Review: 2017 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback Premier – A Good Car In Need Of A Good Powertrain

Month after month after month, Canadians are buying and leasing more SUVs than cars.

In recent weeks, the gap has spread. In January 2017, for example, Canadians acquired 1.5 utility vehicles for every car.

THE GOOD + Hatch in the back + Quiet and refined + New, improved and nimble + Not a Civic/Elantra/Corolla + Looks good

THE BAD – Dreadful throttle response – Ride sometimes stiff on 18s – $29K and no sunroof? – MyLink is behind the times – 1.4L often buzzy

And yet new car introductions continue at a healthy pace. And in the most hotly contested passenger car sector, compacts, the arrivals are frequent. 

There are new luxury sedans from Cadillac, Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, Lincoln, and Volvo: CT6, XE, Giulia, Continental, S90.

There are new sports cars from Fiat and Acura: 124 Spider and NSX.

There are new hybrid and electric cars from Hyundai, Chevrolet, and Kia: Ioniq, Bolt, Niro.

And there are new hatchback variants of established nameplates such as the Chevrolet Cruze. With the car sector's share of the market rapidly shrinking, with only three in ten new vehicle sales in January coming from the car sector, automakers aren't giving up. 

2016 was not a year to remember for the Chevrolet Cruze. Will the addition of a practical bodystyle bring new life to GM's compact car?

WHAT IS IT?
General Motors has been building small cars for decades. Name changes are par for the course. The Cruze's Cobalt predecessor, for instance, lasted only one generation before the first Cruze arrived for the 2011 model year. Prior to the Cobalt and its Pontiac G5 twin, there were three generations of the Chevrolet Cavalier and accompanying badge-engineered twins. 

2017 CHEVROLET CRUZE HATCHBACK PREMIER Base Price: $22,395 * As-Tested Price: $29,205 * Colour: Blue Jeans Assembly: Ramos Arizpe, Mexico Drive Type: front-wheel drive Transmission: 6-speed automatic Engine: 1.4L turbo DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder Horsepower: 153 @ 5600 rpm Torque: 177 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm Curb Weight: 2917 pounds Length: 175.3 inches Width: 70.5 inches Height: 57.7 inches Wheelbase: 106.3 inches Tires: Michelin X-Ice Tire Size: 225/40R18 Passenger Volume: 2661 litres Cargo Volume: 699 litres Max Cargo Volume: 1336 litres EPA City: 28 mpg EPA Hwy: 37 mpg NRCAN OEE City: 8.4 L/100km NRCAN OEE Hwy: 6.4 L/100km Observed: 30.6 mpg Observed: 7.7 L/100km * Canadian dollars, includes $1700 in fees.

The dawn of the Cruze era, however, brought about far greater small car focus for General Motors, a company that for too long rested on the laurels of North American market share dominance and thrust upon an unsuspecting public disappointing compact cars. The Cruze needed to be successful around the world, in discerning small car markets where GM couldn't just toss out a half-baked appliance and call it a day. 

As a result of GM's more concerted effort, the Cruze brought big sedan ride quality, comfort, and refinement to the compact category. Unfortunately, the first Cruze was obese, hindering acceleration, handling, and fuel economy.

The second-generation Cruze enjoys the benefits of a meaningful weight loss campaign – this 2017 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback Premier weighs roughly 300 pounds less than a top-trim 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LTZ sedan. 

Launched first as a sedan, the second-generation Cruze is now available in hatchback form for the 2017 model year. Forget the lower trim levels seen on the four-door Cruze: this Cruze five-door isn't available in L or LS trim. With a base price of $22,395 with a manual transmission, the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze LT can be optioned up with an automatic shifter for $1450. Equipped as standard with the automatic, the Premier, known in the past as Chevrolet's LTZ trim, adds $2600 to the price of the LT. To that $26,445 price, GM Canada's press fleet added a $995 RS Package (body kit, fog lights, 18-inch wheels), a $995 Convenience Package (auto climate control, heated rear seats, auto-dimming rearview mirror, and other smaller items), and the $870 Advanced Safety Package (FCA, LDW, LKA, IAHBC, SBZAWLCA, RPA, RCTA). 

$29,205 is the end result, though you could spend more. $31,035 gets you the Premier True North Edition, sunroof included. 

HOW BIG IS IT?
A 106.3-inch wheelbase is par for the course in the compact arena. Wheelbase length in the Cruze is identical to the Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Mazda 3. 

Compared with the Mazda and Honda, the two most recent Cruze-competing hatchbacks we've tested, the Chevrolet's overall length is three-tenths of an inch and 2.6 inches shorter, respectively. The Cruze is marginally narrower than both but marginally taller, as well. Official specs say the Cruze offers less overall passenger space than the Mazda and Honda. In reality, it feels more spacious than the Mazda, not quite as capacious as the Civic. Behind the rear seats, there are 699 litres of cargo space in the Cruze, 127 more than in the Mazda but 29 fewer than in the Civic.  

As for the Cruze sedan, overall length stretches 8.4 with the trunk added, but cargo capacity is 78% greater in the hatchback. The sedan doesn't drive like a car that's 8 inches longer; the hatchback won't swallow 78% more suitcases.

DOES IT WORK?
For all the perks associated with the first Cruze's big car manners – exemplary highway ride, quiet comfort, isolated harshness — there was always the sense that the reason the Cruze felt like an Impala was because it weighed as much as an Impala.

It wasn't quite that bad, but the exercise regimen the Cruze endured before debuting as a second-gen model was well worth it. Ride quality on 18-inch wheels isn't peerless, but the Cruze is fortunately now a nimble car with light and accurate steering, impressive response to mid-corner adjustments, and the kind of brake feel we've increasingly come to expect from General Motors.

Throttle response with the seemingly sufficiently powerful 153-bhp 1.4L turbo four-cylinder is lackluster, however. The six-speed automatic shifts smoothly enough, but downshifts must be begged and pleaded for. Always, one suspects the Cruze is attempting to convince you that going faster – even though it can, if you floor the throttle – would be a bad idea.

Also slow to respond is GM's MyLink infotainment system. Voice controls are useless, as well. At least it's straightforward and, in this case, reliable. 

Photo Credits: Timothy Cain ©www.GoodCarBadCar.net

Interior material quality befits the Cruze's compact category. While you may not be wowed by the Kalahari leather of our tester, others will be, and we should all be thankful for choice. Seat comfort in front and back is decent, rear legroom is much improved over the first-generation, and the low centre hump makes three abreast seating a possibility. 

Only on the rarest of occasions, such as hard acceleration, does excessive noise enter the cabin. The 1.4T can be buzzy in its protestations.

The heated steering wheel never feels truly heated, only warmed. At a $29K price point, it seems odd to have to spend even more to get a sunroof in a compact Chevrolet. 

For some buyers, the Cruze's faults will appear minor and easy to overlook. It's not a Honda Civic or Hyundai Elantra or Toyota Corolla. It's not what everybody else is driving. And with the RS bodykit and wheels, it looks good, too. 

IS ANYONE BUYING IT?
Unfortunately, General Motors doesn't break down Cruze sales by bodystyle.

In Canada, Chevrolet's compact volume in 2016 was at its lowest point since the dreadful days of 2009. Sales have declined in eight of the last ten months.

South of the border, the story is similar. With fewer than 190,000 Cruze sales in 2016, it was by far the lowest-volume year for Chevrolet compacts since the Cobalt produced only 121,871 sales in the doldrums of 2009. Compared with 2014, Cruze sales in 2016 were down by more than 84,000 units. The good news: U.S. Cruze volume has now improved in six consecutive months, boosted presumably by sales of the Mexican-built hatchback.

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SHOULD I BUY SOMETHING ELSE INSTEAD?
The number of rivals is quickly expanding. Not only was there a handsome new version of the Hyundai Elantra GT unveiled earlier this month, but Honda now offers a hatchback variant of Canada's best-selling car, the Civic. The Scion iM now operates as the Toyota Corolla iM. 

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Historical Monthly & Yearly Chevrolet Cruze Sales Figures
2017 Honda Civic Hatchback LX Driven Review
2017 Mazda 3 Sport GT Driven Review
2016 Chevrolet Spark LS Driven Review

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There are hatchback versions of the Mazda 3, Kia Forte, Ford Focus, Subaru Impreza, and Mitsubishi Lancer, plus the Volkswagen Golf.

The Cruze sits in amongst the group as a decent all-rounder: not as fun as the Mazda 3, not as spacious as the Honda Civic, not as mature as the Volkswagen Golf. But the Cruze is a decent drive on a back road, it's quite spacious, and it's really rather refined.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I PAY?
The 2017 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback is perhaps at its most desirable in LT trim with the manual transmission and the $1900 True North Edition package: rear park assist, side blind zone alert with lane change alert, rear cross traffic alert, an eight-inch MyLink touchscreen, upgraded Bose audio, sunroof, pushbutton start, proximity access, and a power driver's seat.

At $24,990, that car needs more stylish wheels to look the business, but since it costs $4215 than the Premier tester GM Canada sent our way, you'll have some spare coins in exchange for losing this car's bodykit and leather seating.

WHAT'S THE VERDICT?
For a moment, set aside verdicts past rendered in your mind on subjects such as the Chevrolet Cavalier and Citation. Forget, if you can, resale value, ignition switch scandals, and the dealer experience. Just take the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback Premier, if only for a moment, at face value.

Building on what made the first Cruze a real success, the second-generation Cruze adds to the nameplate's merit list a lighter weight chassis that enables nimble, responsive, and lively handling. The Cruze is still quiet, still free from vibration, and still rides well, but it's a decidedly more enjoyable car with which to engage when you take the long way home.

If only it was enjoyable to engage the throttle pedal. 

The 2017 Chevrolet Cruze is a good car, a fine and largely inoffensive car. It has the potential to be more than that.

Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures. Follow on Twitter @goodcarbadcar and on Facebook. The Cruze was supplied by GM Canada's press office.

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the Chevrolet display engines and transmissions made for the 1964 Worlds Fair

Introduced approximately in 1972, the Turbo-Fire 350 as it appeared in the Camaro Z28 only carried a net rating of 245 horsepower for a couple of years – 1973 and 1974 – and it was in the latter of those years that the engine benefited from High-Energy Ignition, which dates this particular points ignition cutaway to 1973.

okay that one rolled on the x axis. Fine. You get good look at it. But this next one is WOW... made for the Worlds Fair, so it was out to impress a lot of people, but how have I never heard of it until now?

It is the only non-Corvette to receive a Special Bloomington Gold Certificate when displayed in the Special Collection June 2001. It's now in the Yager Family Museum in Illinois http://www.mygaragemuseum.com/memorabilia.html

the front half of the engine moves to the left and then spins around!

General Motors prided itself on having the most spectacular displays around, and for the 1964 World’s Fair in New York, they were going to pull out all the stops. Their showcase, the 230,000 square-foot Pavilion, dominated the Fair, and from the top, it literally looked down over Chrysler while the facade towered above Ford and their Magic Skyway. Inside, GM created the vast Futurama II. In such a hall of wonders, this small display, innocently labeled “Turbo-Jet 427 V-8 Engine,” could have been overlooked. If you had been drawn to the Corvette, however, you would have first recognized that nothing like this X-3 engine was available in the 1964 Corvette—and then realized what an extraordinary cutaway it is. Built with incredible attention to detail, both the engine and attached transmission rotate. Its real trick, however, is that the two halves slide apart for a look at the internal rotating components.

Via  http://carzhunt.blogspot.com/2015/12/rm.html

but a full amazing gallery at http://www.rmsothebys.com/ny15/new-york---driven-by-disruption/lots/chevrolet-turbo-jet-427-v8-engine-and-transmission-cutaway-model/1078216

the next one isn't as amazing, but it was caught on video instead of photos.

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the Z11

when the Z11 debuted in late 1962, it was a dichotomy of firsts and lasts for Chevrolet's drag racing efforts. It was the last of the full-size lightweights, thanks to GM's 1963 self-imposed anti-racing edict, and it ran the last W-headed race engine, but it was the first to possess the magic cubic-inch displacement - 427.

Built in three batches, the initial 25 Z11 Impalas were released on December 1, 1962. The first car arrived at Ammon R. Smith Chevrolet in York, Pennsylvania, near Christmas 1962, for the already highly successful team of Strickler and Jenkins, who had first met at a nearby drag strip years before.

Under the hood was a revised W-series engine. The stroke was increased from the 409 by .150-inch using a forged-steel 3.65-inch stroke crank to make it a 427, while the bore remained at 4.3125 inches. Forged connecting rods were employed, and forged domed pistons pushed the compression ratio to 13.5:1.

Factory-designed cast-iron headers were installed, but were generally quickly swapped out for steel-tube headers. The aluminum water pump, fuel pump, lines and filter and the rocker covers were also specific to this engine, and a deep sump oil pan was used. The 427 was underrated at 430 hp.  It ran 10.90s at 128 MPH,

Jenkins painted the engine semi-flat black to dissipate heat more quickly. Though the Z11s were delivered with an alternator, he installed a generator with a quick disconnect wire and a short belt from it to the water pump. This allowed him to run the generator as an electric motor to turn the water pump and circulate the water to cool the engine when the car was shut off.

He also painted the underside of the car and the suspension white. His reasoning was said to be to reflect the rising heat from the track and also to make it easier to see while working on the suspension.

A complete race package, the Z11 didn't rely on the powertrain alone to get the job done; there was a weight reduction plan, too. An aluminum front end included the hood, hood catch, front fenders, grille filler panel, radiator support panel, fan shroud and front and rear bumpers, as well as their brackets and braces. No radios were installed and most of the Z11s were built without sound deadener or a heater. Don related that Jenkins had told him the inner fender wells were steel in '63, so he swapped them for the aluminum '62 pieces. All totaled, the weight-saving measures reportedly shaved a few hundred pounds from the Impala. A heavier-than-stock battery was installed in the right rear of the trunk to aid in weight transfer.

https://www.hemmings.com/magazine/mus/2014/10/Laudable-Legendary-Lightweights---1963-Z11-427-Impala--1964-426-Race-Hemi-Dodge-330/3742891.html

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interesting truck use I've never seen before, carrying 1 drum

1967 Indy 500

https://revslib.stanford.edu/catalog/pw390qq2045

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GCBC's The Good 12 For 2017

GCBC's The Good 12 for 2017 includes the vehicles that would be most welcomed as permanent members of the GCBC Towers driveway. Park them out front on Christmas morning. Tie them with a bow. We appreciate your kindness.

None have base prices above USD $67,000. They reflect many different parts of the market, they come from different places, they're powered by very different engines, they're accomplished in different areas. And when any one of them drives by, I want it for myself. 

These may not be the best 12 vehicles you can buy. They're certainly not the 12 most reliable, the 12 fastest, the 12 most efficient, or the 12 most affordable. Undeniably, they're not the 12 most popular. But, with an attempt to represent a thorough cross-section of the market, they are the 12 vehicles we want for Christmas this year.

Click any of the images to be taken to the model's Sales Stats page. Don't forget to check out GCBC's The Bad 8, the cars which we don't want to receive even as gifts. For more on what The Good 12 really is, visit the GCBC Awards page.

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	MAZDA 3 5-DOOR It's the most affordable vehicle in The Good 12. But paying less shouldn't mean accepting less. Interactive, engaging, and handsome, the Mazda 3 is a car you'll want to drive, not just be driven in.
	JEEP WRANGLER The Jeep Wrangler does not pretend to be something it is not. In fact, it can't. But the Jeep Wrangler is a 4x4 convertible with true capability. That's enough.
	FORD MUSTANG There are too many good Mustangs to choose from – we can't just pick one. Even the base V6 now announces the Mustang range's sports car credentials. The GT350 is almost too good to be true.
	MAZDA MX-5 MIATA This is the best car in the world. Obviously, it's not the best transportation module for everybody. But the latest Miata exceeds the expectations for what a Miata ought to be.
	VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI What if there were no vehicular choices? Families, enthusiasts, budget-conscious city dwellers: everybody could make do with a GTI. Compromise doesn't have to be a dirty word.
	HONDA ODYSSEY Nothing beats a minivan's knack for combining affordability, personal space, or cargo flexibility. And no minivan beats the Honda Odyssey, the people mover of choice for drivers.
	MAZDA CX-9 There's enough power and enough space – barely – to make the CX-9 our favourite family utility. More power and space would be nice. But the CX-9 doesn't need to look any better than it already does.
	RAM 1500 ECODIESEL Diesels and pickup trucks go together like Wayne Gretzky and the Oilers. It's just the way it's meant to be. So much torque. Car-like fuel economy. Impressive urban ride and handling. In a truck.
	VOLVO XC90 The ride quality isn't perfect. It's not as big inside as you expected. The infotainment unit looks better than it works. But this is Volvo at its best, at its most stylish, at its most luxurious.
	PORSCHE MACAN S You used to ask why Porsche would build a small, performance-oriented SUV. Now, you ask how Porsche wrapped so much performance and usability into one package.
	CHEVROLET SUBURBAN You need one vehicle. It must do everything. It must carry your family and your neighbour's family and your stuff and their stuff and tow a gigantic horse trailer, horses included. This is that vehicle.
	DODGE CHARGER SRT HELLCAT It's been more than a year but no rival is even attempting to catch up. An absurd 707-horsepower sedan isn't something Ford or Chevrolet or Honda or Toyota or any mainstream brand will do. Except Dodge.

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RECOMMENDED READING
2016's The Good 12
2015's The Good 12
2014's The Good 12
Every Vehicle Ranked By November 2015 YTD U.S. Sales
Every Vehicle Ranked By November 2015 Canadian Sales
2017's The Bad 8

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Upcoming BEV Arrivals (Updated)

2017 Opel Ampera-e

Discussing the upcoming Paris Auto Show with one of EVS readers, we have reached a timeline for a number of upcoming BEV models. Now updated with some more novelties for the next 18 months:

BAIC EH400 large sedan - H1 2017;

BYD Yuan & Song SUV's - Plug-in (BEV?) versions between Q4 2016 and Q1 2017;

Chevrolet Bolt / Opel Ampera-e - November symbolic arrival, deliveries ramp-up in December;

Opel version arrival in April in selected markets, dissemination across the continent in the 3/4 following months; 

Cowin C3R EV hatchback - Q4 2016;

Faraday Future SUV - Somewhere in the second half of 2017, we will see the first production units being delivered;

2017 Ford Focus Electric - Arrival December 2016, full scale production (100 units?) afterwards;

JAC iEV6E hatchback - Q4 2016;

Honda Clarity BEV - Second Half of 2017;

2018 Hyundai Ioniq BEV (40 kWh?) - Late 2017;

2017 Kia Soul EV (36 kWh) - January 2017;

2017 Nissan Leaf (40kWh battery) - LA Autoshow debut(?), December 2016 arrival, full scale deliveries in January;

Nissan Leaf II - 3Q 2017;

Qiantu K50 Speedster - Second Half of 2017?

Renault Zoe 40 kWh - October symbolic arrival, ramp up in November, full scale deliveries in December;

Renault Twingo EV & Nissan B compact EV - Q1 2017?

2017 Smart ED - December 2016?

Tesla Model 3 - First symbolic deliveries in September 2017, rest of the year to fine tune production, with moderate production quantities and high level of QC. USA-destined units. 

Beginning of 2018, significant ramp up, mainly targeted to North America. 

Second half of 2018, full scale production for all markets.

2017 Volkswagen BEV's - Larger batteries to arrive in January 2017;

XPeng EV SUV - Late 2017, ramp up in 2018.

Is anyone missing?

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New models for 2016

Although technically started in 2015, it will be this year that the X will make an impact

With the Tesla Model 3 and Nissan Leaf II relegated to 2017, this years only disruptive model, the Chevrolet Bolt, will be available towards the end of the year, until then, the only significant novelties will come from China, with BYD continuing to launch new plug-ins, taking full profit of the current sales trend in China (SUV's and EV's). Volkswagen can also ride the same wave, if they decide to make the Tiguan GTE there. 

Chevrolet Bolt

This original MPV is said to have a 200 mi range, cost 38.000$  AND will be exported to selected markets.

As deliveries are only expected in the last quarter (December?) of the year, expect only a fraction (1.000 units?) of sales to delivered in 2016.

BYD Song PHEV

After the resounding success of the Tang, this is the second plug-in hybrid SUV coming from BYD.

The mid-size Crossover Song PHEV version will arrive in the First Quarter (March?) of the year, will cost around 44.000$ and will hit 0-100 kms/h in 4.9 seconds.

Once in cruising production level, i would say some 4.000 units will be sold, so i would guess a sales target of some 25.000 units for this year.

BYD Yuan PHEV

Next in line to appear in the BYD EV factory is the Yuan, a compact crossover set to launch in the first half of the year.

With AWD and an announced 4.9s from 0 to 100 kms/hour, this will be one mighty small SUV... 

I would guess the same production level as the Song, so the sales target will be around 17.000 units.

VW Tiguan GTE

This is a model VW has to get it right in order to ride the current trends of SUV's coupled with PHEV powertrains, 

Sharing the GTE specs with its Golf and Passat relatives, this will be the first test to see if VW is really supporting plug-ins, if it is, then it must sell in North America and China (with local production).

Sales target in Europe: 7.000 units

North America(?) - 4.000 units

China(???) - Lots of them. VW sells 250.000 Tiguans per year in China...

Other plug-in models will land this year, with the vast majority of them being of the PHEV variety:

BMW 330e

BMW 530e

BMW 740e

Cadillac CT6 PHEV

Chrysler Minivan PHEV

Hyundai Ioniq

Kia Optima PHEV

Mercedes E500e

New Smart Fortwo ED / Forfour ED

Volvo S90 T8 PHEV

A mention to two models that started their career in 2015, but will gain volume only this year:

Chevrolet Volt II - I would say that it will reach some 4.000 units/ month, so a sales target of 48.000 units shouldn't go far from reality;

Tesla Model X - Production ramp up will be gradual, so i would guess that the final deliveries target for the Crossover will be around 25k to 30k units.

As a fun exercise, let's look back at predictions made earlier regarding 2015:

- Renault-Nissan sales prediction: 95.000 units. Miss: Around 75k.

- Mitsubishi sales prediction: 50.000. Hit: Around 46k.

- Tesla sales prediction: 70 to 50.000. Hit, but the 50.000 units will be almost all Model S.

- Chevrolet sales prediction: 35.000. Big Miss, there were little more than 20k units sold. Reason: Limited availability of the Second Gen Volt.

- Ford sales prediction: 23.000. Hit. Around 21k.

- Toyota sales prediction: 13.000. Big Miss: 6.500 units, the Prius Plug-In performed even worse than expected.

- BYD sales prediction: 35.000. Big Miss: Around 60.000 units, almost double!

- BMW sales prediction: 30.000. Hit: Around 33.000 units, although the X5 plug-in won't reach the predicted 5.000 sales.

- Geely Group (Kandi + Volvo) sales prediction: 30.000. Hit: Around 33.000 units, although the XC90 plug-in won't reache the predicted 5.000 sales.

- Volkswagen sales prediction: 25.000. Miss: Around 37.000 units, both the Golf GTE and e-Golf sales were underestimated.

- Daimler Group (Mercedes + Smart) sales prediction: 20.000. Miss: 15.000 units. Mercedes sales were on target (11k), but Smart was a big miss, the 4k sold are half of what was expected (8k).

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New Models for the Rest of 2015

New Models for the Second Half of the Year

Pure electrics have been resisting quite well to the new wave of PHEV's, mostly thanks to Tesla and the Nissan Leaf, but in the second half of year more Plug-in Hybrids will arrive, and PHEV Share should rebound, not only the refreshed Chevrolet Volt will make its impact, but there's a bundle of new PHEV's coming, particularly SUV's, and only one pure electric to help balance the numbers:

BYD Tang - The manufacturer claims this SUV has even more demand than the Qin, so the chinese  EV leadership should belong to it in the future. Sales target for this year: 15.000.

Chevrolet Volt II - Pushing the plug-in sales boundaries (only) in America, the second generation of the Volt could reach some 10.000 units this year and then step up in 2016.

Tesla Model X - Its production has been pushed back so many times that people wonder if it will land this year, after all there isn't still an official picture of the Real Deal, but having faith that deliveries do start as promised, in September, expect small numbers in the beginning, as Tesla will watch closely how the Falcon Wings Doors behave. Sales target for 2015: 4.000 units.

Volkswagen Passat GTE - There hasn't been many plug-ins in this particular segment, but the recent arrival of the Mercedes C-Class PHEV is just the first of many new players preparing to enter the game, the Passat GTE is another addition, based on the success of the regular Passat and of the Golf GTE, i think this has all the ingredients to replicate their success and reach some 3.000 units.

Hyundai Sonata Plug-In - The Korean automaker has arrived late to the plug-in train, is it ready to pick-up on the lost time? The Sonata PHEV is the first model on which we can evaluate if the Korean brand is going plug-in for real or not. Kia has only sold 1.500 Soul EV this year, so we'd better not expect a lot from these guys...Sales target: 1.500 units

BMW X5 Plug-In - The fourth plug-in of the BMW stable, it will be a strong contender for the Premium SUV PHEV trophy, but the Cayenne has already a big lead for this years trophy. Sales target: 1.500 units.

Volvo XC90 Plug-In - The regular XC90 is having an overwhelming reception and the T8 (PHEV) version waiting list is getting longer and longer...If Volvo can make them fast enough, i would say that some 1.500 units could be registered this year.

Audi Q7 e-Tron - Another addition to the Premium barge large SUV niche, Audi is looking to replicate the plug-in A3 in a XXL format. Sales target: 1.500 units.

BYD Song and Yuan - These smaller plug-in SUV's were shown earlier this year and the question remains: Will they arrive in time to land this year? If so, will they sell in significant numbers? My guess is a December launch, just in time to enter this year ranking.

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Chevrolet Camaro Will be Armed With 2.0 Liter Turbo?

Transformation Chevrolet Camaro is alleged can have a additional radical aura to version 2016. Figure not solely physical, performance was foretold to be embraced staying turbo that is additionally closely-held by Cadillac.

6th generation Camaro goes to urge barely of the Alpha design that\'s platform cultivators Cadillac ATS and CTS. Therefore, some components Cadillac are injected to the new

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Where's Wally? - Looking for EV's in Portugal

Renault Twizy in Óbidos, Portugal

One thing is compiling numbers of electric car sales, another is to see them live in the middle of traffic and see how and where they interact with the remaining vehicles, so i've written this post to illustrate how EV's stand in Portugal, my home country.

Renault Twizy - Last year's best seller, this quirky vehicle draws as much attention as a Lambo, so it's easy to say that this isn't for everyone, and with a limited range of 80 - 100 kms it's clear where it is aimed: Megacities, in this case, Lisbon, where they start to appear here and there. Outside the nation's capital i've seen four red Twizy's parked just outside Óbidos, an historic village 90 kms north of Lisbon, belonging to a company called Zero CO2 Tours, a rental company focused in promoting the surrounding area through tours and other services using EV's. Interesting, eh?

Police Leaf and its civilian brother

Nissan Leaf - With more than 120 units sold, this is the most widespread electric car in Portugal and the only to be seen outside major cities. Supported by the government at the time of launch with some units, like the one on the picture above, being bought by public institutions, this was the model that suffered the most with the end in 2012 of the 5.000 € electric car subsidy, this is why most Leaf's here are from 2011. On a side note, this is a car favored by females, as most drivers i saw in them were women.

Oh the irony: One 2011 electric car in front of a 1900's electric tram

Mitsubishi I-Miev family(1) - The japanese firm did a lot to publicize EV's to private buyers in early 2011, reason why these are seen in cities where greenies and new tech addicts live. The age and driving habits vary a lot with these models, for example i saw a retired men driving one at 40 kms/h in a clear two lane street in Aveiro, but in Coimbra i also saw a college guy driving a C-Zero like a hooligan and passing everyone it could in a crowded street, back then i remember thinking: "This guy must be thinking he's driving a Porsche 911".

Two Smart ED's parked outside a Mercedes exposition center

Smart Fortwo ED - The only electric car to register a sales growth in 2012, the tiny Smart ED is bought mainly by companies willing to have a green halo or municipalities. At first seen only in Lisbon, now is starting to spread to big cities in the north like Oporto or Braga.

Others - The remaining models sold have symbolic presence, the few Chevy Volts, Opel Amperas and Prii Plug-In i saw were demonstration cars, so Plug-In Hybrids still have a long way to go to make their presence felt here.


(1) - Includes Peugeot iOn and Citröen C-Zero

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