Chevy Cruze test drive

MID-MICHIGAN

The Cruze has replaced the Cobalt in the Chevy lineup, and is growing in popularity.

The Cruze is gaining a reputation for being a great car for small families, so we asked a couple of young mothers to check it out.

One of the things that impressed them was the size of the trunk. "The trunk is huge. We're used to big SUVs. I thought in a smaller car things weren't going to fit, but I was very surprised on how much we could fit in there," Jill Barnett said.

"I can put her walker in there and have a lot of room, and also her stroller," said Elisabeth Atwell.

For a compact car, the Cruze has large rear doors that make it easy to install a child's safety seat.

"When you have a baby, you're always going to need a four-door car," Atwell noted.

Barnett said she was surprised by the car's size and capacity. "It has a lot more room than I expected. Very nice. Things are easy to see, easy to reach. Very spacious."

This model was equipped with an Austrian-built 1.4 liter four cylinder turbocharged engine. While acceleration won't throw your hat into the rear seat, it's more than adequate. Some time in the first half of 2011, the Flint version of that engine will be ready.

I drove the Cruze through the recent snow storm and it handled just fine, even though it is a small car. The 16-inch wheels handled the slush and snow quite well.

The EPA says the Cruze should get 24 miles per gallon in city driving and 36 on the highway.

Its sticker price ranges from $17,000 to $23,000.

The Cruze is assembled in Lordstown, Ohio, where the factory needs three shifts to meet demand.

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