2012 Chevy Cruze

Have you ever wanted to hate something but can't? Like one of those fruity mixed up drinks with a little umbrella and tinsel. One of those drinks might make you look silly, but they taste so good that you have to love 'em.
This is how I feel about the Cruze. It's not a very good car by a long shot. However, the more I drive it, the more I like it.
Looks:
Overall the Cruze is not a bad looking auto. Not great. Just, okay.. My fellow female friend has referred to this car as "cute". I don't see it.
The inside is OK, a little cheap looking for me.
Speaking of the guts of the car...
Interior:
The interior is festooned with cheap-o plastic. However that cheap plastic does seem screwed together nicely. The design of the interior is nothing to write home about.
The engineers of over at Chevy didn't really put too much thought into the driving position.
 Some of the buttons and dials are a bit of a stretch for the driver. The gear selector/steering wheel/ seat position are not laid out for the driver enthusiast. On a positive note, I was very comfortable while driving around town.

Let's go over the performance aspects of this little car.

There are none.

The handling is numb as a bowl of mayonnaise. There was wasn't any road-feel being transmitted to the driver whatsoever. The car did not inspire me to drive aggressively one bit.
Acceleration is poor. The car will growl when you hit the go-go pedal but that's about it.

However, the more I drove the Cruze, the more I liked it. While on a curvy road with the engine screaming for the next gear, I finally was having some fun. Was I going fast? No. It just sounded like it from the cockpit. But that is how a person can have fun in this car but not get into trouble.

A few things that bothered me...
when I was stopped and I pushed on the brake pedal, I could hear the pads crunching down harder on the rotors. I also had a squeaky steering wheel. Things like this add to the cheapness level of the car.


One thing that surprised me...
The size of the trunk! It's pretty good for such a small car.


To sum up:
The Chevy Cruze is a budget priced car and you get what you pay for. It's as sporty as a debate team.
The Cruze is comfortable to drive and has decent cargo capacities.

Would I recommend it? No.
I would recommend a hatchback, such as the Volkswagen Golf. The Golf has more practicality, better interior quality, handles better, and more power. Yes it is slightly more expensive, but I say work harder and pay for the difference.
You may also want to look what the Japanese car manufactures offer.

2011 BMW 328i X-Drive Review and Road Test

When I had my first cup of coffee, I thought it was nasty. It was unpleasant tasting, it was bitter, and I didn't see the point of drinking this brown hot liquid. Over time and after several more cups of coffee I began to see the point. I started to like the taste and the caffeine sure gives me a swift kick in the pants. This is how I felt when I first started driving this BMW.
 I thought to myself, this isn't an M3 so why is the steering so heavy and why would BMW make a car that has AWD that's so low if it's not meant to be thrashed? I primarily thought the 328i was meant for people who just wanted a nice looking ride that had BMW quality. So I thought putting anything sporty in this car would be hopelessly pointless.
I was wrong.
The more and more I drove the 328i, the more sense it made. Yes the steering is on the heavy side for the parking lot wars of we encounter everyday, but eventually you'll become accustomed to the steering.
I no longer think of this BMW as a putt-around-town car. I think of this car as a beginner's sports car.
Yes the X-drive AWD system does make the 328i sluggish and it hurts the fuel economy a bit, but the Beemer is still plenty quick. 0-60 MPH comes in a respectable 7.3 seconds. Plus, for of those you live in a state that gets the fluffy white stuff, you'll be on your hand and knees thanking the car for its AWD.
This 328i comes with run-flat tires that I thought I was going to despise. It's true that I don't like the run flats but their not as bad as I thought they were going to be. I can hear bumps in the road more and the ride might be slightly more jiggly when compared to normal tires, but the handling and ride are still top-notch. With the rear wheel drive bias of the AWD system and sporty handling, it is very easy and fun to push this car to it's limits. If you have never driven a "real" sports car, such an M3, this little 328i will make you feel like you are the fastest thing on four wheels. You will really think your flying when you get that BMW straight six singing at it's redline of 7,000 RPM. The sound it makes will send shivers up your spine.
Day-to-day living:
The interior is a nice place to be. Soft touch materials everywhere and everything is screwed tight. There are some nice touches too, such as the mood lighting that shines down on the center council and the rubberized plastic on the back of the grab handle. The seats are comfortable and they can be adjusted in anyway you like 'em. There is plenty of room for two adults to sit in the back as long as the front seats aren't pushed all the way back. The leather on the seats is of high quality, but as a result they can be easily scratched and damaged.
Trunk space is decent for such a small car. I highly recommend getting the fold down rear seats, without it you'll be finding yourself making a second trip to the store with an SUV to pick up your goods that wouldn't fit in the car. Speaking of not being able to fit anything in the car, there are a lack of
cubbyholes. The armrest and door cubbyholes are not very big at all and those are really the only storage places in the car.
One other odd thing about the 328i's interior is the location of one of the power outlets. The one I'm speaking of is on the passenger's side, in the footwell, under the dashboard. What in the world was BMW thinking? I have to roll around in the dirt in order to find that darn thing.

Fuel economy isn't great but not bad for a six cylinder connected to a heavy AWD system. About 18 mpg in the city, and 21 mpg highway and city mix. The engine requires premium, it is designed to run on premium. I know the owners manual says you can run regular, but it's not worth it. Anyways, if you can't afford the five dollars extra per tank to fill it up, maybe a BMW is not the car for you. I hear the Americans have a wide selection of cheap cars that can run on gas with twigs in it.

This car is a blast to drive in the snow. It's all wheel drive system is very good in the snow. It grips very well. However because of the all season tires it can get a little sketchy for the inexperienced when your driving at the car's limits. I've noticed that the tires are not the greatest when stopping on very slippery snow. It's also easy to break loose the rear end of this car when going around corners as a result of the tire and it's rear-wheel bias. However, it's oversteer is very easy to tame if you know what your doing.

Other than a few nit-picks, mostly about the interior, the Beemer has given me no problems. If any creep up I will be sure to include them in the long term update.