NOV 15

The "eco" version of the Chevy Cruze has scored a 42 MPG rating from the EPA for highway driving.  This is notable because the Cruze Eco is neither a hybrid nor a tiny compact car.  It's a decent-sized sedan and the fuel savings came from several efficiency tweaks on the part of GM that could be used in all cars to get much higher mpg.

Aerodynamic improvements added six mpg on their own, inlcuding:  more closeouts on the upper grille, a lower front air dam extension, a rear spoiler, lowered ride height, underbody panels that refine the air flow under the car, a front grille shutter that closes at high speeds to reduce drag, but opens to allow airflow to cool the engine, and the use of ultra-low rolling resistance tires.  These improvements were all born from wind tunnel testing done on the Volt, which has a similar body to the Cruze.

The other focus, as you've probably guessed, is weight reduction.  Forty-two changes were made that lead to a weight reduction of 214 pounds compared to the Cruze 1LT.

The Cruze Eco comes with a Ecotec 1.4L turbocharged engine and six-speed transmission that's gears are optimized for efficiency, reducing rpm on the highway and reducing fuel use.

These tweaks have allowed the Cruze Eco to jump over efficiency leaders in its class in highway mpg like the Toyota Corolla (35 MPG), Honda Civic (34 MPG) and Ford Focus (35 MPG).  In highway ratings, it also surpasses hybrid models of the Ford Focus (36 MPG), Nissan Altima (33 MPG) and Toyota Camry (34 MPG).

via GM

Comments (5)

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Finally a car from GM I would consider buying!
written by Jeff C, November 15, 2010

Now I just hope it isn't loaded with a ton of junk inside. I like simple cars, so most newer ones do not interest me. I am very interested in the expected life of this car as well as its environmental impact as far as manufacturing and recycling go.

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This is a Korean not a US car
written by Jason, November 16, 2010

Although the name says GM, this car has very little US input. Low pressure turbo charging was developed by the Europeans in the '80s as best exemplified by SAAB.

The car itself was largely designed in house by Daewoo engineers. The level of US design input was limited to such things as cup holders and door handles.

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Drawbacks?
written by Nov, November 16, 2010

Of course this comes to some drawbacks. Less weight also means lower resistance and therefore lower security for the passengers. Same thing for the low rolling resistance tires: they are less efficient when braking or under wet conditions....

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The Cruze
written by moe, November 16, 2010

As usual, GM is late in just about everything they do even when they know what to do and have the knowledge to do it. For example, I had a Montecarlo SS a few yrs ago. It had a 3.8 ltr engine and I was getting almost 30 miles per gallon. This was a heavy car with huge tires but stellar aerodynamics. Why didn't they refine that design and apply it to a smaller model?

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...
written by Wally144, November 20, 2010

I drive a Mercedes Benz E-class sedan with a 2.2L turbo diesel engine. Its a heavy car, yet I regularly get 52mpg on the highway, and 37mpg in town. The car is a 2002 model and has 138000 miles on it.
If MB can produce cars with such performance, why can't Detroit?

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