Category Archives: Compact

2013 Chevrolet Cruze

Posted on by

The journey begins with the 2013 Cruze

Cruze has redefined everything a compact car should be with one simple word: more. Chevy knows that just because Cruze is a compact doesn’t mean you should get less. That’s why it gives you more of everything you need and deserve from efficiency to safety, features to styling.
Designed to fit seamlessly into your ever-evolving life, Cruze is the first car in its class with 10 standard air bags, and even today, no car in its class offers more. Cruze offers more cargo space, more technology, more connectivity and more miles per gallon with the Cruze Eco. At 42 MPG, it’s the best highway mileage of any gas engine in America. Your wallet is going to thank you.

A New Standard
Beauty meets compact

“One of the first things you notice about the Chevrolet Cruze is that you notice it. Cruze is a compact sedan that rises above the anonymity that previously plagued the affordable car segment thanks to its bold design and pleasing proportions.” – Autobytel.
The auto industry is not the only one taking notice of the stunning exterior. Centered by the strong, attention-grabbing Chevrolet grille, its swept-back lamps lead the eye across sculpted fenders, around the sides and back again. Bottom line? Don’t be surprised when people stop to admire.
And sure, Cruze leaves a lasting impression with its bold exterior design, but don’t forget that those curves, lines and angles do more than just please the eye and turn heads. They improve aerodynamics; in the end optimizing fuel efficiency and helping you get the most out of each drop of gas.

Life Inside a Cruze

An interior to match your lifestyle

It’s called a compact, but that just doesn’t seem fair to other compact cars. The cavernous interior of Cruze not only has more passenger room than Ford Focus Sedan and Toyota Corolla, but it beats them out with more cargo space too. And Cruze is smart about how to use all that space with 60/40 split-folding rear seats so you can find room for larger items. Refinements such as soft touch interiors, rich colors and available heated leather-appointed front seats give Cruze a premium feel.
Enjoy a quieter drive with a triple-sealed laminated windshield, one of 30 acoustical treatments designed to help keep outside noise outside. When you’re inside Cruze, you’re wrapped in amenities uncommon among compact cars.

Mileage Without Sacrificing Performance

Sophisticated performance, ride and handling

You want a car that makes the most out of every dollar you put in the gas tank without sacrificing performance and handling. To get those results you need to have a pretty impressive engine, and Cruze absolutely does.
The available 1.4L turbocharged engine is designed for fuel efficiency without compromising performance. It delivers 138 horsepower with 148 lb.-ft. of torque and accelerates with authority. With rack-mounted Electric Power Steering and an available race-proven Z-link rear suspension, it’s a driving experience that just might surprise you.

Getting the most out of each drop of fuel

Cruze takes you farther for less. With an incredible 42 MPG highway, advanced aerodynamics and its 1.4L turbocharged engine, Cruze Eco gives you more fuel efficiency without sacrificing performance. That’s better highway fuel efficiency than 2012 Ford Focus Sedan, 2012 Hyundai Elantra, 2012 Honda Civic and 2012 Toyota Corolla. That’s what happens when Chevrolet engineers approach every inch of a vehicle to improve its efficiency — it rises above the rest. It’s the best highway mileage of any gasoline engine in America.
Eco doesn’t stand alone as all Cruze models live up to a high standard of efficiency. The standard 6-speed transmission, like the manual in Cruze LS, helps offer 36 MPG highway. Then there’s the available 6-speed automatic transmission with the available 1.4L turbocharged engine ­­­— helping Cruze offer 38 MPG highway.

Tested worldwide, just for you

Cruze offers solutions instead of sacrifices and was fine tuned in testing all over the world. Cruze proved itself in some hostile environments: continuous driving in the heat of the Arabian Desert, high altitude of the Alps, intense moisture of Thailand and more. Then it was put through its paces on some of the best test tracks in the world, including the famed Nürburgring in Germany, a beastly track and proving grounds generally reserved for high-performance and track-ready vehicles.
Cruze is one of the most tested vehicles in Chevrolet history, and that’s why we guarantee its quality with a 100,000-mile/5-year transferable Powertrain Limited Warranty.

Connected With Chevrolet MyLink

Get Connected

Keep in touch on the go while your hands are safely on the steering wheel with Chevrolet MyLink, Bluetooth® wireless technology for select phones and advanced voice control on Cruze. Simply pair your Bluetooth-enabled smartphone with Chevrolet MyLink and say what you want to do. Voice commands allow you to make and receive calls effortlessly while driving. You can even navigate through your phone’s contacts or recent call list easily on the color touch-screen. Stepping into your car doesn’t have to mean stepping away from your day. With Chevrolet MyLink, you can stay connected while on the move.

Keeping You In Touch

Getting in your car shouldn’t mean leaving technology behind

The 2013 Cruze offers up an extensive array of technology features that give you more conveniences throughout your day to keep you on track and on top of things. Cruze offers the latest in mobile technology like the available Chevrolet MyLink Radio with 7-inch diagonal color touch-screen and the latest in safety features like available Rear Cross-Traffic Alert. An infotainment system puts your world at your fingertips and keeps you protected and in touch with the help of OnStar®, standard for the first six months.

Turn-by-Turn Navigation

Being lost is a thing of the past. With the OnStar Directions & Connections Plan®, someone who can help is right there. With just the touch of a blue button, they’ll find the directions for you so you can keep your hands on the steering wheel. Turn-by-turn directions are then sent to your Cruze and can be viewed through the Driver Information Center in the gauge cluster or through an available 7-inch diagonal color touch-screen. You can even opt to hear directions and prompts from an automated voice. The OnStar Directions & Connections Plan® is standard on Cruze for 6 months.

Mobile Apps

Stay connected to your Cruze with myChevrolet and OnStar RemoteLink™ mobile apps. Start your vehicle (if equipped), check diagnostics, unlock doors, contact roadside assistance, keep track of routine maintenance and more. Available for download from the iTunes Store and Google Play.

Technology and safety come together

Cruze now offers an available Enhanced Safety Package that includes Rear Park Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert that alerts you when there is oncoming traffic that you can’t see while backing up. It also comes with Side Blind Zone Alert, which uses radar to spot cars in the toughest place to spot – your blind zone. The available rear vision camera displays a rear view on the touch-screen conveniently located in the center stack for easy view. This feature helps you see stationary objects behind you when traveling in reverse at low speeds.

Satellite Radio

Enjoy commercial-free music, sports, news and talk, comedy, family programming and more from coast to coast. Cruze comes standard with three trial months so you can stay informed and entertained. See channel listings and more info.

Wireless Technology

Take calls at the touch of the button, without ever taking your hands off the steering wheel. Bluetooth® wireless technology for select phones is standard on all 2013 Cruze models.

Premium Audio System

Experience premium sound with the nine-speaker, 250-watt Pioneer® audio system with high-frequency tweeters.

Styling

 RS Appearance Package

Make great look even better with the RS Appearance Package, available for LT and LTZ. Starting with the exterior, this package includes unique front and rear fascias, rocker moldings, and a rear spoiler giving your Cruze the look to match the feeling behind the wheel. Foglamps are enhanced with sleek chrome around the lights. Open the door, and the uplevel instrument cluster lights up, welcoming you to the refined interior.

Prevention and Protection

Safety we hope you never need

Our philosophy is to provide the best protection and the best prevention. Cruze has received high vehicle safety ratings and accolades. The 2012 Cruze is an IIHS 2012 Top Safety Pick and received a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score for safety from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In fact, Cruze has more standard safety features than any car in its class, including 10 standard air bags4. And with available safety features like a rear vision camera, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Side Blind Zone Alert — features that aren’t available on Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla — it sets the bar for safety. Simply put, it’s our “more” approach to safety.

Prevent

We’ve equipped Cruze with numerous safety features, including the StabiliTrak® Electronic Stability Control System with Traction Control. On slippery surfaces, StabiliTrak helps you stay the course by detecting the difference between the path being steered and the direction the vehicle is actually traveling. It then uses the brakes and, if necessary, adjusts engine torque to help keep your Cruze on track.

Protect

Cruze helps protect you and your passengers with 10 standard air bags, including frontal side-impact and knee air bags for the driver and front passenger, and a high-strength steel safety cage and roof crush resistance that outperform the requirements. Cruze was the first car in its class with 10 standard airbags, and there’s still no other car in its class that offers more.

Respond

In most crashes, crucial information is sent to the OnStar® Command Center via the OnStar Automatic Crash Response system. There, trained Advisors utilize GPS technology to determine your location and can request that help be sent right away — even if you’re unable to respond. It’s part of the OnStar Directions & Connections Plan®, standard for six months.

2013 SUBARU Impreza

Posted on by

Overview

The compact car that’s so much more

The 2013 Impreza is a value-packed compact car filled with qualities that are totally unexpected in a compact car, including a wealth of convenience and multimedia features, a well-appointed passenger cabin and the choice of 4-door or 5-door body styles. Then, there’s world-class performance from the symmetrical full-time All-Wheel Drive system and the BOXER engine. Last but not least, the Impreza is the most fuel-efficient AWD vehicleΔ in North America – and it’s so much more fun-to-drive than others in its class. No wonder, then, that this compelling vehicle continues to earn awards and recognition for its incredible value year after year.

Exterior

Attention grabber

One thing is certain: With its expressive design and strong presence, the 2013 Impreza is guaranteed to generate attention. The exterior design features include the trademark hawk-eye headlights, powerful wheel arches and hexagonal front grille – all of which serve to reinforce the car’s sporty nature. The Impreza is available in either 4-door or 5-door compact body styles and with a selection of 15-, 16- or 17-inch wheels that combine striking good looks with smile-inducing performance.

Power-adjustable Heated Mirrors

These generous door mirrors are aerodynamically sculpted to reduce wind noise, heated to remove fog and frost, power-adjustable to ensure superior sightlines and foldable to reduce damage in tight spaces. Limited models also feature LED turn-signals for added safety, visibility and style.

Power Sunroof

This available power-sliding sunroof delivers a great view of your surroundings, while allowing fresh air and sunshine to fill the passenger cabin. The sunroof slides or tilts open; on extra hot and sunny days, a manual sunshade helps keep things cool inside.

Interior

In praise of big thinking

While the 2013 Subaru Impreza may be compact on the outside, it’s a whole different story inside. There’s room for five adults, 60/40-split flat-folding rear seats, versatile cargo area and smart storage solutions wherever you look. What’s more, the Impreza features a refined interior that features the liberal use of premium materials, available leather seating, and an array of exciting and engaging technologies as standard equipment, including Bluetooth® connectivity and iPod®/USB integration.

Advanced Audio System

The standard AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA audio system includes an auxiliary audio input, steering wheel audio controls, text display and automatic vehicle-speed sensitive volume adjustment. All models also feature iPod®/USB audio integration, Bluetooth® mobile phone connectivity and Bluetooth streaming audio to ensure your favourite music is always close at hand and you’re always in touch. The final word: There’s really nothing standard about this audio system, which will deliver countless miles of musical satisfaction.

Multimedia System

This available multimedia system features a 6.1-inch, high-resolution touch screen that operates the AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA audio system, GPS navigation and rear-view camera. The navigation system includes XM® NAVTraffic updates (subscription required) to help ease commuting time, while a free 3-month trial subscription to XM Satellite Radio and digital media support are also part of the equation. In terms of communications, the system features Bluetooth® connectivity with voice recognition (in English and in French), smartphone integration and email/SMS text messaging capability.

Bluetooth® Mobile Phone Connectivity

Standard on all models, voice-activated Bluetooth mobile connectivity systems bring superior clarity and safety to Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone calls. These systems can link to multiple phones, store multiple contacts and function in English or French to keep you connected while on the go.

Cargo Area

The Subaru Impreza features an extremely cargo-friendly design with 60/40-split flat-folding rear seats, a trunk pass-thru for the 4-door version, integrated crossbar brackets for the 5-door model and generous cargo space for both. The cargo area on the 5-door is also equipped with six utility hooks and an available cargo cover. The message: Big living requires big thinking.

Safety

Confidence builds with every mile

Subaru has forged a reputation for building vehicles that offer superior levels of protection through the use of the most technologically advanced active and passive safety systems available. The end result: vehicles that inspire confidence on every type of road, under all possible conditions and at all times. No surprise, then, that the Subaru Impreza has earned a Top Safety Pick rating* from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) year after year.

Always on guard, always active

The combination of a world-class all-wheel drive system, striking agility, superior visibility and class-leading active safety systems such as VDC and ABS gives the 2013 Subaru Impreza excellent evasive capabilities. After all, the best way to stay safe in an accident situation is to avoid the accident in the first place.

Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC)

The Subaru Impreza features a standard VDC system with advanced sensors to monitor and analyze if the vehicle is following the driver’s intended course. When the limits of stability are approached, the system automatically adjusts the AWD torque distribution, engine output and brakes at each wheel to help keep the vehicle on-course. This system gives drivers of all abilities the feeling of added security and increased confidence under all possible scenarios.

Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)

The ABS on the Subaru Impreza incorporates the latest thinking on anti-skid prevention, as well as other advanced features designed with added safety in mind. For example, Electronic Brake-force Distribution automatically adjusts front/rear brake pressure for consistent performance under different vehicle loads. Brake Override cuts engine power when the brakes and accelerator are applied simultaneously. Brake Assist automatically provides added stopping power in panic-braking situations. These advances combine to create a braking system that is a powerful confidence-builder.

Drives peace of mind

In the event that an accident is unavoidable, every Subaru boasts a wide range of passive safety systems that are designed to deliver class-leading levels of protection. Each vehicle features exceptionally rigid construction and incorporates the latest technologies; together, these advances minimize collision damage and, in turn, generate much greater peace of mind.

Advanced Ring-shaped Reinforcement Frame

This proprietary design strengthens the passenger compartment by linking the roof to the side pillars and the floor. As a result, impact energy coming from all directions is dissipated and diverted away from the passenger cabin. A front crumple zone and an engine designed to slide under the passenger compartment provide further protection in the event of a frontal impact. The rear door beams have also been revised to further reduce the chance of intrusion into the cabin.

Injury-reducing Seats and Seatbelt Systems

The front seats utilize frames, energy-absorbing mounting and active headrests to reduce the chance of whiplash. Height-adjustable front seatbelts with pretensioners hold passengers firmly in place, while load limiters ease peak forces to the chest. The ISO-FIX/LATCH system helps secure younger passengers riding in compatible child safety seats.

Airbags

The Impreza features a full complement of supplemental restraints, including dual-stage deployment front airbags, a driver knee airbag, front seat-mounted side-impact airbags and side-curtain airbags for front and rear outboard occupants. This focus on passive safety is an integral part of the Subaru offering – and always will be.

Engineering

Superior engineering builds confidence from the core

At the core of the Subaru Impreza is the stuff of legend: the Subaru symmetrical full-time AWD system, the SUBARU BOXER engine and the rally-honed, long-travel independent suspension system. This core technology is the reason why this mid-size sedan delivers superb handling, dynamic all-road/all-weather capability and a level of confidence behind the wheel that is unmatched in its class.

The Spirited SUBARU BOXER Engine

The 2.0L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder SUBARU BOXER delivers effortless, efficient and exhilarating driving. The design of this engine creates natural balance and smoothness, the free-breathing intake and free-flowing exhaust enhance overall performance, and the Dual Active Valve Control System produces dynamic low-end response. The engineers at Subaru painstakingly reviewed the performance of every valve, port and piston to create a lightweight engine that uses less fuel while still achieving impressive response overall. When paired with either the Lineartronic® CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) or the 5-speed manual, the Impreza delivers sparkling fuel efficiency and a fantastically fun time behind the wheel.

Transmissions + Symmetrical AWD)

The 2013 Subaru Impreza offers the choice of either a 5-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT), each designed to work with different versions of the legendary Subaru symmetrical full-time AWD system to create optimum response to the complete range of driving conditions.

5-speed Manual Transmission (5MT)

The 5MT is linked to a viscous-coupling limited-slip centre differential that provides near neutral handling and maximum control for the driver. Crisp, intuitive and direct, this transmission is tailor-made for those seeking sporty satisfaction from their time behind the wheel.

Lineartronic® CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission)

This transmission is linked to a multi-plate transfer clutch AWD system that offers very predictable handling and automatically shifts torque to the back wheels to balance power distribution under hard acceleration or in low-traction conditions. The lightweight CVT, which offers a 6-speed manual mode and paddle shifters on certain models, provides a seamless shift feel, is highly responsive at all engine speeds and helps make the Impreza the most fuel-efficient AWD vehicle in North America – up to 1000 km from a 55L tank!

Rock-solid, super-sporty chassis

Like all Subaru models, the Impreza is equipped with a lightweight, ultra-rigid chassis that delivers a strong, secure feeling and sets the stage for superior agility. The long-travel fully independent suspension system and wide track gives this sporty compact fun-to-drive handling, a smooth ride over the rough stuff and a clear edge over the competition.

Front Suspension

The MacPherson front strut-type suspension system features stabilizer bars for greater stability, direct response and improved driver feedback. This design, combined with a very wide track, give the Impreza crisp steering, remarkable handling and a surprisingly composed ride. Fine-tuned over decades of punishing competition on the World Rally circuit, this suspension system is an absolute strength of the Subaru technical package. Just one drive is all it takes to become a fan for life.

Rear Suspension

The double-wishbone rear suspension utilizes stabilizer bars for a smoother ride and a truly stable feeling, especially in the corners. The rear bushings and shock absorbers have been fine-tuned to minimize harshness, producing a comfortable ride that manages to soak up bumps easily, yet still give the Impreza a genuinely sporty edge. This suspension system is also designed not to encroach into the cargo area, so it also preserves storage space.