Cruze Number 1 in America

csv8 · 30-07-2011, 01:37 PM

The small car taking Australia by storm is also a hit across the Pacific.

The compact Cruze that's giving a big kick to GM Holden's results, and is already forecast to eventually outsell the Commodore, is now the favourite car in the USA. It topped the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord in June as a range of new rivals, including Hyundai and Kia, continue to win new friends in the world's second-biggest showroom.

A total of 24,896 Cruzes were delivered in June, the third straight month with sales over 20,000 cars. The Cruze is not a threat to the overall top runner in America, the F- Series truck range from Ford that has dominated among buyers for decades, but it is coming fast on the car front. "It seems to be the right car at the right time.

The Cruze ECO is a big hit here with the most efficient gasoline engine in its segment," says Chevrolet spokesman Jason Laird, a transplanted Australian who previously led the spin attack for Holden. "Styling is also a big point. Chevrolet only has the three-door sedan here because that's the most popular body style. But consumers say some of its rivals ... look like they were designed by teenagers."

Laird says Chevrolet has also transplanted the efficiency message from Australia thanks to Mark Reuss, the former GM Holden chairman who now holds the reigns at Chevy. "The ECO branding in the USA is picked up from the successful Ecoline in Australia. Reuss did both," Laird says. Chevrolet is also doing well with the Australian-developed Camaro coupe, with sales up by 13 per cent over June of 2010. Summer funsters have also driven demand for the convertible model to more than 20 per cent of Camaro sales.

The overall Chevrolet sales total in June was 156,848 vehicles in the USA, the foundation for a half-year global result for the blue-bowtie brand of 2.35 million which is the best in the company's 100-year history. Cruze sales contributed more than 330,000 sales worldwide through June - a 132 per cent increase over 2010 - as Chevrolet set record first- half sales in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, South Africa, and Turkey.
My comment ..I do like the SRiV..the new Focus is going to be pushing the proverbial uphill against Cruze..Sad to say. eg ..SRiV has sat nav as standard the Focus Titanium doesn't, not even an option.. The SRiV is cheaper than the Titanium..The Titanium is overpriced..It would be nice to have the Titanium at the same price as the SRiV. Ford had better have some clever marketing for the new Focus..no walking fingers or visiting 236 friends on Facebook!!!!!!!

Bossxr8 · 30-07-2011, 01:45 PM

The new Focus is a class leader, arguably the best small car to drive.

The Cruze wishes it could be that. It is nothing more than mid class. If it didn't have a Holden badge it wouldn't sell anywhere near where it does.

nstg8a · 30-07-2011, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

If it didn't have a Holden badge it wouldn't sell anywhere near where it does.

it doesnt have a holden badge in the states.

jpd80 · 31-07-2011, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

The new Focus is a class leader, arguably the best small car to drive.

The Cruze wishes it could be that. It is nothing more than mid class. If it didn't have a Holden badge it wouldn't sell anywhere near where it does.

The machine that puts the skins on the IPs for the US Focus is playing up but a guy that works in the plant
says that deliveries are staying in front of Michigan Assembly Plant, Ford was flying Instrument Panels in
from Europe but the cost was killing them...

Internally, Cruze is within a flyshyte of the 2003 Mazda 6's interior dimensions,
so it's basically a small car that now almost a true Mid Sizer, that's pretty good value...

Ford on the other hand, has kept Focus lighter but with less rear leg room so what do buyers want,
an almost mid sized Cruze or a nimble efficient Focus?

Here's a clue, Mazda 3 and Cruze sales says Mazda and Holden are not really worried by New Focus.......

GreenR · 30-07-2011, 01:52 PM

My sister just bought one after having a Mazda 3 sedan for only about 4 months. I think they are are great little cars. Although yes I would agree they are not completely revolutionary to be taking the world by storm

djst1 · 30-07-2011, 01:55 PM

Holden cruze=vanilla ice-cream

Yellow_Festiva · 30-07-2011, 01:57 PM

3 door sedan?

glavas · 30-07-2011, 02:17 PM

all it needs is rwd and a ls3 hook that up to a zf 8 speed and that would be a nice car.

Gobes32 · 30-07-2011, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glavas

all it needs is rwd and a ls3 hook that up to a zf 8 speed and that would be a nice car.

Don't be so fussy, that would still be a hoot if it was hooked up to a trimatic.......... ha ha

Gobes32 · 30-07-2011, 02:37 PM

On a serious note, It is of no surprise that it is doing so well. It is much like the Mazda 3 in that it is a bland, reliable car that you can recommend to all of your relatives from your grandmother right through to your effeminate brother who is doing an internship at the local tanning salon.

nstg8a · 30-07-2011, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csv8

The small car taking Australia by storm is also a hit across the Pacific.

The compact Cruze that's giving a big kick to GM Holden's results, and is already forecast to eventually outsell the Commodore, is now the favourite car in the USA. It topped the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord in June as a range of new rivals, including Hyundai and Kia, continue to win new friends in the world's second-biggest showroom.

A total of 24,896 Cruzes were delivered in June, the third straight month with sales over 20,000 cars. The Cruze is not a threat to the overall top runner in America, the F- Series truck range from Ford that has dominated among buyers for decades, but it is coming fast on the car front. "It seems to be the right car at the right time.

The Cruze ECO is a big hit here with the most efficient gasoline engine in its segment," says Chevrolet spokesman Jason Laird, a transplanted Australian who previously led the spin attack for Holden. "Styling is also a big point. Chevrolet only has the three-door sedan here because that's the most popular body style. But consumers say some of its rivals ... look like they were designed by teenagers."

Laird says Chevrolet has also transplanted the efficiency message from Australia thanks to Mark Reuss, the former GM Holden chairman who now holds the reigns at Chevy. "The ECO branding in the USA is picked up from the successful Ecoline in Australia. Reuss did both," Laird says. Chevrolet is also doing well with the Australian-developed Camaro coupe, with sales up by 13 per cent over June of 2010. Summer funsters have also driven demand for the convertible model to more than 20 per cent of Camaro sales.

The overall Chevrolet sales total in June was 156,848 vehicles in the USA, the foundation for a half-year global result for the blue-bowtie brand of 2.35 million which is the best in the company's 100-year history. Cruze sales contributed more than 330,000 sales worldwide through June - a 132 per cent increase over 2010 - as Chevrolet set record first- half sales in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, South Africa, and Turkey.
My comment ..I do like the SRiV..the new Focus is going to be pushing the proverbial uphill against Cruze..Sad to say. eg ..SRiV has sat nav as standard the Focus Titanium doesn't, not even an option.. The SRiV is cheaper than the Titanium..The Titanium is overpriced..It would be nice to have the Titanium at the same price as the SRiV. Ford had better have some clever marketing for the new Focus..no walking fingers or visiting 236 friends on Facebook!!!!!!!

if your going to copy/paste stuff shouldn't you at least show the original writers some respect by acknowledging them?

csv8 · 30-07-2011, 02:46 PM

Sorry, no disrespect intended..edited for space...Its our old friend Paul Gover...Cruze a hit
By Paul Gover in the USA Carsguide 28 July 2011

ivorya · 30-07-2011, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csv8

Sorry, no disrespect intended..edited for space...Its our old friend Paul Gover...Cruze a hit
By Paul Gover in the USA Carsguide 28 July 2011

Why doesn't this surprise me!!!!
He was prob picking up his GM Pay check while he was there.

ltd · 31-07-2011, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csv8

Sorry, no disrespect intended..edited for space...Its our old friend Paul Gover...Cruze a hit
By Paul Gover in the USA Carsguide 28 July 2011

Is this the same Paul Gover that said that Holden had won the police car contract with the caprice?

Bossxr8 · 31-07-2011, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ltd

Is this the same Paul Gover that said that Holden had won the police car contract with the caprice?

Such a massive contract, a whole 48 cars last month, probably all at a loss. Holden must be stoked.

jpd80 · 31-07-2011, 09:11 PM

If Caprice is so strategically important to Holden, why not release a civilian version here with Omega trim,
Holden could sell it here for about $42K (V6), $48K (V8) and pick up some real sales and production numbers...
But they won't because that would take real guts to do....

Mr Hardware · 01-08-2011, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpd80

If Caprice is so strategically important to Holden, why not release a civilian version here with Omega trim,
Holden could sell it here for about $42K (V6), $48K (V8) and pick up some real sales and production numbers...
But they won't because that would take real guts to do....

because it would ruin the caprice's reputation as a luxury car.

mik · 31-07-2011, 02:37 PM

i`ve been researching small medium cars for a family member, and everything i`ve read about the cruise and seen says they are not above average in any area, but they seem to be using the toyota/hyundai formula, fairly well equipped, decent economy, it appears to be a slightly bigger small car if that makes sense, it`s not ugly and it`s cheap, i think it will continue to do well.

Yellow_Festiva · 31-07-2011, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mik

i`ve been researching small medium cars for a family member, and everything i`ve read about the cruise and seen says they are not above average in any area, but they seem to be using the toyota/hyundai formula, fairly well equipped, decent economy, it appears to be a slightly bigger small car if that makes sense, it`s not ugly and it`s cheap, i think it will continue to do well.

I think they are not a bad car. Hired one for a week and did 1200+ km in it and came away impressed.

peterr · 31-07-2011, 02:49 PM

The neighbour bought one about 12 months ago, I don’t know what she expected after driving a v6 magana and dropping down to a 4cyl car. It has a lot of road noise and just lacks power to get up the hills between Nowra and Bowral, I have found it better to wait until the version two comes out and some of the problems are addressed .

Bucknaked · 31-07-2011, 03:21 PM

Saw the Chevy Cruze when I was in Thailand 2 weeks ago displayed at the local shopping centre.

falconnut · 31-07-2011, 05:15 PM

Apart from being a little cheap i see nothing wrong with the cruze.

Isnt it Korean?

SteveJH · 31-07-2011, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by falconnut

Apart from being a little cheap i see nothing wrong with the cruze.

Isnt it Korean?

Its assembled here and in the US now.

vztrt · 31-07-2011, 11:00 PM

So the F-truck sells the most but this is no 1 in the states??

jpd80 · 31-07-2011, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vztrt

So the F-truck sells the most but this is no 1 in the states??

Cruze sold the most because Asian manufacturers like Toyota and Honda are still struggling to regain full capacity.

vztrt · 31-07-2011, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpd80

Cruze sold the most because Asian manufacturers like Toyota and Honda are still struggling to regain full capacity.

But its still not no 1 like suggested in the thread tittle.

aussie muscle · 01-08-2011, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vztrt

So the F-truck sells the most but this is no 1 in the states??

Yet they don't even sell them here.

Yellow_Festiva · 01-08-2011, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

Yet they don't even sell them here.

Too costly to factory convert is the main reason I think. How many other countries will want a RHD large pickup truck?

Our market isn't large enough to justify the expense.

ltd · 01-08-2011, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Too costly to factory convert is the main reason I think. How many other countries will want a RHD large pickup truck?

Our market isn't large enough to justify the expense.

But when we had them here years ago that was when the dollar was around 60 cents. Nowadays, you could pick up an F250 Lariat with the all new 6.7 litre diesel for around $40,000 australian, converting to RHS suddenly becomes a proposition. Heck, even the ecoboost F150 would sell well here and cost circa $30,000.
I suspect product placement though for cars like the ranger would prohibit sales here.

Yellow_Festiva · 01-08-2011, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ltd

But when we had them here years ago that was when the dollar was around 60 cents. Nowadays, you could pick up an F250 Lariat with the all new 6.7 litre diesel for around $40,000 australian, converting to RHS suddenly becomes a proposition. Heck, even the ecoboost F150 would sell well here and cost circa $30,000.
I suspect product placement though for cars like the ranger would prohibit sales here.

True. But years ago cars (and things in general) were a lot simpler. I think with all the advances in electronics, safety, compliance, ADR's, customer demands for perfect fit and finish it has made the cost way more.

Think of how easy it was to convert or mod a car / rod 20-30-40 years ago and get it registered.... was a pretty easy affair.

These days.... I think it's way too hard.