Faults:

No reliability issues.

General Comments:

This review is about a 5 day rental on a 2012 Cruze.

I'd recently rented a 2013 Toyota Corolla, and the Cruze outclassed it 10 to 1. In drivability, interior quality, fuel economy, ride, and looks.

The Cruze had 42,000 miles on it when I turned it in, and there was not a squeak or rattle anywhere that I could hear. I loved the 1.4 liter turbo engine, which had lots of torque when it revved, and scored 38 MPG on the highway averaging 70+ miles per hour. The interior was classy, sporty and well laid out. The standard radio had a nice sound, and the dash readout had lots of information like MPG, average speed, etc.

One of the most impressive aspects of the Cruze was the quiet and smooth ride. Amazing for a compact car. I drive a mid-size daily, and would not feel penalized switching to this Cruze based on ride and quietness. It felt solid and composed on the highway.

Corollas have stellar reliability, so if this Chevy holds up, then GM has really scored with this little car. Consumer Reports shows that since its launch, it's improving.

Faults:

Nothing went wrong during the 500 mile rental duration.

General Comments:

Miles ahead of previous GM small cars (Cavalier, Cobalt).

Although the engine is turbo charged, don't expect NHRA top-fuel 1/4 mile times, as the 1.4L engine has such a small bore & stroke, torque is not substantial. However, due to the turbo, what power the engine does make is available from very low RPM to about 5000 RPM, making the car very good for average use.

Entry and exit at the driver's seat is a bit cramped. At just 5'8" tall, the seating position put my head right next to the door jamb (B-pillar), causing a substantial blind spot and producing a bit of claustrophobia... and serious concerns the side air bag would keep my head from cracking against the door jamb in the unlikely event of a side impact.

Got 35-37 MPG during 500 miles of mostly 70-80 mph highway driving. The ride was adequately smooth and fairly quiet for a small car.

Expensive wheel/tire set-up on the LTZ and low profile tires increase the chances of rim damage.

General Comments:

I had this car for one week as a rental. The car had about 17K miles on it. Based on the reviews I was expecting more.

First, the seats are horrid. You are forced to slouch so that your ribs are nearly touching your hip bones.

Then there is the suspension. Body roll is well controlled, but the rear end is so under-sprung and under-damped it kept hitting the bump stops on even smooth roads; bumpy roads necessitated slowing well below the speed limits.

Steering feedback is, well, kind of like an old school video game.

Brakes modulated well.

Mileage was good; I got 36 MPG in mixed driving.

Acceleration is what one would expect. Overall power seemed biased to low end torque over high end power.

The car was quiet and smooth with minimal vibration.