First trial of remanufactured national sedan | SAIC-GM Chevrolet Cruze
In 2001, China joined the WTO, and domestic consumers’ demand for car purchases increased day by day. In the same year, SAIC-GM launched the Sail model, which established its status as a national family sedan with a price of 100,000 yuan that year. Today, when the Z era begins to become the main consumer, the positioning of the national family sedan has also changed. At this time, SAIC-GM took out the Chevrolet Cruze in an attempt to restore its past glory.
Different from the past, consumers now have a stricter definition of a national sedan worth 100,000 yuan. Not only does the exterior design look good, but the interior must not be conventional, and large-screen technology must be upgraded. At this time, the pressure came to SAIC-GM's Chevrolet Cruze, which mainly sells 100,000-class family sedans. The Cruze we test drove is a mid-term facelift model. Compared with the old model, its changes are actually not small, and they are all changed to address the pain points of consumer demand.
To make a good national sedan, the appearance must first conform to the public's aesthetics. The front face of the new Cruze has been significantly modified. Chevrolet's new family-style grille was introduced, and the X-shaped chrome decoration runs through the entire front of the car. Becoming the focus, the outline of the obsidian honeycomb split front grille is displayed in front of the eyes through clever design techniques, while the upper tail line is integrated into the headlights. Due to the popularity of LED lamp units, all new cars are equipped with LED automatic sensor headlights as standard, which can not only solve the problem of light illumination brightness, but also reduce the problem of drivers forgetting to turn on the lights.
The side shape of the new car is the same as that of the old model, and it still maintains the classic sedan shape in the minds of Chinese people. Among the four configurations, the 1.5L model uses 16-inch aluminum alloy multi-spoke rims, while the 1.3T model uses the more popular 16-inch Xinyue sports rims. The rear of the car still has red taillights with Corvette sports car elements, and the foglights placed in the center of the bottom have the feel of a performance car. The 1.3T sports version also comes with black sports surrounds and a small rear wing.
Due to the rapid development of new electric vehicles, interior design has also undergone earth-shaking changes. Previously, the popularity of large screens was not yet mature, and the Chevrolet brand had a gap in replacement. Most Chevrolet models still used the design style of the previous generation in the interiors, which made consumers have a lot of opinions on this. With the facelift of the Cruze, Chevrolet began to work hard on the interior design. The new car uses suspended dual 10.25-inch gradient screens, which eliminates the excessive mechanical components of the old model and only retains the air-conditioning control buttons and buttons below the screen. The knob is convenient for quick use while driving. This improvement has completely solved the pain points of the previous technological atmosphere. The instrument UI is very simple. The speed and rotation speed are displayed in numbers, and the interface is more like an electric vehicle design. The central control screen is equipped with the new Xiaoxue OS intelligent interconnection system. The homepage card-style custom interface imitates the effect of a mobile phone, making it more intuitive and easier to operate. The car machine is based on Baidu and provides App extension functions such as navigation, Kugou music, iQiyi videos, food, weather, and flights. Although the voice interaction system has limited control over vehicle functions, it can navigate, search for food, check flights, etc., and can basically meet various needs for daily travel. In addition, the AR real-life navigation integrated with Amap on the central control screen is very creative, but the effect is not as stunning as expected, after all, the cost is limited.
In terms of details, the central control and door panels are made of double-diamond perforated leather interior, and the soft wrapping covers the most accessible parts of the body, which is rare in its class. Even Xing Milo, who is much taller than Cruze, does not receive this treatment. The circular air-conditioning outlets have some colorful patterns, which will be one of the features of Chevrolet's future models. Unexpectedly, even the shape of the gear lever has been modified in the facelifted model. The style of the luxury yacht gear is innovative, and the gear head is also printed with the brand name "CHEVROLET".
The design and technological pain points of Cruze have been solved, and the next most important part is the configuration. Before we talk, let me put the price first. The manufacturer's guide price is 94,900-108,900 yuan. What does the whole series come standard with at this price? Electronic handbrake, Auto Hold, reversing image, cruise control, dual 10.25-inch joint screens, Apple CarPlay/Baidu CarLife/Huawei HiCar mobile phone interconnection, 6-speaker audio, LED automatic headlights, rear air-conditioning outlets, etc. In addition to the entry version, it also comes standard with features such as an electric sunroof and front side airbags. Don’t rush to evaluate. According to market feedback, terminals currently have a discount of about 20,000 yuan, which means that the above configurations can actually be purchased for about 70,000 to 90,000 yuan.
As a 100,000-class national sedan, the power is sufficient, and consumers do not have too many requirements in this regard. However, Cruze offers two power options for this purpose. The old 1.0T engine was canceled and replaced with a mainstream 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine with a maximum power of 113 horsepower and a maximum torque of 141 Nm, matched with a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission. If you have stronger demand for power, the top model provides a 1.3T+48V mild hybrid system with a maximum power of 163 horsepower and a maximum torque of 230 Nm. It is matched with a 6-speed manual transmission. The power data is good, but the prerequisite It is necessary to accept the three-cylinder turbocharged engine.
Take the mainstream 1.5L+6DCT power combination as an example. The power output is very smooth, and the acceleration is comfort-oriented. Overtaking requires the speed to be forced to about 2500-3000 rpm, and the style is very "self-priming". "If you are used to driving a vortex vehicle, you need to adapt. Of course, if you are looking for power, it is recommended to choose the 1.3T model.
To be honest, there is not much demand for power at this price point, as long as it is reliable, durable and smooth. The accelerator and brake pedals are quick to use and give the driver good confidence without getting used to them. Cruze's suspension is rare in its class. The front MacPherson independent is common, while the rear multi-link suspension is rare. However, the multi-link on it is a simplified version, making it easier to control costs. Although there is a gap in the effect, it is often better than the torsion beam non-independent suspension. Especially when dealing with bumps or potholes on the road, the vibration amplitude is reduced and the car swings. The amplitude is reduced, which is more conducive to riding comfort.
In the new era and new consumer groups, Chevrolet Cruze is changing with the changes in the consumer market. With stylish exterior design, trendy technological interior, spacious household-level seating space, and power systems for different needs, this car is striving to improve itself, trying to meet the different needs of consumers, and trying to reinvent itself through new technologies and new concepts. The "national sedan" that the common people want.
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