Cruze is good!

It’s been nearly a year since JustDiesel evaluated the Chevy Cruise LT — I do believe it’s had a few minor tweaks to it … pity they didn’t address the issue of the fan being activated by the driver’s left knee albeit accidentally … apart from that gripe it’s still a very, very good car — as I originally said it was — while South African customers have really warmed to this sedan model Cruze, I’m told.

This is a model that undoubtedly makes lots of sense to an awful lot of buyers — here and overseas — because as we all know diesel rules, OK! Seriously, the 110kW/320Nm motor fitted to the Cruze by General Motors* is a real beaut, it’s quiet, powerful and ultra-frugal, while making the planet a better place to be.

Specification levels are particularly strong in this flagship model boasting luxury touches such as full leather upholstery, satellite controls on the steering wheel, cruise control, a front-loading CD sound system and really useful park sensors in the rear bumper.

The LT turbodiesel model comes with 17-inch alloy wheels and 215/50R V-rated tyres, rain-sensing wipers and an auto lights-on function. ABS brakes are of course standard fare, along with about six airbags that are evenly spread throughout the car.

The Cruze, a medium-sized vehicle, seems to be attracting strong sales around the country — they can’t all be rentals that I see on the roads around Cape Town! Priced at R269 200 puts the car in a very competitive light, methinks. (Price of the Cruze range starts from R186 270 for the 1,6-litre.)

The main grumble I’ve already mentioned, but still can’t understand why Chev have deemed it necessary to wire in the car’s hooter when you secure the car in the street (or in your garage) for the night.

• Servicing is only required every 15 000 km, while a three-year/60K service plan and a five-year/120K warranty remain part and parcel of joining the Chev family.

* General Motors, one of the world’s largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908.  With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 205,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in some 157 countries.  GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 31 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands:  Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, FAW, GMC, Daewoo, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling.  GM’s largest national market is the United States, followed by China, Brazil, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Italy.  GM’s OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services.  General Motors acquired operations from General Motors Corporation on July 10, 2009, and references to prior periods in this and other press materials refer to operations of the old General Motors Corporation.  More information on the new General Motors can be found at www.gm.com.

To learn or copy … maybe both

The success — or otherwise — of a new vehicle in the South African marketplace can usually be reliably gauged by the amount of similar wheels seen on our roads.  The H1 bus from Hyundai seems to be a popular choice in all its guises …

Very few vehicles of this calibre can boast the cargo space potential and still carry nine passengers (3 x 3-tier) in a very fair level of comfort — in fact — the with wife and I out for a Sunday morning drive here in the Western Cape, had us almost duty-bound to pick up half-a-dozen or so passengers along the way!

Initially I was a little concerned about the lack of outright acceleration from standstill — this from a 2,5-litre turbodiesel unit (120 kW/392 Nm) … but it’s not the first time I’ve been a little dubious of Korean output figures … obviously I don’t own a dynamometer so will have to accept the given press-pack details.

Apart from that niggle there’s very little not to like about the ‘bus’. Hyundai have certainly done their homework — the driving position attainable is superb — a factor almost certainly learned from Volkswagen Kombis, who were the very first manufacturer more than 60 years ago to realize the need of a true family vehicle.

In the Japanese language the words for learn and copy are the same — could this apply equally to the Korean tongue? I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it was because these guys learn quick!

The Toyota hierarchy in Tokyo were recently asked which manufacturer they feared the most globally — remembering they're the world’s leading automobile manufacturer right now — the answer was not BMW or Mercedes-Benz as you may have thought — but Hyundai Corporation.

I’ve already expressed my thoughts on driving the H1 — wherever one might be seated it doesn’t disappoint because the creature comfort levels remain very good: climatic air-conditioning, power steering, power windows and mirrors and an excellent sound system are all top quality and work well.

To sum up, if you are looking for a capable MPV/bus the Hyundai range shouldn’t be overlooked … with it’s 5-year/150 000 km full manufacturer’s warranty, a 5-year/100 000 km factory paint warranty plus a 5-year/100 000 km service plan it certainly seems to tick all the right boxes.

Factor in 15 000 km service intervals again instills the manufacturer’s confidence in the vehicle … price of the H1 bus pictured is R373 900 — while the range starts at R236 900 for the panel van derivative.