Chevy Cruze Pricing; "Likely will sticker for a few thousand more than the Cobalt"

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[FenwickHockey65]

I got an ad today from a local Mazda dealership. Mazda 3's are selling for $17k. Now if Mazda can sell compacts for $17k, why can't GM sell a Cruze for $16k or $17k?

[member12]

That's about right.

I can see $18,000 for a fairly well equipped Cruze if it's a little larger than the Cobalt. I can even see $20,000 for a loaded up, non SS version.

Civics are going at that price now without too much trouble...so even if gas prices go down a bit and the value of the dollar continues to rebound, the Cruze could see transaction prices in that range pretty easily. Also, the mentioned that the Cobalt will be sold along side the Cruze for a while.


The Cruze is supposed to be larger than the Cobalt, but smaller than the Mazda 6. Since the Malibu got a little larger, and the Cruze is getting larger, then the Aveo will have to grow a little on it's next design...hopefully that will involve better quality and a better powertrain.

If the Aveo can be had in a 3 door hatch (like the Yaris) and a 5 door hatch, then it can cover a little more ground.

[FBODYRULES]

Originally Posted by sdotjoe

How about this, sell it at $10K to make yall happy, take a $7K loss, and be bankrupt in 2 years. Who needs to make money anyway. Let's price the CTS starting at $29K and the Malibu at $15K, lets make the people at GMI happy.

[Achelous]

Well even forgetting what it takes to make GMI happy, the consumer needs to be happy first and foremost. And if a Cobalt can be made today at Lordstown well equipped to go out the door for 12k with the crapton of incentives they pile on, I can't understand why GM can't go the extra length to give us a competitive suspension. Because as great as it is that the car will be built in the good old US of A, it's not what's going to drive sales.

Well I guess the Corolla does well enough sales-wise with the torsion beam that it has, but I don't buy GM because they build similarly cheap suspensions into their small cars. Oh well. Who knows, I may eat my words and think it's a great car, but it's also a sign of the times when the best cars in the segment are those with independent rear suspensions and excellent handling.

So call it complaining or whatever you like. Hey, maybe it'll be the best car since sliced bread. I just really want to wave goodbye to the days when I had to compromise in order to buy GM.

[AMERICA 123]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

I got an ad today from a local Mazda dealership. Mazda 3's are selling for $17k. Now if Mazda can sell compacts for $17k, why can't GM sell a Cruze for $16k or $17k?

Two years from now that 17 is most likely going to be a 19.

Go the other way imagine the Cruze at 17k - today.

[kilcher]

Originally Posted by Masospaghetti

They said the same thing when the Cobalt was released...that it was the "premium compact" that would have higher transaction prices.

Agreed. The "We've sold you crap in the past but now we're putting out a good product that people will actually want to buy without massive rebates and incentives" line gets old after a while.

Just like this...

The test is to see whether cars like the Cruze will be worth the premium. GM Global Design Chief Ed Welburn said, "In North America, we never did a good small car."

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/21/g...-a-big-profit/

Thanks for selling us a product you have such faith in. That's a slap in the face to anyone who owns a small car from GM whether they're happy with it or not. Doesn't exactly make me clamor to do business with them again.

And this car is what, 2 years off? It's a beautiful car now but in 2 years it'll be 2 years old the day it hits the US market.

Bah!

[vcs2600]

Originally Posted by kilcher

Agreed. The "We've sold you crap in the past but now we're putting out a good product that people will actually want to buy without massive rebates and incentives" line gets old after a while.

Admittedly they said this many times before, but they finally got it done with the Malibu. $5000 higher sale prices, and retail sales doubled? That represents hundreds of millions of dollars GM was leaving on the table before.

It validates what Lutz said about putting the extra $$$ into content rather than incentives anyway.

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by TruckMan

And let's not forget that every car has to get 100mpg or else GM has no clue what the consumer wants. And there needs to be a government rebate for this type of car!

In summary, all GM cars should look as good as MB, handle like a BMW, accelerate like a Corvette, emit zero emissions, get better mileage than the Prius, cost less than $17k, and the government needs to subsidize it for me. If not, GM is stupid.

And there you have it, the way to make GM #1 again...or at least appease the haters on GMI.

[racy]

Originally Posted by Rocket 88

Your concern is completely legit, but some really good cars do just take off.

I don't think the previous generation Malibu did a lot to help the current Malibu. Years ago the Neon came out swinging with really strong sales and zero track record. The Minis were good sellers in there first year. It can happen if the product is strong enough.

You're right. Good points.