First Look: 2012 Chevrolet Cruze Station Wagon
The Chevrolet Cruze has been a major catalyst in Chevrolet’s revival story both in Canada and worldwide. Over 1 million Cruze units have been sold globally. In Canada over 34,000+ Cruze vehicles were sold in 2011 which represents a new sales record for the Cruze models which previously wore the Cobalt and Cavalier monikers. Let’s also not forget it was the Chevrolet Cruze that won the 2011 AJAC Car of the Year.
With both the Cruze sedan and hatchback models selling well, it was a logical progression to introduce a station wagon variant and it now appears to be coming to fruition this Summer. The 2012 Chevrolet Cruze Station Wagon is scheduled for a global unveiling at the Geneva Auto Show in March.
“The Cruze station wagon caters to an important market segment. It ticks all the boxes for European drivers in terms of distinctive design, dynamic driving, space and economy,”
Right now, the plan is to launch the wagon in Europe exclusively with no concrete plans to bring it to North America. However, that could change quickly if the early returns in Europe look promising. We’ll keep you posted on this one.
Check out the full Chevrolet release after the jump.
ZURICH – The Chevrolet Cruze station wagon, the third variant of Chevrolet’s most-popular car, will make its global premiere at the 82nd International Geneva Motor Show early next month.
The station wagon complements the Cruze sedan and hatchback, which together have combined sales of more than 1 million vehicles globally since launch in 2009.
“The Cruze station wagon caters to an important market segment. It ticks all the boxes for European drivers in terms of distinctive design, dynamic driving, space and economy,” said Chevrolet Europe President and Managing Director Susan Docherty.
The new station wagon, which is not planned for sale in North America, features generous storage space and a choice of powerful and efficient engines as well as the state-of-the-art Chevrolet MyLink onboard infotainment system.
The new and improved engines will be available on the entire Cruze line-up starting summer 2012. In addition to the current 1.6L and 1.8L gasoline engines, a new 1.4L turbo gasoline, a new 1.7L diesel and an improved 2.0L diesel engine complete the powertrain offer.
The 1.4L gasoline, 1.7L diesel and 2.0L diesel engines come with start-stop technology as standard. All engines are Euro 5-compliant.
The station wagon, at 4,675 mm (184.1 inches), is slightly longer than the hatchback (4,510 mm/ 177.6 inches) and sedan (4,597 mm /181 inches) models. Load space ranges from 500 liters (146.5 cubic feet) up to the window line in the rear to nearly 1,500 liters (424.5 cubic feet) up to the roof top with the rear seats folded down.
Refined design and new technologies
The station wagon is immediately recognizable as a new variant of the best-selling Chevrolet Cruze. The exterior design features a tapering single arch roofline and comes with roof racks as standard, providing convenience while maintaining a poised and sporty look.
A number of exterior and interior styling changes are being introduced in 2012 for all Cruze models. These include a remodeled front fascia, modified head-lamp interiors and fog lamps, and new wheel styles on the exterior and refinements to the center console and a greater choice of seat finishes for the interior.
New Cruzes are equipped with keyless entry, allowing access the vehicle with the key safely tucked away in a bag or pocket. Additionally, the system allows the engine to be turned on or off by pressing a button without the need to insert the key into the ignition.
A brand-new Chevrolet infotainment system, called MyLink, is being introduced in higher trim levels in the Cruze line-up and in the Chevrolet Aveo as of summer 2012. It brings owners’ smartphone capabilities into the vehicle.
MyLink aggregates content from the smartphone onto the seven-inch diagonal high-resolution full-color touch-screen display. Once the smartphone is connected, personal playlists, photo galleries, phone books, videos and other stored media and data, such as a special navigation app, can be accessed though the infotainment system touch-screen.
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevroleteurope.com or media.chevroleteurope.com.
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Canada
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