2017 Chevrolet Cruze Sedan Diesel Automatic

Across America, thousands of Volkswagen diesel owners are relinquishing their keys to dealers in exchange for generous buyback checks. Where will they spend that money? If the whole ordeal hasn’t turned them off to diesels entirely—and that’s a big “if”—General Motors is hoping to divert some of that cash its way, with the rollout of its new, 100 percent EPA-compliant turbo-diesel engine.

The 137-hp turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four is available now in the compact Chevrolet Cruze sedan and soon will be offered in the Cruze hatchback as well as in the Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain crossovers. It’s part of an exclusive club, being one of only six light-duty diesel engines certified by the EPA for the 2017 model year.

In a Class of One

With those Volkswagen Golf, Jetta, and Passat TDIs now banished, the Cruze is the only 2017-model-year, sub-$30,000 diesel passenger car for sale today. (However, new 2015 VW Passats are recently legal once again.) You have to go several rungs up the price ladder to find other diesel options, such as the Jaguar XE and the BMW 3-series, which carry base prices at least $10K dearer than the little Chevrolet.

Of course, the Cruze is no 3-series, but its high-tech diesel engine also comes at a significant price premium. The diesel only is available in one trim level, starting at $24,670 with a six-speed manual transmission, which is $2950 more than an equivalent gas-powered Cruze LT sedan. (Incidentally, that price is smack-dab in the middle of the range of what VW estimates it will pay owners to buy back a 2015 Jetta TDI sedan.) The optional nine-speed automatic transmission ($1600) and $1125 leather-seating package bundled with a heated steering wheel drove our test car’s total to $27,395.

Puts Up Big Numbers

The nine-speed gearbox is an impressive unit, serving up smooth and seamless shifts and effectively allocating the 240 lb-ft of torque. Despite an 18 percent reduction in displacement compared with the previous-generation Cruze’s 2.0-liter diesel, the new car hits 60 mph in an identical 8.0 seconds (that’s only 0.4 second behind the performance of the gas model’s turbocharged 1.4-liter). The new diesel’s aluminum engine block along with general weight reduction in the new model helps it drop 364 pounds versus the last diesel-powered Cruze. Roadholding and braking improve, too, with our car returning a respectable 0.84 g of grip and a 167-foot stop from 70 mph. The new engine also is quieter than before, only making itself known upon cold startup; once it’s warmed up, there’s little to no hint of diesel clatter.

Naturally, fuel economy is a crucial metric. It’s up, according to both the EPA and our tests. The government rates it at 37 mpg combined—a 5-mpg bump—with either transmission, and our overall average matched that impressive number. In our real-world, 75-mph highway loop, the Cruze achieved a remarkable 52 mpg, 6 mpg better than the Toyota Prius and about 10 percent better than the EPA’s 47-mpg highway rating. If it’s similarly overachieving, the manual Cruze diesel might do better still, given its 52-mpg EPA highway rating. Long-haul drivers take note: 700-mile stints between fill-ups are definitely within reach.

Elusive VW Appeal

The Chevrolet’s numbers, then, leave no doubt that it’s capable of taking the diesel baton from Volkswagen. Unfortunately, the Cruze does a less-convincing VW impression in other regards. It offers a commendable ride-and-handling balance, but it lacks the precisely tuned damping, sharp on-center steering feel, and overall solidity that make VW Golfs and Jettas so satisfying to drive. The Chevy’s cabin, though vastly improved over GM small-car interiors of yore, also lags behind VW’s impeccable interior quality.

GM’s newest diesel engine is an undeniably impressive engineering achievement, delivering solid performance and chart-topping efficiency while fully complying with emissions regulations. But its appeal is limited by the middle-of-the-pack compact sedan in which it’s installed. Chevrolet may lure a few less-discerning TDI owners with the Cruze diesel’s stellar fuel economy, but we note that the appeal of Volkswagen’s TDIs went beyond their powertrains.

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICE AS TESTED: $27,395 (base price: $26,270)

ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve diesel inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 98 cu in, 1598 cc
Power: 137 hp @ 3750 rpm
Torque: 240 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 9-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 106.3 in
Length: 183.7 in
Width: 70.5 in Height: 57.4 in
Passenger volume: 94 cu ft
Cargo volume: 14 cu ft
Curb weight: 3123 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 8.0 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 23.9 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 42.9 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 8.6 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.9 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 5.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 16.3 sec @ 85 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 130 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 167 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad*: 0.84 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA combined/city/highway driving: 37/31/47 mpg
C/D observed: 37 mpg
C/D observed 75-mph highway driving: 52 mpg
C/D observed highway range: 710 mi

*stability-control-inhibited