Which Chevrolet Cruze is better: diesel or petrol?
At the end of 2017, Chevrolet seized its production and sales of models locally, however, you can still buy used Chevrolet models locally and the Cruze features amongst them. We compare the diesel and petrol offerings for you to find out which is best.
Chevrolet, a subsidiary of General Motors, has enjoyed many years of success in South Africa since its relaunch locally in 1997, however, the low sales figures of GM vehicle were enough to prompt the decision to move on. As GM seized operations locally, so did Chevrolet while Isuzu Motors South Africa bought the light commercial production facilities to continue local production and sales. Opel also continues to feature locally being imported by the PSA group.
Related: The new Chevrolet Cruze - First drive impressions.
Chevrolet offered a variety vehicles including a small Utility bakkie, the Cruze hatch and sedan models as well as the Lumina Ute and sedan models. While the Utility bakkie and Lumina models had their own competition in their respective segments, the Cruze sedan models went up against the likes of Volkswagen's Jetta, the Toyota Corolla and the popular Hyundai Elantra. A battle the brand would lose.
The figures
The Chevrolet was originally launched with a 1.6- and 1.8-litre petrol, and a 2.0-litre diesel on offer. While these proved ample, Chevrolet did replace the 1.8-litre option with a 1.4-litre turbocharged engine in 2013. Let us compare all four engine derivatives that were available locally to find out which is best.
| Chevrolet Cruze Sedan 1.6 LS | Chevrolet Cruze Sedan 1.8 LS | Chevrolet Cruze Sedan 2.0 LS | Chevrolet Cruze Sedan 1.4T LS | |
| Engine | 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder, petrol | 1.8-litre, 4-cylinder, petrol | 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder, diesel | 1.4-litre, turbocharged, 4-cylinder, petrol |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual | 5-speed manual | 6-speed manual/auto | 6-speed manual/auto |
| Power | 91 kW | 104 kW | 120 kW | 103 kW |
| Torque | 155 Nm | 176 Nm | 360 Nm | 200 Nm |
| 0-100 km/h | 12.8s | 11s | 8.5s | 9.3s |
| Top speed | 190 km/hh | 200 km/h | 205 km/h | 200 km/h |
| Fuel consumption | 6.7 L / 100 km | 6.7 L / 100 km | 5.4 L / 100 km | 6.8 L / 100 km |
Verdict
Although most of these figures are sourced from the manufacturers and would have been achieved in the perfect testing conditions, it does give an idea of how each compares with one another. We also have to take into account that over the years some of the power and torques would have escaped with use, although a good thorough service will see most of it returning.
Comparing the derivatives side by side, one, in particular, stand out from the rest, not only in its performance but also in its frugality. It is of course the 2.0-litre diesel option. Offering 16 kW more than the 1.8-litre petrol and 160 Nm more than the 1.4-litre, turbo-petrol variant, it clearly trumps the range in performance. What is even more impressive is that it achieves this while remaining more frugal than even the turbocharged model that came later.
It then makes sense for us to choose the diesel offering as our winner in this comparison. Not only will you benefit from the engine characteristics but also from the premium interior and standard specification that came with it. So if you are browsing for an affordable used sedan, find the Chevrolet Cruze diesel models here, and the petrol offerings here.
Recommended next:
