Why Choose the Chevrolet Cruze for Gas Economy

For whatever reason, and there are many, the price of oil and ultimately the price of gasoline used to fuel our cars continues to rise. The amount of money spent at the pump does not impact everyone the same. For some people, the extra cash is a mere inconvenience, other individuals hardly take notice of the rising prices and still other people have reached a point where they must make changes to survive and live as they are accustomed.

The automobile industry has not missed the signs of the changing market, and in an attempt to meet the needs of consumers, the industry has made a few changes. These changes have come in the form of more compact vehicles, sedans, hatchbacks and wagons. Foreign companies such as Honda, Mazda, Hyundai and Volkswagen continue to put out quality cars that get good gas mileage, but in the U.S., Chevrolet has made quite a splash with the Cruze. This is a replacement for Chevy’s Cobalt and the company hopes that this new car will enjoy a long life. It is no fluke that this compact’s arrival coincides with growing displeasure from consumers with the prices they are paying as the economy continues to lag.

Diesels were once seen as the wave of the future, the means by which drivers would eliminate the hassle of low mileage cars that put a strain on their budgets. While diesels still offer relief, they are not nearly as wide spread as many manufactures anticipated. The new rage is the hybrid that combines gasoline and some alternate fuel source (electricity, solar power…). Hybrids and diesels may yet prove to be the answer to our mpg wows, but Chevrolet has taken another step in addressing consumer concerns with the gas-efficient 2011 Cruze.

There are variations within the Cruze line of vehicles, subtle tweaks and alternate powering methods that influence the actual gas mileage of the vehicles. Any thought of making a gasoline-powered car fuel efficient often involves the use of a 4-cylinder engine. In lean times, drivers will give up the power needed for those fast, drag-strip-like starts and excessive optimum speed for fuel efficiency. At the head of the class when talking about efficient fuel consumption for Cruze models is the Eco, which has a turbo 1.4 liter engine and the stretching of fuel can be aided by its manual transmission. The Eco is estimated to reach 40 miles on a gallon of gas on the highway.

At 40 mpg, the Eco will be one of the best options for buyers looking to get the maximum out of a tank of gas, and not willing to drive a hybrid or diesel vehicle. Aside from the Eco, the Cruze tag includes the 1.8-liter Ecotec LS, which comes in manual and automatic transmission. The standard version tops out at 36 miles per gallon on the highway and 26 mpg in the city. These figures drop slightly (35/22) with the automatic transmission.

Regardless of which Chevrolet Cruze a buyer chooses, the gas mileage rates favorably with any of the other cars put forth by other companies. When we did a car insurance quotes comparison, the insurance rates were also quite affordable, mainly due to the high safety rating of the Cruze.