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Still alive: Chevrolet Cruze started the year with two new versions and losses

Last updated Apr 15, 2022

The sedan is offered in a “midnight” version, and the hatchback has found a “heated” version. However, in some places, a drop in demand has led to the fact that the total number of modifications has decreased.

The “four-door” Chevrolet Cruze of the current second generation debuted in 2015 (we are talking about the global version, there were three generations in China), a hatch joined it a year later. Cruz survived the restyling of the “second” in 2018, and in the same year the production of the model was completed in Korea, then the family left North America and China. But in Argentina, production continues, from there cars are sent to neighboring Brazil. Last year, South American cars got a little facelift, and in 2021, a “charged” hatch with the RS prefix was expected in Brazil and Argentina. But this Cruz starts only now. But the “warmed up” version did not come alone – the company was made up of a “special” Cruze Midnight sedan. Let's start with “ereska”.

chevrolet cruz rs

In South America, the “low sport” features for the current model are new, while in the United States there was originally a hatchback version of the RS. According to the design of the “ereska”, intended for Brazil and Argentina, almost completely repeated the deceased “charged” hatchback for the USA. The radiator grill has its own pattern. The Chevy badge is black, while the exterior mirror housings, roof and new tailgate spoiler are all in the same color.

chevrolet cruz rs

Red line inside. The equipment list also includes a multimedia system with an 8-inch screen (the Cruise has a 7-inch screen as standard), rain and light sensors, cruise control and climate control.

The Chevrolet Cruze RS did not become more powerful, although a few years ago at the Sao Paulo Motor Show they showed the Cruze Sport6 SS concept with a turbo engine up to 300 hp, but no, under the hood of the new version there is a standard “turbo four” 1.4 with a power of 153 hp, which is combined with a six-speed automatic transmission. Front wheel drive only.

Chevrolet Cruze midnight

The Chevrolet Cruze Midnight sedan is modified in the same way as the rest of the “midnight” Chevy: the model has a black finish instead of chrome. However, the case itself can be not only black, but also dark blue or gray. Equipment as a whole is also identical to the Cruze RS, with the exception of the “four-door” multimedia with a 7-inch screen. The engine is the same “turbo four” 1.4.

Chevrolet Cruze midnight

Another novelty for the Chevrolet Cruze family in Argentina: from now on, both the sedan and the hatch in the basic LT configuration will be available there not only with 6MKP, but also with 6AKP (Brazilian cars are not supposed to have a “mechanics” in principle). And in Brazil, losses – there the “five-door” will now be available exclusively in the RS version, the rest of the equipment has been removed.

Note that the conventional hatchback has lost customers in the Brazilian market: according to local media, 1,733 copies were sold in 2021, which is 45% less than a year earlier. The Cruze sedan sold 7,090 copies in Brazil (-19%). In Argentina, the station wagon, on the contrary, is in the “plus”: 8,481 units were sold. (in their statistics there is no division by body) – this is 41% more compared to 2020.

The second-generation Cruze hasn't made it to late; A few years ago, General Motors massively ousted Chevrolet cars from our market. The budget Chevy returned last year, but the Cruz didn't and never will.