For decades, Detroit’s automakers have been either unable or unwilling to sell world-class small cars in America. Too often their small cars were dumbed down to meet low cost and low expectations of a public that sees them only as basic transportation. Now, finally, we’re starting to see some of the great small cars Detroit builds for other countries come here. First it was the subcompact Ford Fiesta. And now it’s this car, the compact Chevrolet Cruze.

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is already sold in some 60 markets other than North America, where it plays the role not of commuter car, but of mainstream family sedan. So, while technically a compact, like the Cobalt before it, the Cruze is big for its ilk. At 181.0 inches in overall length, it’s six inches longer than a Toyota Corolla.

From its familiar two-tiered Chevy grille to its thickset back-end, the Cruze exudes a taut international profile and an overall look that’s substantial, but also very safe. Substantial too are Cruze wheels and tires with standard 16-inch and optional 17s and 18s.

The Cruze powertrain line-up will surprise many. Most trims are fitted with a trick 1.4-liter variable-timing, turbocharged I-4 rated at 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. Only the base Cruze LS uses a non-turbo 1.8-liter ECOTEC with 138 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque.

The LS and high mileage Cruze ECO models come with a standard six-speed manual, while others start and end with a six-speed manual-mode automatic.

That provides Cruze with Government Fuel Economy ratings of 24 city/36 highway using regular gas.  We saw a solid 31.5 in real-world driving. Cruze Energy Impact Score is a modest 12.2 barrels of oil consumed per year, with a smallish Carbon Footprint of 6.7 annual tons of CO2 emitted.

But hypermilers will be more interested in the Cruze ECO due later. With a slew of aero upgrades, it will bare a highway rating of 42, more than the smaller Ford Fiesta. There are even more surprises inside.

The interior of the Chevy Cruze is a real game changer. Not only is it very quiet, and near mid-size in roominess, the quality of materials is impressive. Instead of acres of hard plastics, you’ve got soft materials on the face of the dash and the doors. And over here, around the center console and the center stack, expensive-look ‘piano black’ accents. That’s not what I would expect to find in a moderately priced compact car.

This edition of Chevy’s cockpit interior theme is very handsome, although some felt slightly penned in by it. The easy scan motorcycle-like gauge cluster with trip computer screen fits well. Seats are comfortable, nicely bolstered, with good lower back support. Our 2LT trim added leather and heat. All Cruze models are well-equipped with air, six-speaker CD/XM-stereo, keyless entry, and lots of cupholders and storage options. And for safety, Cruze wears OnStar and an impressive 10 airbags, including two rear seat side bags.

The rear seat offers ample room for three, although leg room is less than we’d hoped. But fold the 60/40 seat backs and the trunk’s already huge 15 cubic feet of space grows exponentially. So it may be world-class in design, but does it drive that way too?

With no notable turbo lag, initial throttle response is great. But, tall gearing bogs things down from there. Still, a 0-60 of 9.2 seconds is within expectations for an economy sedan. The quarter mile passed in a lazy 17.1 seconds at 82 miles per hour with mostly smooth shifts.

High strength steel gives the Cruze a solid platform to mount a front strut, and rear torsion beam suspension. Engineers added a centering Watts Linkage, here called Z-Link, for added roll and lateral control. Traction and Stability Control are standard.

Surprise again, the Cruze scoots through the cones with the kind of agility you expect from a car designed for Europe and beyond. Understeer is moderate and consistent, with good steering feedback.  The driver can actually concentrate on having a little fun. Overall, Cruze handling is safe and solid.

The Cruze is fitted with ABS front discs and rear drums standard, with all-disc an option. Our car’s disc/drum combo averaged an acceptable 129 feet from 60 to zero. Reaction was stable and the pedal reasonably firm. On normal roads, Cruze ride quality is also solid. It conveys the quietude of a premium-level vehicle. Cruze prices are higher than the outgoing Cobalt, but they’re still very reasonable.  The Cruze LS starts at $16,995, the LT at $18,895, and the LTZ at $22,695.

The success of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is critical to GM’s long-term global prosperity. Fortunately, it beat all of our expectations, and then some. It’s a well-equipped, roomy, high quality, small car that should make even the most dyed-in-the-wool import buyers take a long and hard second look.

 

Lots of flexibility too with the option to simply fold the seats or remove them altogether.