Chevrolet has been making inroads at repairing their small car reputation since the poor safety records (especially side impact) of the Cavalier and the lack luster performance and style of the Cobalt.
Yes, the Cruze has been quite the improvement over past small Chevrolet cars, so much so that it has prompted the company to run ads that depict the Cruze hunting the Civic.
Then at the Paris auto show last fall we saw the introduction of a Cruze five-door concept--which looked just to polish the brand, not to go into production. Until the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.
The new five-door is slated to come with a range of engine options including a 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engine that pumps out some 161 horsepower. To boot it will debut this week at the Geneva Motor Show.
That said, the diesel option probably tipped the hand of this small car, especially if you keep your finger on the pulse of the American auto industry. In other words, the Cruze Five-Door isn’t going to come to the U.S., but instead will stay in what Car and Driver calls the “five-door friendly European market.”
So if you are in the EU you can expect the Chevrolet Cruze Five-Door to show up some time this summer.
Looking for a five-door of a similar size and shape? You might want to check out the Mazda5, Ford Focus or the soon to arrive Ford C-Max.
[Source: Car and Driver]
