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.