vehicle start, driver and front passenger heated seats, driver seat power adjustability, cruise control, steering wheels controls, and Chevy MyLink—a feature that allows hands-free smartphone integration with various programs. This vehicle also has a seven-inch color touch screen, CD/MP3 player and USB Port. Did I mention this is only a base model? A base model in my day had crank windows, cloth seats, and a radio if you were lucky.
This Cruze’s powertrain consists of a 2.0-liter turbo diesel making 151 horsepower and a healthy 264 ft/lbs or torque, with power being put through a six-speed automatic (the only transmission available). I found the car to be powerful and quite fun to drive, though not as much fun as the Passat TDI I drove afterwards (which had a manual trans). This Cruze is frugal with fuel economy ratings of 27 city, 46 highway, and 33 combined; not too shabby. The vehicle rides competently and absorbed bumps easily. Interior wise, all the gauges and controls were right where you needed them and were easy to use. One thing I noticed was that the cabin had bit of road noise at highway speeds and I noticed few interior rattles, too.
So how much is such a clean diesel? This particular base model stickers at $25,795, including destination. This is $2,740 more than the cost of admission for a Jetta TDI. But the Cruze Diesel has a lot of amenities, and is definitely worth a drive if you're looking for an affordable compact diesel sedan.
1 comment:
The only thing keeping me from choosing this over the Jetta TDI is the fact that I'm forced to accept (and pay for) an automatic transmission.
I am one of the few who will never buy an automatic transmission-equipped car or truck. If a vehicle doesn't have three pedals, then I'm just not interested.
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