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(Review) 2016 Chevrolet Cruze Manual

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#1 ·
2016 Chevrolet Cruze Manual
CAN A STICK SHIFT MAKE THE CRUZE SPORTY?
Car and Driver
BY ALEXANDER STOKLOSA
APR 2016



First Drive Review
Those seeking a compact car with a stick shift usually fall into one of three categories: Budget buyers on the prowl for the best deal (perhaps subscribing to the theory that manual transmissions yield better fuel economy), game-show winners, and those looking for a more involving, fun driving experience. We fall into the last camp, and the excellent driving dynamics and transmissions in the Mazda 3, the Ford Focus, and the new Honda Civic make them natural targets for our affection. Chevrolet not only has the price shopper covered with the manual-only, base model of the Cruze (the path chosen by Subaru, among others), it deserves credit for also offering the stick on nicer models at upper trim levels. Either way, for the purposes of this review we’re more interested in the transmission’s fun potential.
*Full Article at Link
 
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#3 ·
Well, they obviously like the car but not the tranny. I liked the "game show winners" reference, lol and reminded me of TPIR. One thing to take into consideration is that to me seems to be most of these auto rags and testers seem to be the wanna-be Mario Andretti type so try driving it like normal ourselves and see is what I say.
 
#8 ·
On several occasions, we even downshifted into first gear at speeds above 10 mph just to avoid lugging the engine in traffic.
So they were in 1st over 10MPH?! Whaaaaaat?! No way. That's some serious speed man!


So much so that the engine’s 177 lb-ft torque peak, on a nice plateau between 2000 and 4000 rpm, doesn’t help all that much when the revs fall off hard after part-throttle upshifts. The turbo four’s 153 horsepower don’t pick up the phone until 5600 rpm, with power dropping off precipitously after that. The driver’s shift point, effectively, is at a 1980s-like 5600 rpm, there being no evident payoff in holding on to the 6500-rpm redline. The gap between first and second is particularly wide, with the 1-2 shift pancaking engine speed to just over 3000 rpm, where the engine makes about 100 horsepower.
Really?! So the trans has wide spacing, but they short shifted it, then complained the RPM dropped too low? They say there's no reason to hold on to 6500RPM, but there is. The WIDE SPACING!!!! He obviously has absolutely no clue how shifting to optimize speed works with torque curves and gearing.

If he just came out of an SS Camaro M6, I could understand his frustration. But, come on. It's a 150hp compact FWD car. How much excitement can one expect when you are short shifting, granny style (his explanation of how he should have done no-lift shifting leads me to believe he wasn't driving sporty to begin with), probably double clutching (like he's NOT supposed too)...... To much fast and the furious for this reviewer. Even when you hit it just right, it's still a 150hp FWD compact..... My wife's Focus is 160hp DCT, and I get annoyed with how painfully slow that thing is. Especially, the freakin transmission. I press the gas, 2 seconds later I'm afraid I'm about to get side swiped because it just barely started moving! W. T. H?!!
 
#10 ·
So they were in 1st over 10MPH?! Whaaaaaat?! No way. That's some serious speed man!




Really?! So the trans has wide spacing, but they short shifted it, then complained the RPM dropped too low? They say there's no reason to hold on to 6500RPM, but there is. The WIDE SPACING!!!! He obviously has absolutely no clue how shifting to optimize speed works with torque curves and gearing.

If he just came out of an SS Camaro M6, I could understand his frustration. But, come on. It's a 150hp compact FWD car. How much excitement can one expect when you are short shifting, granny style (his explanation of how he should have done no-lift shifting leads me to believe he wasn't driving sporty to begin with), probably double clutching (like he's NOT supposed too)...... To much fast and the furious for this reviewer. Even when you hit it just right, it's still a 150hp FWD compact..... My wife's Focus is 160hp DCT, and I get annoyed with how painfully slow that thing is. Especially, the freakin transmission. I press the gas, 2 seconds later I'm afraid I'm about to get side swiped because it just barely started moving! W. T. H?!!
From what I've read elsewhere, this engine (like some of the Ford Ecoboosts) goes with a relatively small turbo for mid range response. That means power falls off quickly after 5600 rpm or so. Winding it out provides more noise but not more power; shifting in this case takes the engine out of the meat of the power. Seems like gearing is optimized fuel economy. That might be a mistake given the profile of a buyer who chooses a manual (enthusiast).

While this engine makes great mid range torque, off-boost it's still 1400ccs pushing about 3000 lbs or car. Meaning low speeds in second might be challenging, necessitating first.

The vast majority of these cars will be autos, which sound like a better match for this engine. A 2.0T with a stick might be a better Focus ST alternative thats also better suited to the manual.
 
#13 · (Edited)
I have to say I miss the clean cut and formal look of the previous Cruze, but I understand the new direction which is much more interesting and modern. This is a segment, like many others, that has really turned into a commodity, it doesn't really matter what you buy because it all typically looks and works the same. Just get whatever is newer and/or the best bargain at the time. The Cruze doesn't really give you any reason not to choose it over the others which is a success.
 
#14 ·
Here's a comparison of gearing for manual vs. automatic transmissions in NG Cruze:


The wide gaps in gear ratios for the MT going from 1st to 4th may explain why Car and Driver found the manual version less than exemplary.
 
#15 ·
You'll NEVER be able to please some. They constantly cry for a manual transmission, then they get one and what do they do? They nitpick and find a reason to complain. I thought the whole allure of a "manny tranny" was to give one more control over the vehicle and the "fun" of rowing your own gears. Automatic transmissions have long outperformed manuals and used to be a "luxury" that you paid extra for.

For the few hundred of you left out there that can't live without a manual, you better accept what you can get, along with whatever the rags perceive as compromises because no major manufacturer is going to spend untold bucks just for a few sales.

I've had my share of manuals and my last one was in 2005. Won't bother me one iota if I never drive another.

This review reeks of motive. The rest of the car must blow the competition away with its primary attributes. Thus the in depth attempt to trash the car's manual transmission.
 
#18 ·
The rest of the car must blow the competition away with its primary attributes.
While NG Cruze is plenty competent, the car's primary strengths - reasonably spacious interior, smooth ride quality, and strong engine - don't really "blow the competition away."

Tenth gen Civic, Volkswagen Golf, and Mazda 3 exude similar competence when it comes to those attributes, but all deliver a higher fun to drive factor than Cruze as well especially when equipped with manual transmissions.
 
#17 ·
If I was in the market, a 6-spd hatch would be pretty appealing. I find it interesting they complain about the power. I'm sure they're making it worse than it is, but I'm sure it's partially a product of getting the displacement as low as possible and then depending on the boost to make a normal amount of power. That being said, I'd take 177 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm in the Colorado compared to 191 lb-ft at 5,000...
 
#22 ·
Hmmm, the Fast Lane Car guy seems to like the manual tranny of the Cruze quite a bit:



Guess I'll just have to test drive and decide for myself.
 
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