CRUISING ON THE EDGE WITH THE CRUZE
2010-10-18 12:35:16 Author: admin Source:
Pavilion Crest Sdn Bhd, Malaysian distributors of the Chevrolet vehicles, had its first Chevrolet Cruze Media Test Drive event very recently at the beachfront vicinity of Pimula Beach, Kuala Terengganu.
The event presented the media the opportunity to drive the new Cruze on various road conditions through highways, trunk and town access roads. Our first destination was Chukai in Kemaman, Terengganu and eventually Kuala Terengganu's Primula Beach which took almost 4 1/2 hours, along scenic and breathtaking coastal roads, to reach.
The new Cruze is loaded with a complete stylish and versatile package both on the exterior and interior. It is also much roomier inside compared to the previous Optra and Optra5 variants. With a six-speed transmission and Shiftronic function, the Cruze has a little edge on paper compared to variants in similar category or segment.
The Cruze provides a little more pick-up speed and is quicker from a stop and go situation, but lacks top-end speed. We pushed its limits up to 195km/h on the East-West highway towards Kuantan, Pahang as the car tried very hard to maintain its sluggish pace from that point on. Its 1.8-litre 4-cylinder engine equipped with Double Continuous Variable Cam Phasing (DCVCP) and Variable Intake System (VIS) yearned to be slower, should it go beyond 190 km/h. Moderately rated at power and torque ratios of 140hp at 6,200 rpm and 176Nm at 3800 rpm respectively, the Cruze works at its best at mid-range speed and on negotiating "S" bends and tricky corners, evident on Terengganu's town access and trunk roads.
Smooth power delivery is ensured on shiftronic mode for overtaking situations or simply to catch with faster vehicles i.e. the Chevrolet Captivas who joined our roadtrip. As for full auto mode, we'd suggest don't bother trying to be too adventurous. However, its 6-speed transmission struggled somewhat on ascending roads with a noticeable dip on the speedo while on 5th and more obvious on 6th gear, forcing the driver to either engage fourth to allow the car to maintain an equilibrium on the road.
On situations where it called for extreme braking, our Cruze provided very sufficient stopping capability, even completely idling the car on a few instances. Its moderate performance is made up for in the car's safety department, which earned it a 5-star NCAP rating, featuring key safety equipments like; Electronic Stability Control (ESC), 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS, Traction Control (TC) and Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD).
The Cruze's new rear suspension did live up to the hype of improved cornering and overall car stability as the car clinged to the road like a well-rounded sports car while we drove it with a tad bit aggression on curvaceous and tight bends. The car's acceptable stability and cornering ability are also possible thanks to the Cruze's front McPhersons and rear compound crank axle (torsion rod). But, one clear disadvantage was felt throughout the journey at speed of 80 - 100km/h or more; the rear twitch or slight oversteering, especially on trunk roads and highway chicanes. Our Olympic White Cruze had a lot of rear twitching as we pounded the road for more speed and drove with a little more dynamism. We later spoke to GM technical person, Kithphot Kosakarn of GM Thailand, on this persistent issue and he revealed that our Cruze may be fitted with wrong set of tyres, especially the rear ones.
Overall, our 4 1/2 hours drive was enjoyable with a 3-driver interval switch, but much was attributed to the Cruze's sound dampening qualities and exceptional comfort. The Cruze is fitted with a four-point mounting system which isolates the engine from the chassis and voids the interior of any mechanical harshness and engine noise. The four-point mounting system includes; fiberglass blanket on the underside of the hood, damping mats, and 5-layer thermal fiber acoustic roof lining and form-designed carpets.
Interior-wise, the Cruze is one of our favorites among the segment league with its seamless styling, dual cockpit , a unique centre console and an overall luxury sports setting. The integrated centre console houses a driver information display panel with personal customization access, entertainment amenities, a/c vents and a sporty gear lever. Other interior basics include; tilt and telescopic steering, audio AUX, backseat fold at 60:40 split, a switch for adjusting the Cruze's projector headlamps and sunshade with vanity mirror (front passenger).
Available in eight colors;the Olympic White, Super Red, Moroccan Blue, Carbon Flash, Pewter Grey, Misty Lake, Switchblade Silver and Velvet Red (above), the Cruze retails for a good RM101,525.10 on-the-road price.
Pavilion Crest SB offers a closer look at the Cruze and all existing Chevrolet models at 8 dealers nationwide so test drive yours today!
