The all-new Chevrolet Cruze sedan has been launched in South Africa. The car made its first SA appearance at the Johannesburg International Motor Show in October last year and we had a sneak peak of the pre-production version in August. Now, finally, we’ve been able to get behind the wheel of the new Chevrolet Cruze to form our first impressions.

In a land of typically drab family four-door sedan’s, the new Cruze offers and edgy alternative. Bold looks defined by semi-flared wheel arches, 17-inch wheels on the range topping LT, large front grille, strong shoulder line and uniquely styled head and tail-lights provide the Cruze with enough design elements to distinguish it from those of its competitors – think Corolla, Focus, Mazda3 and most recently Cerato.

The distinct design of the outside is continued on the inside with a comfortable and well appointed interior. The centre console divides the cockpit in two and flows from the dashboard into the transmission tunnel, incorporating the handbrake and arm rest. The ‘dual cockpit’ experience is also echoed by the door trim, which extends from the dashboard along the driver and passenger doors.

The centre console, with its brushed aluminum look surrounds, houses the controls for the radio/6-disc CD-Changer, climate control and information display – all lit up in an attractive ‘ice white’ blue. The drivers instrumentation cluster is lit up in the same manner and provides all the necessary information one would expect to find, including trip computer and fuel consumption. Good insulation means wind and road noise do not intrude and the quality finish of the interior adds to the refinement.

Interior space is adequate with the cloth seats in the ‘L’ and ‘LS’ models providing good support. The driving position is adjustable both in terms of seat height and position, as well as steering wheel height and reach. Rear passengers receive a shared centre armrest with integrated cup holders, as well as a 12-volt power socket for keeping that Sony PSP, or other essential gadget, charged during long trips. The Cruze is a family oriented sedan and offers a large 530-litres of boot space, enough to comfortably swallow luggage for those school holiday trips.

The Cruze has been launched with the choice of either a 1,6 or 1,8-litre petrol engine producing 83 kW with 153 N.m of torque and 104 kW with 176 N.m respectively. A 2,0-litre turbocharged diesel engine is set to join the current model line-up towards the middle of 2010. Driving the cars through the hills of KwaZulu-Natal, we found ourselves swapping cogs to maintain our pace, however both engines performed as expected for their capacities. Interestingly, both the 1.6 and 1.8-litre models we drove averaged 9.6 l/100km on our 180 km route, although Chevrolet claim 6.7 l/100km for the 1,6-litre and 6.8l/100km for the 1,8-litre petrol engine on the combined cycle.

The ride is comfortable and we never found ourselves having to ‘shuffle’ in our seat during our time with the Cruze. Handling from the new Chev is adequate and carried us through KZN’s twists and turns like a bowl of vanilla ice-cream and hot chocolate sauce through dessert – it’s okay, but it wouldn’t crack a status update on Facebook. Steering input is responsive although somewhat ‘over assisted’ by the power-steering, meaning we occasionally found ourselves turning into a corner tighter than expected.

Overall, our initial impressions of the new Chevrolet Cruze are that of a well put together, well appointed, stylish and value for money addition to the family-sedan market. If you’re looking to cruise in relative style and comfort without breaking the bank, then the Cruze should be on your shortlist.

Early last month we made mention that the all new Chevrolet Cruze had landed on our shores for testing and homologation. Well, a month later Chev have given us a sneak peak of the new car, ahead of the scheduled launch at the end of September.

The new Cruze is the first ‘world car’ to be produced by Chev and paves the way for a plethora of small vehicles in the GM family, including the next generation Opel Astra and a compact MPV to replace the Zafira.

A pronounced grille, striking headlights and a high shoulder-line give the Cruze a unique and coupe-esque look. The Cruze will be available in three specifications levels – L, LS and LT. The L and LS feature a 5-speed manual transmission and 16-inch alloy wheels, while the LT model receives a set of 17-inch alloys and a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

GMSA has not finalised the product range and specification but it is likely that the Cruze will initially be offered with a choice of 1,6 or 1,8-litre VVT petrol engines, with a 2,0-litre common-rail diesel to follow. The 1,6 litre engine is said to produce 83 kW with 153 N.m of torque at 4200 rpm, while the 1,8-litre produces around 104 kW and 176 N.m of torque at 6200 rpm. With 110 kW and 320 N.m of torque from around 2000 rpm, the 2,0-litre turbo diesel offers a claimed 5.6l/100km in the combined cycle.

Watch this space as we’ll be bringing you our first impressions of the car in late September. In the meantime take a look at the all new Chevrolet Cruze in the gallery below.