New 2016 Chevrolet Cruze unveiled

Chevrolet has unveiled the second-generation Cruze sedan. It features redesigned exterior and interiors and now rides on GM’s new D2 FWD platform.

The new Chevrolet Cruze sedan's exterior styling is different from the one unveiled for the Chinese market last year. The styling draws inspiration from present-day Chevrolet models including the recently-unveiled Chevrolet Volt electric car. On the exterior, it gets projector headlamps and LED daytime running lamps on higher models.

Like the current car, the new Chevrolet Cruze’s interior gets a dual-cockpit design and comes with a piano-black or brushed-aluminum finish along with multiple soft-touch surfaces on the dash and other parts. A large screen sits at the centre of the dash and is surrounded by two vertical air-con vents.

The new Cruze is longer than its predecessor; it adds 15mm more to its wheelbase and 69mm to its overall length of 4666mm. It also offers more interior room than the earlier model and an additional 51mm of rear knee room. The new Chevrolet Cruze petrol sold in North America is lighter than its predecessor by around 113kg. According to GM, it features one of the 'most mass-efficient' chassis systems currently available in the market. It also gets a 27 percent stiffer body as compared to its predecessor.

The all-new Cruze is likely to come to India with two new engine options. The 2-litre diesel will be replaced by a smaller, state-of-the-art 1.6 variable geometry turbo-diesel, which GM’s powertrain engineer claims is 'whisper-quiet’ and sets a new benchmark for refinement. Featuring the latest injection technology and new low friction components, this 1.6 diesel is expected to be very fuel efficient too. The power and torque for this new engine has not been revealed yet, but company sources hint that figures could be close to that of the earlier 2-litre engine. With demand for petrol coming back, Chevrolet, for the first time in India, will offer the Cruze with a petrol option — the Ecotec 1.4 turbo-petrol with direct-injection developing 153bhp and 24.47kgm of torque.

The new Chevrolet Cruze for North America gets MacPherson strut suspension upfront and comes with a torsion beam axle on the lower models and an enhanced Z-link design on higher trims. It gets
15-inch wheels for the lower-specced trims. while the higher variants get 17-inch or 18-inch wheels.

Safety features such as 10 airbags, ESP, rollover mitigation and ABS are standard on all trims. It also gets four-wheel disc brakes, a rear-view camera and the GM OnStar with a 4G LTE system along with a Wi-Fi hotspot feature. Available advanced safety features include Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Lane Keep Assist and Forward Collision Alert

The new Chevrolet Cruze is equipped with GM’s MyLink Infotainment system that employs a 7-inch touchscreen, compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Also available is the MyLink radio with a larger 8-inch display that also gets navigation and Apple CarPlay.Other features include wireless phone charging, heated rear leather seats, and heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel for higher trims.

The new Chevrolet Cruze will be sold in 40 international markets and will be available in both left-hand and right-hand drive configurations. It is expected to reach Indian showrooms in 2017.