2012 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback
General Motors revealed what it called the Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback show car at the Paris Motor Show last year, which was essentially a thinly disguised version of the production car. Well the production car is ready, and it's coming to the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.GM says the Cruze hatch will launch with a new range of engines, likely meaning a mix of f gasoline and diesel I-4s introduced on the Cruze and Europe-only Orlando MPV. This is evidenced by GM’s confirmation that the range-topping turbodiesel unit will be the same 160-horsepower, 2.0-liter I-4 as in the Orlando coupled to a six-speed manual transmission.
European sales are scheduled to start this summer. While we’re unlikely to see this car in the States anytime soon, we wouldn’t bet against it possibly coming here at some point, especially when considering its main U.S. rival, the 2012 Ford Focus, is available in both hatch and sedan body styles.
"The new Cruze hatchback cements that Chevrolet's claim for a place among the mainstream brands in Europe, and it's a vehicle that will bring new levels of value against some of the more established competition," said Wayne Brannon, president and managing director of Chevrolet Europe.
The production Cruze hatch is little changed from the Paris show concept pictured below.
2012 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback
2012 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback