2013 Chevrolet Cruze 2LT (Avis/Budget) Rental Car Review

Rental Car Review: 2013 Chevrolet Cruze 2LT (Avis/Budget):

            A few months ago, my mother had to take her BMW in for routine service, and needed a vehicle to drive while hers was in the shop. We called all of the local rental car agencies, but none had any cars available. I suggested that my father call Avis/Budget Rent-a-Car. Avis/Budget had a car available, a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze 2LT, though it was currently ironically also getting routine service done to it. However, Avis/Budget called the shop where the Cruze was getting service done, and was able to pick the car up for us and have it ready for us to drive.

            The exterior design of the Cruze is clean, yet attractive. For those who don’t know, the Cruze has been on sale in GM’s worldwide markets since 2009, though it didn’t come to North America until 2010, when it was introduced to replace the aging Cobalt, which had been sold in North America since 2005. This particular rented car was finished in Silver Ice Metallic, which was attractive. Since the car was a 2LT trim, it featured seventeen-inch “flangeless” alloy wheels that had a gray tint to them, which looked great on the car. The car also featured size P225/60R17 Continental ContiTrac Touring BSW all-season tires. This is nice to see on a car of this price point, as Continental ContiTrac Touring tires are usually seen on more expensive vehicles, like BMW. Since this particular car didn’t feature the RS Sport Package, it didn’t have a rear spoiler or front-mounted fog lamps. Oddly, though, this car still featured door sill guards, which usually aren’t found on rental cars, though this one had them.

            Inside, the Cruze is very inviting. This particular rented vehicle featured a two-tone Neutral and Dark Cocoa leather interior. I don’t generally care for beige or brown interiors with gray or silver cars, though the Cruze is an exception. The leather seats are very accommodating, and are plush and supportive. For $22,000 though, only the driver’s seat was power-adjustable. The passenger’s seat was only manually-adjustable. Both of the front seats were heated, and the heated seats worked well. All four windows are fully automatic, which is a nice feature for a car of this price point. This Cruze, being a 2LT, featured Chevrolet’s MyLink entertainment system. The touch-screen on this system worked well, though it did have typical lag, and the touch screen isn’t flat in the dash, which makes it hard to touch while driving (you can still use buttons below the radio to control all aspects of the MyLink system, or use the built-in voice command features). The voice command system worked impeccably well. I paired two cell phones to the Bluetooth system (my mother’s Motorola Droid Bionic and my Samsung Galaxy S III) and both phones worked well with the system. My mother did complain that sometimes when she made a call with the Bluetooth system, people could not always hear her clearly, though I had no problems with the system and making and receiving calls. Unfortunately, the XM Satellite Radio subscription was expired, as was the XM NavTraffic System, which provides weather, traffic, and gas station information. You are able to use Stitcher and Pandora internet radio services with your compatible cell phone, and Pandora worked well on my phone paired with the MyLink system. OnStar was also included, though the subscription had ended. This Cruze did not feature the 290-watt, nine-speaker Pioneer premium sound system, but the standard six-speaker non-premium sound system had good bass, midrange, and treble response. As far as interior materials go, the Cruze excels. The dashboard has vinyl materials where other cars in this class may have hard plastic panels. The door panels also have soft vinyl materials. Since the car had 28,000 miles at the time of rental, I was able to evaluate the interior materials to see how well they held up over that mileage, and I can say I wasn’t disappointed. This Cruze also featured a power sunroof. Trunk space was great, and the rear bench seat can be folded for even more interior cargo room, as a trunk pass-thru. Under the trunk floor is a sixteen-inch compact, non-matching spare tire with steel wheel, though the trunk floor still remains flat. The switchblade key design with keyless entry remote was very cool, and the remote start feature came in handy. The instrument cluster is easy to read, and the “cool blue” interior lighting scheme fits the car very well. A large, monochromatic display in the center of the gauge cluster provides vital information about the vehicle, and is very detailed.

            On the road, the Cruze has plenty of get-up-and-go. This particular rented vehicle was equipped with the 1.4 liter “EcoTec” inline four-cylinder turbocharged engine, putting out 138 horsepower, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that can also be shifted manually, as well as front-wheel-drive. The engine accelerates quickly, and can easily keep up with traffic. A 138-horsepower, non-turbocharged “EcoTec” inline four-cylinder engine is also available, though only on the 1LS trim, which you won’t see on the rental lot. A six-speed manual transmission is also available on all trims, though again you won’t see Cruzes equipped as such on the rental lot. Steering was effortless. The Cruze barely had any audible road noise, and rode smoothly. I thoroughly enjoyed the way the Cruze drove. As far as fuel economy goes, the Cruze hardly sips fuel while still being an enjoyable car to drive.

            In summary, I highly recommend renting the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze 2LT. It’s an affordable, fuel-sipping, and nice-riding vehicle with plenty of features to satisfy even the most discriminating techie. –Vincent D. for Vincent’s Car Reviews

(See the accompanying video review for a demonstration of many of the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze 2LT’s features).

2013 Chevrolet Cruze 2LT Data:

Standard Features on the Avis/Budget 2013 Chevrolet Cruze 2LT:

-1.4L “EcoTec” Inline Four-Cylinder (I4), Turbocharged, 148 Horsepower (HP)

-6-Speed Automatic Transmission w/ Manual Shifting Option

-Front-Wheel-Drive (FWD)

-Size P225/60R17 Continental ContiTrac Touring BSW All-Season Tires

-17” “Flangeless” Alloy Wheels

-Temporary, Non-Matching 16” Spare Tire w/ Steel Wheel

-Chevrolet “MyLink” Radio (A/M-F/M Radio, SIRIUS-XM Digital Satellite Radio- 6-Month Trial Subscription, SIRIUS-XM NavTraffic- 3-Month Trial Subscription, Single-Disc CD/MP3 Player, iPod/USB Input Jacks, 3.5-Millimeter Auxiliary Audio Input Jack, Pandora and Stitcher Internet Radio Capabilities, Bluetooth Hands-Free Telephone w/ A2DP Stereo Streaming Capabilities, Voice Command, and Full Color Touch-Screen Display)

-6-Speaker Sound System

-Power Driver’s Seat

-Manual Passenger’s Seat

-Heated Front Seats

-Folding Rear Seat

-Seatback Pockets

-Dual Visors w/ Vanity Mirrors (Non-Lighted)

-Front Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Airbags

-Front and Rear Side Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Airbags

-Driver’s Information Center

-Traction and Stability Control Systems

-Antilock Braking System (ABS)

-Keyless Entry w/ Panic Alarm and Remote Start, Switchblade Key

-Carpeted Front and Rear Floor Mats

-Power Trunk Release w/ Interior Emergency Trunk Release Lever

-Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel w/ Dual-Note Horn and Steering Wheel-Mounted Audio System, Telephone, and Cruise Controls

-OnStar System (6-Month Trial Subscription)

-Tinted Windows (Deeply-Tinted Rear Windows)

Additional Features on this Particular 2013 Chevrolet Cruze 2LT from Avis/Budget:

-Power Tilt and Sliding Sunroof

-Front and Rear Door Entry Guards

Important Data about this 2013 Chevrolet Cruze 2LT from Avis/Budget:

Engine: 1.4L “EcoTec” Inline Four-Cylinder (I4), Turbocharged

Power: 138 Horsepower (HP)

Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic w/ Manual Shifting Option

Drive: Front-Wheel-Drive (FWD)

Starting Price (MSRP), without Options: $22,325.00

Price as Rented (MSRP), with Options: $24,050.00

Safety Crash Test Rating, IIHS: 5-Star (* * * * *)

Fuel Economy: 26 City/38 Highway MPG (30 Combined MPG)

Price per Day, as Rented, Avis/Budget: $37.99 USD Approx.

Total Price, as Rented, Avis/Budget: $79.99 USD Approx.

Mileage at Time of Rental: 28,685 Miles

            Visit http://www.chevrolet.com/cruze for More Information on the Chevrolet Cruze.
            
            Be sure to check out the accompanying video review on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il-jbxXKWQg