2014 Cruze to Borrow Impala Design Cues

[nsap]

The new Chevy face will make its way to the Cruze next.
www.GMInsideNews.com
August 6, 2012
By: Nick Saporito

Speculative rendering of the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze done by GMI's MonaroSS.

It has long been known that Chevrolet is planning to give its Cruze compact sedan a mid-cycle enhancement in 2014. Chevy’s first truly global product is sold in over 120 countries and has been fairly successful in most, but the compact segment has become a major battleground worldwide, meaning Chevy must constantly up the ante with their entry. GMI has now been told that the Cruze revamp will bring Chevrolet’s new design theme as first seen on the upcoming 2014 Impala.

In April Chevrolet announced that their global design theme would evolve with the introduction of the 2013 Traverse and 2014 Impala. In both applications the Chevrolet shield grille that has become commonplace in the Chevy stable is absent in favor of smaller, squarer grilles. Despite the controversy surrounding the deletion of the iconic Chevy crossbar, the new Impala design was largely well received.

According to sources familiar with Chevrolet product plans, the redesigned Cruze will be the next product to wear the new Chevy face. Specifically, GMI’s source states that the Cruze front-end will be very similar to the 2014 Impala with the new grille design and an overall more squared off face. Design changes outside of the new front are expected to be minor.

The redesign will also bring the long-awaited Cruze diesel model. Through a reported Eco-D model, the Cruze will gain an optional 2.0-liter diesel engine. Power figures and fuel economy for the new engine are unknown at this time, though GMI has been told the car will have fairly extensive changes to meet the needs of a high-torque engine, including a beefed up suspension.

Changes beyond aesthetics and the Eco-D addition are anyone’s guess at this point. It is probably a safe bet to say that the Cruze will gain all of GM’s latest technology, including the latest iteration of Chevy’s MyLink infotainment system. GMI is fairly confident that no other changes will take place to the car’s existing Ecotec 1.4-liter engine.

The revamped Cruze is expected to launch in North America in mid-2013 as a 2014 model. In a very unusual pattern for GM, a more extensive redesign on the Cruze is expect for the 2015 model, when powertrain changes are also anticipated.

[FenwickHockey65]

The revamped Cruze is expected to launch in North America in mid-2013 as a 2014 model. In a very unusual pattern for GM, a more extensive redesign on the Cruze is expect for the 2015 model, when powertrain changes are also anticipated.

Any more details regarding this? I don't see why GM would MCE the Cruze then redesign it for the next model year.

[donmateo]

Interesting....Will be anxious to see some shots of the real thing and if we get any other body styles.

[PontiacBixler]

snooze fest. If this does end up being similar to what GM does, it will blend in perfectly with Honda and Toyota.

[bballr4567]

Any more details regarding this? I don't see why GM would MCE the Cruze then redesign it for the next model year.

Exactly.

Kind of strange to do the MCE a year before a redesign. One thing is for sure though, it needs to be a great improvement. Fix all the complaints the owners have had and give us some body styles!!


That chop looks great though.

[ausrutherford]

Im guessing that NA will be the only ones receiving this facelift since the world markets already got a different facelift this past year?

[nsap]

Im guessing that NA will be the only ones receiving this facelift since the world markets already got a different facelift this past year?

Likely. The cost of implementing a different face in different markets is minimal at best.

[jzchev28]

Looks damned good so far!

[prototype66]

I like it.
Cross bar is old hat now imo. this looks more up scale. For performance models just make the height of the grill taller.

[Cobaltss_King]

Bring on the diesel with a manual please.

[V8GMT360 Guy]

That actually looks quite nice... I like it!

[Koasterking]

So far so good. I like it.

[ab348]

I like it. Plus they got rid of the black plastic triangle filler piece behind the rear doors.

[civilzues]

I like it. Plus they got rid of the black plastic triangle filler piece behind the rear doors.

the picture above is a chop and the reason the black peice isn't showing is that this chop is of the hatch.

[Rick_VT]

Any more details regarding this? I don't see why GM would MCE the Cruze then redesign it for the next model year.

It would help spread the costs out if the did them over a couple years, do some changes to the way it looks then the folloowing year do the big engineering changes, it spreads out the costs and also helps it look like GM is doing constant updates to the car each year like most on here expect them to do. Holden been doing that for years with the Commodore.