Avis rented me a Suzuki Kazashi this week. It's like a Hyndai Genesis copulated with a Totota Corolla and this was the offspring. And there is a case of mild retardation, which explains the CVT.

I'm having a hard time finding anything I like about the car, and an equally difficult time finding anything I dislike. It's just there and it works when I want it to. Kind of like my oven.

Says Car & Driver:

The CVT includes paddle shifters as well as a manual mode with six programmed “speeds.” It’s not as wheezy as some in full automatic operation, but in manual mode, the shifts are soggy and forward progress is leisurely, particularly with the added weight of all-wheel drive: 0 to 60 mph comes in 9.4 seconds, the quarter-mile in 17.4 at 83 mph. The pace picks up for a front-drive model with a manual gearbox: 0 to 60 in 7.2.

OK - now I hate this fucking car. I spent 10 minutes feeling like a dumbass trying to figure out how to open the fucking fuel filler door. No buttons, no latches, nothing on the iKey, etc. A second closer look at the glove box let me see that there was in fact an owner's manual (stuffed in a pocket up top where it fits perfectly) so after a few minutes of perusing that I learned the secret; you have to hold in the unlock button on the iKey while pushing the fuel filler door on a certain side. Who the fuck would think of trying this shit when renting this vehicle? Good thing I found the manual, else I was about to pry open the fuel door with my truck keys and then I'd have to explain the damage.

Daewoo junk.

It's a rental, who cares? Don't forget to shit on the rear floorboard before you turn it in.

http://www.hyundaiusa.com/sonata/

Blech. The only bonus to this vehicle was you had to really pay attention while driving. That meant not falling asleep behind the wheel.

Exploder needed wheel bearings....I had a meeting

2010 Impala:

Interior seemed to be an upgrade from the traditional "playschool" knobs

Handled like an 85 crown vic with bad shocks

Responded to imput about as well as a 14yr girl listening to her father

Brake rotors could have doubled for the cannon portal covers on the mayflower

All in all it performed like a mass produced rental car/cab so I guess it was PERFECT for a rental car :idk:

Why anyone would actually OWN one of these, that didn't issue it as a company car or rental, is beyond me. But it DID catch quite a bit of air on the 1st street hump :rockwoot:

Days of Thunder Style??

ROAD TRIP style

http://onscreencars.com/wp-content/u...ridge_jump.jpg

2011 Chevy Cruze LT

1.4L Turbocharged 4cylinder Inline
6speed Automatic

Pros: Build Quality, Quiet, Electric Steering, Brake Progression, Solidity, Center electronic speedometer (as with analog)

Cons: Funky Transmission Shifting, Fuel Economy, Lack of a manual trunk release



I spent a week and 370 miles with a 2011 Chevy Cruze. Overall I was VERY impressed with this car. This is by far one of the best small cars I've ever driven and definately the best small car GM has ever made.

Engine
When driving, you wouldn't know this is a turbo model because you cannot hear any turbo noise, though you do get a little surge of power when the RPMs start to climb. The power is better than adequate, but nothing great. The motor moans a tad more than it should, but it is not loud by any means and cruises smoothly on the freeway.

Transmission
This is the biggest weak point with this car. Under light or heavy acceleration, the transmission shifts smoothly and are controlled well. However, start to play with the accelerator and the the transmission gets lost easily. Sometimes the transmission would sit in a low gear for a few seconds with no accelerator input before the upshift would occur. Quite annoying when it happens. I would recommend the manual model.

Chassis
The chassis is a perfect compromise between Japanese aloom and German thud. While I do like my 2010 VW Golf better, the Cruze handles well, soaks up bumps well and doesn't transmit any vibration to the cabin. It's a damn good chassis that results in a very quiet interior noise level on the highway.

Steering and Brakes
I like the steering alot. The full electric assist is a tad light, but I like a tad lighter then stiffer. The calibration on this was done perfectly IMO.

The brakes are firm and work progressively. They seem like typical good Japanese brakes, but not as strong as German. The pedal feel is typical good Japanese.

Interior
The controls are well placed and the gauges are easy to read. Lack of a compass is a downside, but the electronic speedometer that can be changed in the center of the IP works well. Some of the plastic aluminum good gaudy, but it is tastefully done without being too obtrusive. The build quality is excellent with use of good materials. IMO, the Cruze interior is better than Civic, Sentra and Corolla.

Conclusion
If you are looking for a small well built car, then the Cruze is a good choice. After 370 miles, I only averaged 29.8 MPG, so the diesel model in 2013 should be a good alternative IF GM would mate the 1.4L Turbo to a manual transmission or have North America develop the transmission shift logic.