(June 25, 2015) DETROIT – Chevrolet has introduced the all-new 2016 Cruze — a larger and lighter, more efficient and more sophisticated evolution of the brand’s best-selling global car. Packed with new technologies such as available Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and new active safety features, as well as a more spacious interior and an athletic, aerodynamically optimized design, the 2016 Cruze elevates the compact car segment — from San Francisco to Shanghai and from Boston to Buenos Aeries.

 It will be offered in more than 40 global markets and goes on sale first in North America in early 2016. A new, standard 1.4L turbocharged engine with direct injection and an SAE-certified 153 horsepower helps enable a General Motors-estimated 40 mpg on the highway with the available six-speed automatic transmission. Stop/start technology helps enhance the Cruze’s efficiency in stop-and-go driving.

The new turbo engine and a leaner architecture that reduces up to 250 pounds also contribute to the new Cruze’s stronger performance, with expected 0-60-mph acceleration of eight seconds.



 “The 2016 Cruze builds on a very successful program that introduced Chevrolet to new customers the world over,” said Alan Batey, president, General Motors North America. “We retained all the attributes that made the original Cruze a hit around the globe and built on them to make this car more sophisticated, more fun and more Chevrolet.”

“The new Cruze is truly one of Chevrolet’s most global vehicles,” said Batey. “With content variations dictated mostly by local market demands, customers in every corner of the globe will enjoy the same fundamental dynamics that are making Chevrolet one of the fastest-growing brands around the world.”

 In 2017, Chevrolet will introduce a new diesel model for U.S. customers that builds on the success of the current Cruze diesel model. 

The 2016 Cruze’s expressive design balances the designers’ inspiration and the efficiency-optimizing input of wind tunnel testing — leveraging the aero experience of vehicles including the Volt. The result is one of the sleekest-looking cars in the class, with a 0.29 coefficient of drag — an attribute that contributes directly to a GM-estimated 40 mpg on the highway.

 Proportionally, the new Cruze is 2.7 inches longer and nearly an inch shorter in height than the current model, giving it a longer and leaner appearance. A faster windshield rake and a faster-sloping rear profile lend a sportier look to the design, while the rear profile culminates in a standard integral rear spoiler that contributes to the car’s aero efficiency.

The sleek profile is complemented by detailed, layered line work in the hood and body-side panels, contributing to an overall impression of muscularity — with an athletic stance enhanced by a longer wheelbase.

 “With styling influenced by the acclaimed 2014 Impala and all new Malibu, the 2016 Cruze brings Chevrolet’s new, expressive global design language to the small car segment,” said John Cafaro, executive director, Chevrolet Design. “The Cruze’s approach to proportion and premium details adds to Chevrolet’s elevation of craftsmanship, content, quality and a fresh interpretation of an identity that is unmistakably Chevrolet in every market around the world.”

 The headlamps sweep back into the front fenders and an expressive, stacked dual-port grille design offers upscale attention to detail. LT and Premier models feature premium forward lighting systems, including projector-beam headlamps and LED signature daytime running lamps.

With greater spaciousness and technology, the 2016 Cruze’s interior is designed to be more comfortable and a better connected environment for the driver and passengers.

The greater spaciousness includes more rear legroom (36.1 inches) and two inches more rear knee room — more than Ford Focus and Hyundai Elantra. Beyond the quantifiable, there’s greater perceptual spaciousness in the new Cruze, driven by flowing line work in the instrument panel, which blends almost seamlessly with the front door panels.

Like the exterior, the Cruze’s interior — and the instrument panel in particular — feature lean, muscular and layered surfaces built around the Chevrolet-signature dual-cockpit theme. It’s a thoroughly modern design that emphasizes human-technology interaction through the prominent, standard MyLink screen in the “center stack.”

A mixture of accents, from piano black and matte black finishes to bright trim, along with more premium features such as available heated rear leather seats and wireless phone charging, complement the cabin with an upscale ambience generally reserved for midsize sedans – but one that is becoming increasingly important to customers around the globe who want premium amenities in smaller vehicles.



Apple CarPlay takes the iPhone features owners want to access while driving and puts them on the vehicle’s display in a smart, simple manner. This allows drivers to make calls, send and receive messages and listen to music right from the touchscreen or by voice via Siri. Apple CarPlay-supported apps include Phone, Messages, Maps, Music and compatible third-party apps.

Android Auto is built around Google Maps, Google Now and the ability to talk to Google, as well as a growing audio and messaging app ecosystem that includes WhatsApp, Skype, Google Play Music, Spotify and podcast players.

Using both applications is simple. A “Projection” icon on the MyLink screen is visible when a phone is not connected, then changes to indicate CarPlay or Android Auto when a compatible phone is connected via USB.