The all-new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze qualifies as the best compact sedan ever to wear the Chevrolet bowtie. The new sedan is well made with many quality touches.

Exterior styling is on the positive side. Chevrolet designers have taken the safe route and they have done a creditable job in creating an attractive, but conservative stance that should wear well over the decade.

Inside, we like the two-cowl dashboard design stylists picked up from Chevrolets of yore. It is used effectively in the Malibu and serves the Cruze quite well, too.

The Cruze takes the place of the Cobalt in the Chevy lineup.

MotorwayAmerica photos by Jim Meachen