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Chevrolet Cruze Station Wagon (2012-2015) review

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Parkers overall rating: 3.5 out of 53.5

At a glance

Price new £15,505 - £21,120
Used prices £833 - £4,004
Road tax cost £20 - £305
Insurance group 11 - 22
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Fuel economy Not tested to latest standards
Range 515 - 950 miles
View full specs for a specific version

Available fuel types

Petrol

Diesel

Pros & cons

PROS

Low purchase price, plenty of standard kit, lots of boot space, practical touches.

CONS

Lacks quality finish of rivals, unrefined diesel engine, petrol engine feels gutless.

Written by Chris Ebbs Published: 6 June 2019

Overview

Based on the saloon and hatchback models, the Chevrolet Cruze SW – or ‘Station Wagon’ according to the American manufacturer – is just the more practical load-lugging version of the Cruze. The boot is capable of carrying up to 500 litres with the rear seats in place, while dropping them increases this to 1,478 litres.

With limited brand recognition, and some rather well-established and revered rivals, the Cruze Station Wagon has a tough task to attempt to penetrate the mid-sized estate market. What it does have on its side is value-for-money, plenty of standard equipment, and a five year/100,000 mile warranty.

Engine line-up

The Chevrolet Cruze estate comes with a choice of three engines, which are already available in other models in the company’s range such as the Cruze hatchback and the Orlando. There are two petrol engines to choose from and one diesel option. The entry level petrol is the 1.6-litre with 122bhp and it is coupled to a five-speed manual gearbox. The more powerful petrol option is the 1.8-litre with 139bhp and that comes with a six-speed automatic gearbox as standard. The sole diesel engine available is the 129bhp 1.7-litre VCDi and it’s the only car in the range that gets a six-speed manual gearbox.

Standard equipment

Despite a low purchase price that under cuts many of its key rivals, the Cruze estate doesn’t leave buyers short on kit and equipment. Even the entry level cars come with plenty useful additions that you would only get in the higher grades of the mainstream competition.

As well as the useful kit inside the car, numerous little practicality touches also help enhance this car. The under floor storage in the boot can be locked with two catches to stop it bouncing around, while there are separated trays underneath to keep individual items separate.

Ultimately the Cruze estate still suffers from the same downfall as other models in the manufacturers’ range, in that the quality isn’t up to scratch with most other cars in this sector. The engines also feel some way behind the main contenders. For the verdict on the new estate read the full Parkers Chevrolet Cruze Station Wagon review.