L.A. auto show: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze dials in 40 mpg

A key piece of the future of General Motors will be on display next week in Los Angeles.

Yes, the Chevrolet Volt will be there. But so too will the 2011 Cruze, the new compact car in Chevy's lineup due towards the end of next year that promises up to 40 mpg on the highway.

The Cruze has been seen--and driven--around the world. And there isn't a lot new for its close-up at the L.A. auto show, but it will afford Americans an opportunity for a live look at the fairly attractive, fuel-efficient compact that could give Chevrolet a boost in sales.

The car replaces the Cobalt in Chevy's lineup and is based on GM's global compact underpinnings called Delta, which is also the platform for the Volt. The Cruze is already sold in Europe and Asia.

Two four-cylinder engines will be offered on the car in the U.S. market: a turbocharged 1.4-liter powerplant that has 138 hp, and a 1.8-liter unit rated at 136 hp. The engines share a common architecture. Six-speed manual transmissions will be available on both, though the gear ratios are slightly different. A six-speed automatic will also be offered.

Chevrolet
The interior of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is shown.

The look of the car should be familiar by now, and the Cruze gets an arched roof and the two-level Chevy grille that wears the bow-tie badge. Inside, the car gets LED back-lit dials and a dual-cockpit layout, which has made its way onto much of the Chevy line in recent years.

The front suspension is a MacPherson strut setup, while the rear is a Watts Z-link configuration. Sixteen-inch wheels are on the base trim, while uplevels offer 17- and 18-inch wheels.

The Cruze will be assembled at GM”s Lordstown, Ohio, plant. The company is spending $350 million to upgrade the facility.

By Greg Migliore