"Wir leben Autos!" – company motto Opel, founded more than a century ago in Germany, reflects the responsible attitude of employees to the development and creation of innovative cars. Opel products are always distinguished by a reasonable ratio of quality and price.
ChevroletMotor Division is a leading division of the financial and economic corporation General Motors, which specializes in the production of passenger cars and SUVs. Chevrolet cars are considered the most popular among the group's budget brands.
Thanks to its powerful engine and balanced chassis, the Opel Astra has attractive driving dynamics. Innovative technologies and modern design solutions have created the safest and most comfortable car in three trim levels - Essentia, Enjoy, Cosmo.
Included Essentia A wide range of body colors and several interior trim options are available. Basic equipment consists of the following elements:
- Heated exterior mirrors.
- Electric window lifts in the front doors.
- Remote control of door locks.
- Power steering.
- ABS is a system that prevents wheel locking.
- Audio system CD 300.
- ESP®Plus stability control system.
- Function of separating the pedal assembly in case of an accident.
- Airbags for driver and passenger.
- Wheel disks 16 inches.
- Folding rear seats ( 60:40 ).
- Anti-theft alarm.
Standard equipment Enjoy makes the trip more comfortable, and includes in addition to the base:
- Cruise control.
- Audio system CD 400.
- Fog lights.
- Wheels 17 inches.
You can equip the car with an adaptive headlight system, which is activated when making a sharp turn. Available in the Enjoy configuration and, created by the designers of the Opel concern, the chassis control system - FlexRide. It adjusts the car's suspension and changes its stiffness to eleven speed modes.
Astra Cosmo– a configuration option for discerning customers who consider luxury an integral attribute of a car. Standard elements can be improved with additional equipment:
- On-board computer.
- Climate control with two zones.
- Electric parking brake.
- Function to prevent the car from rolling away when starting on a slope.
- Heated front seats.
- Control keys on the steering wheel.
- Rear view mirrors with electric drive.
- Parking system.
Opel Astra cars are available with gasoline engines in two versions. The first motor has a modest power of 115 horsepower, and the second one is already capable of 180 horsepower. Cars are produced with different types of transmission.
One of the most successful Chevrolet models. All cars are equipped with modern equipment for safe driving:
- ESC stability control system.
- Cruise control.
- Anti-lock braking system ABS.
- Rear view parking camera.
- Six airbags.
Using a special key fob, you can control access to the car and operate the doors. To start or stop the engine, use the Start/Stop button.
The Chevrolet Cruze has an infotainment device MyLink. It makes it possible to control all multimedia devices and be always in touch. Using a USB connection, you can easily connect to your smartphone and display the necessary information on the car’s touch screen.
Chevrolet Cruze is available only with gasoline engines. Two motors have a volume 1.6 liters, power 109 And 113 horsepower. More powerful engine version 1.8 l has 141 hp.
What common
Chevrolet Cruze and Opel Astra cars are developed on the same platform Delta II. The front-wheel drive Delta II was designed by German engineers from the Opel division. The rear suspension on the platform is positioned as semi-independent, and is considered more wear-resistant than fully independent.
The Chevrolet Cruze and Opel Astra brands have engines with turbocharged– an effective measure to increase engine power, based on compression of incoming air using the energy of exhaust gases.
What is the difference
The Chevrolet Cruze is somewhat inferior to the Opel Astra in terms of speed performance. On the track, Opel wins with a clear advantage in terms of technical characteristics of acceleration and overall speed, because it is focused on speed. Acceleration to hundreds in Opel 2.3 seconds faster than Chevrolet.
The directional stability of the Opel Astra in special modes, for example when cornering at high speed, is much more stable than that of the Chevrolet Cruze. The risk of skidding or demolition of the car in Opel is significantly lower. The Chevrolet's handling, especially at top speeds, leaves much to be desired.
The amount of fuel consumed by a car is affected by the quality of gasoline and travel conditions. In all cases, the actual fuel consumption of the Opel Astra 2% lower than the Chevrolet Cruze.
The interior of the Opel Astra is made using quality materials, looks expensive and noble. The assembly is not satisfactory, which is a good tradition for German cars. The interior of the Chevrolet Cruze looks simpler, the plastic is soft, and scratches quickly appear on it.
If we compare the trunks, the Chevrolet’s is more spacious and has a volume of 500 liters. Opel's luggage compartment is a quarter smaller and has a volume of 375 liters.
The larger the minimum turning radius, the worse the vehicle's maneuverability. The parameters of the Chevrolet Cruze in this indicator have an advantage over the Opel Astra by 15%.
Which car to choose
For motorway travel, especially at high speeds, the Opel Astra should be preferred. The car holds the road clearly and is easy to control. In urban environments, you can choose a more budget-friendly Chevrolet Cruze. There will be savings both during purchase and during operation if there is a need to replace any unit.
If silence in the cabin is important, then the Opel Astra will more than satisfy this need. External noise during the trip does not cause concern. But the Chevrolet Cruze, on the contrary, pesters the driver with the roar of the suspension. The shock absorber struts are not modified and are a source of noise.
On rough roads, Chevrolet door seals squeak.
For trips to the country, you need a large luggage space, which is present in the Chevrolet Cruze. If driving fast is not a priority, and you plan to get to your summer cottage in a relaxed manner, then Chevrolet will be a better option compared to Opel.
I managed to conduct my first comparative test of the Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cruze a year and a half ago, when Rostov was covered with the first snow. The disciplines that were then assessed were the performance of the braking system and the handling of the Focus, as well as the geometric cross-country ability and acceleration dynamics of the Cruise.
New Year's winter evening. Rostov was covered with the first snow, and utility workers, as always, are unable to cope. I’m driving the Focus at the allotted sixty along Taganrogskaya, there’s nothing ahead, I’m slowing down a little. Suddenly, from the adjacent street, a girl on a Cruise taxis right in front of her nose - she decided to pass at the intersection, but the wheels are slipping in the snow porridge and the Chevrolet simply stands across the road. The steering wheel turned left, right, skidding, snowdrift... Everything turned out to be a torn bumper - thanks to the dealer for the gift of winter Nokian Hakka, which kept the car on the trajectory until the end.
And now it’s almost summer, and it’s still the same Ford and Cruise - but now all the advantages and disadvantages of cars can be assessed in a calm and relaxed atmosphere, and at the same time compare popular models with another classmate - the Opel Astra.
The appearance of all three test participants is modern, but rather familiar. It's no joke, during the entire test, drivers of passing cars paid attention to our “trinity” only once - when one of the photographers climbed onto the roof of a high gazebo to get a good shot. However, each of the models has its own memorable design - the Focus and Cruise have an emphasis on an aggressive front end, and the Astra sedan looks more impressive, unlike the co-platform GTC.
By the way, the Opel Astra and Chevrolet Cruze recently underwent restyling, which had a positive effect on the appearance of the models. Focus is also awaiting an update - more radical than that of its competitors.
I’ll say right away that it will not be possible to completely maintain parity during today’s test - it turned out to be not so easy to assemble three cars at the same time in Rostov, where there are no official representative offices of the companies. We took cars from dealers based on the principle of “take what they give.” Hence, there is some variation in body styles (Focus is a hatchback, and Cruze and Astra are sedans) and in transmissions (the Ford model has a manual transmission, the other two cars have automatic transmissions).
Each interior is unique, but the leader in terms of equipment and quality is Opel in the Cosmo version
First I pick up the Chevrolet Cruze - the highlight of its interior is the light fabric inserts that enliven the interior. Despite the fact that the model has been produced for a long time, the Chevrolet interior is still relevant. The ergonomics of the Koreans turned out to be successful, except that the finishing materials are a little rough. The downside is that the climate control system doesn’t work very logically; we picked up the car in a hurry and had to figure out the temperature settings on the go. It was not possible to do this reflexively. The optional display of the Chevrolet Cruze multimedia system in the LTZ configuration deserves only a positive assessment - it does not glare even in bright sunshine, and the performance and interface are not satisfactory.
Opel Astra Ford Focus Chevrolet Cruze
All three cars are available with automatic transmissions, but we got the Focus in a manual version. It's a pity, because Ford's Powershift is the fastest in terms of gear shifting
When you change to Astra, you notice that the cars are essentially made on the same platform. This is evidenced by some details that you notice only when changing from car to car - the same ignition switch, as well as some secondary keys. But overall, the Opel Astra's interior gives the impression of being more expensive and of higher quality thanks to the leather and suede trim of the seats, the tactile feel of the buttons and less hard plastic in the Cosmo trim. The downside is the same as that of Cruise - there is no “get in and go” option, only here the numerous buttons scattered on the central panel take some getting used to. But everything looks stylish, like an oval office on wheels.
Opel Astra Ford Focus Chevrolet Cruze
Any test drive participant can be taken with both the economical 1.6 engine and more powerful versions
The Focus salon is perhaps the most futuristic of today's “trinity”. Of course, adjusted for the expensive Titanium version, there are better finishing materials here, but even in the simpler Focus Trend and Trend Sport trim levels, despite the lack of a number of options, the interior is no worse. First place for design. But the rear is more cramped than in its classmates - after all, this is primarily a car for the driver.
Landing is most comfortable in the Astra - from behind its steering wheel, once you’ve settled in, you don’t want to get out. The seats are moderately hard, with good lateral support, and in the rear, the Astra sedan again looks preferable in terms of space for passengers. The trunks of sedans also benefit in terms of practicality - in the Focus it is smaller, which is due to the hatchback body. But for comparison, I looked into the luggage compartment of a sedan at a Ford dealer; it is longer and more spacious, although the loading height is higher due to the high raised floor line. But in terms of the convenience of opening and closing the luggage compartment, the Astra loses to the Cruze and Focus; you can’t just open the trunk from the outside - either from the key or from the passenger compartment.
The expected outsider in terms of acceleration dynamics is the Chevrolet Cruze. The fact is that we got a car with a basic engine for testing. In tandem with a six-speed automatic transmission, this engine makes for a quiet ride. But Cruz became the most economical according to the test results - less than 10 liters when driving around the city with the air conditioning on!
And for those who want more, we can safely recommend the Cruise with a 1.8 engine - one hundred and forty “horses” under the hood are already enough for those who like to play around.
Opel Astra Ford F ocus Chevrolet Cruze
The emphasis of Cruise and Astra in terms of driving characteristics is shifted towards comfort, and Focus - towards driver’s ambitions
By the way!
Analysts predict another surge in sales in the golf car market - they say, buyers are fed up with the emphatically utilitarian “state employees” and the level of expectations has risen. It’s not surprising - the average price of a car sold in Russia over the last year was about 900 thousand, and this is exactly the cost of a well-equipped golf-class car.And the most voracious is the Ford Focus, consumption in the city never drops below 11, even in quiet driving mode. But the Focus is perceived as more dynamic - and not only the test 125-horsepower, but also a weaker one, with 105 “horses” under the hood. There are no complaints about the “mechanics”, the gears fit clearly, and the clutch is “light” and informative.
I can’t help but say a few words about the preselective “robot” Powershift, because after all, this version is more popular in Russia. On the one hand, the six-speed gearbox switches quickly, without lag. On the other hand, when driving in city traffic in traffic jams you cannot do without “kicks” when switching to second and third, and with increasing mileage this “diagnosis” only intensifies.
The Opel Astra with a turbine already develops 140 hp. which in the “absolute classification” makes it the fastest, the speedometer needle covers the risk of 100 km/h in less than 9 seconds. The hydromechanical “automatic” is not as efficient as the Focus robot, but it does its job more smoothly. The manual mode is also implemented best of all - with a forced downshift, you can safely go for overclocking.
Opel Astra Ford F ocus Chevrolet Cruze
The leaders in multimedia systems are Cruz and Astra
As for the operation of the suspensions, each car is configured differently. Astra and Cruz gravitate more toward comfort; subjectively, the cars are perceived as softer than the Focus. The Ford is more rigid, but handles more enthusiastically - the chassis is tuned taking into account those who like to drive fast, and not on the best roads. Driving on the highway on all three test participants is easy - after all, the gap in the chassis settings compared to the “state-priced” cars is huge here. The sound insulation of all three cars is also at a decent level, but there are leaders and outsiders here. The quietest is still Astra, followed by Cruz and Focus in descending order.
Opel Astra Ford F ocus Chevrolet Cruze
As soon as there is a clearing of cars ahead, I press the gas pedal to the floor and then brake sharply - all three cars slow down without surprises, and the ABS catches on in time. It was not possible to take exact measurements, but subjectively the Astra slows down the best, and the Focus with Cruise is a little worse.
The time has come to return the cars to dealers, and we should think about who is the best in today's trio. Our test did not reveal a clear winner - each model has its own advantages and disadvantages, as well as numerous armies of fans. By the way, reviews from owners of Ford Focus, Chevrolet Cruze and Opel Astra on the forums largely coincided with today’s impressions of the cars.
Opel Astra Ford F ocus Chevrolet Cruze
Cruz and Astra are the leaders in terms of convenience and luggage compartment size
The main trump card of the Chevrolet Cruze is an excellent combination of price and consumer qualities. Modern design, good equipment, and after the recent restyling, turbo engines as an option - all this makes the Cruze one of the best offers in the class. The downsides of the Cruise are the abundance of hard plastic in the cabin and a rather weak engine in the base.
The Astra sedan is one of the most practical and comfortable cars in its segment. With similar parameters, it is slightly more expensive than the Cruise built on the same platform, but it also wins in terms of equipment and finishing. In a word, if you have the opportunity to pay extra, it makes sense to choose Opel.
Focus is the active driver's choice. In terms of handling, it puts its competitors to shame, competing on equal terms with the genre-setter in the class - the VW Golf. At the same time, Ford is noisier, harsher and more voracious. It feels like a more youthful car, especially in a hatchback body.
Who's against it?
Today's test did not cover the large family of the VAG concern - Skoda Octavia, VW Golf and Seat Leon (the cost of the “average” configurations is 800-850,000 rubles, the “top” - around a million). No less significant competition comes from the “Japanese” with the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Mazda 3 models - on average from 700,000 rubles for the “basic” versions, and up to a million for the “full stuffing”.
Prices
Specifications:
| Ford Focus 1.6 | Opel Astra 1.4 Turbo | Chevrolet Cruze LTZ 1.4T AT |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Body type | |||
| Number of doors/seats | |||
| Length, mm | |||
| Width, mm | |||
| Height, mm | |||
| Wheelbase, mm | |||
| Front/rear track, mm | |||
| Curb weight, kg | |||
| Total weight, kg | |||
| Trunk volume, l | |||
| Engine |
|||
| petrol with direct fuel injection and turbocharging | petrol turbocharged | petrol turbocharged |
|
| Location | front transverse | front, transverse | front, transverse |
| Number and arrangement of cylinders | |||
| Number of valves | |||
| Working volume, cm³ | |||
| Max. power, hp/rpm | |||
| Max. torque, | 240/1600-4000 (270/1900-3500) | ||
| Transmission |
|||
| Transmission | manual, six-speed | automatic six-speed |
|
| front | front | front |
|
| Chassis |
|||
| Front suspension | independent, spring, McPherson | independent, spring, McPherson |
|
| Rear suspension | independent, spring, multi-link | semi-independent, spring, with Watt mechanism | semi-independent, spring |
| Front brakes | disc, ventilated | ventilated disc | ventilated disc |
| Rear brakes | disk | disk | disk |
| Performance characteristics |
|||
| Maximum speed, km/h | |||
| Acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h, s | |||
| Fuel consumption, l/100 km |
|||
| — urban cycle | |||
| - suburban cycle | |||
| - mixed cycle | |||
| Toxicity standard | |||
| Fuel capacity | |||
The editors would like to thank the following for their help in organizing the test drive:
- , official Chevrolet dealer,
- , official Opel dealer
- , official Ford dealer
Moreover, they are not only built on a common platform, but are even produced at the same plant. But whether the new Chevy is really capable of competing on equal terms with its European relative is a big question
Presented
Jimmy's "worldwide" car, the Chevrolet Cruze, appeared in 2009. Its model range began with a sedan, to which a hatchback was added in 2011, and a station wagon will soon join them. The Cruze is assembled at the GM plant in Shushary near St. Petersburg. The current generation of Opel Astra, whose world premiere took place in the same 2009, is already the fourth in a row. Its production is also organized at the St. Petersburg GM plant. The new Astra has been on sale in our market since the spring of 2010, and is available along with the previous generation. The hatchback is the basis of the current Opel Astra model line, which also includes a station wagon and a three-door GTC version.
Looked
Upon closer inspection, the completely different interiors of our rivals are replete with unified elements - they have the same steering column levers, power window buttons and steering wheel buttons. But the interior of the Opel Astra leaves a more pleasant impression: the finishing materials here are better than in the Chevrolet. In addition, there is a suspicion that the light “canvas” used for the upholstery of the Cruze’s front panel will turn out to be quite brandish. Almost all of the Cruze's increase in length (91 mm) compared to the Astra goes to its trunk. That’s why it has more volume, despite the full-size spare wheel. But Opel has a double floor in the cargo compartment, the height of which can be adjusted.
Let's go for a ride
The naturally aspirated engine of the Chevrolet Cruze has better “luck” at the bottom, and therefore it is more convenient to crawl in the viscous Moscow traffic jams. But as soon as the slightest opening appears, the Astra, with its explosive turbo boost, immediately wins back. And in the operational space, the Chevrolet Cruze even more so leaves no chance. Opel's suspension is more assembled - it handles unevenness better and does not allow swinging. The Cruze has a slightly softer suspension, but hardly more comfortable. Accordingly, the Astra steers more pleasantly and makes turns more accurately. The Chevrolet Cruze can counter this only with easier gear shifting (the effort is more noticeable on the Opel) and slightly better visibility through the side mirrors. This is clearly not enough to even the score.
Asked the price
Prices for a basic Chevrolet Cruze with a 1.6-liter engine and manual transmission start at RUB 562,000. An Opel Astra with a 1.4-liter naturally aspirated unit and manual transmission is estimated at a minimum of 593,900 rubles, and with a 1.6-liter engine it will cost 629,900 rubles. The most expensive Chevrolet Cruze - with a 1.8-liter 141-horsepower unit and an automatic transmission - will cost 769,000 rubles. The Opel Astra in the top Cosmo version with a 1.4-liter turbo engine of almost the same power and an automatic transmission costs not much more - 794,000 rubles, while a similar car, but with the most powerful engine in the range - 1.6 turbo, 180 hp . - will cost 849,000 rubles. Taking into account Opel's superiority in equipment, we have approximate parity.
Bottom line
Editor:
The Chevrolet Cruze is a seemingly good car, but somehow boring and characterless. It has no striking features, no memorable features either in design or in behavior. Overall, the Cruze didn't grab my attention. Another thing is Astra! Everything is in order here with charisma, and with emotions, and with the pleasure of driving. The current generation of Astra has turned out to be extremely successful. You can, of course, speculate about the difference in price and the advantage of the Opel participating in the test over the Chevy in equipment and engine power. But even in versions with engines of the same displacement and comparable trim levels, the Chevrolet Cruze is not so much cheaper than the Opel Astra that there is a desire to give it preference.
Chevrolet Cruze has successfully taken its share in the market. It is a modern, reliable car with the makings of a sporty character. Despite this, there are a number of competitive machines. They have both advantages and disadvantages compared to the Chevrolet Cruze. As a result, there is a constant battle in the automobile market between different cars trying to attract the attention of buyers.
Comparison of Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Focus
The Chevrolet Cruze has a number of advantages over the Ford Focus. When making a comparison, the main advantages can be identified:
- more comfortable steering wheel, especially compared to Ford Focus 3;
- good visibility from the driver's seat;
- perfect steering rack design, which the Ford Focus 2 cannot boast of.
To decide which car is better than the Ford Focus or Chevrolet Cruze, choosing the first is possible for the following reasons:
- good suspension;
- high-quality interior material;
- effective sound insulation.
The cars are in the same price category. Their cost ranges from 800,000 to 1,200,000 rubles. 
Chevrolet Cruze or Opel Astra
According to reviews from car owners, the Opel Astra is prone to failure of the crankshaft sensor. If it malfunctions, the engine becomes completely inoperable. The meter is installed on the tide of the oil pump housing. It creates a synchronization pulse thanks to which the controller determines the position and speed of the crankshaft. Based on these data, it calculates the moment of activation of the injectors and the ignition module. Repair is only possible by replacing the sensor. The Chevrolet Cruze is somewhat more reliable in this regard. The cost of the Opel Astra is within the same range as a Cruze of similar configuration.
Cruz vs Toyota Corolla
Operation of the Toyota Corolla will reveal the following features:
- many childhood diseases;
- presence of crickets in the cabin;
- high sensitivity of the engine to the quality of fuel and oil;
- soft suspension;
- the cost is higher than that of the Chevrolet Cruze, and ranges from 1.2 to 1.5 million rubles;
- sufficient comfort.
Cruze or Skoda Octavia
A comparison between the Skoda Octavia and the Chevrolet Cruze is shown in the table below.
Comparison of Chevrolet Cruze and Volkswagen Polo
You can decide which is better than the Volkswagen Polo or Cruze based on the following advantages and disadvantages of the German:
- absence of “childhood diseases”;
- good maneuverability;
- cost less than the Chevrolet Cruze;
- breakdowns of the rear suspension;
- slow heating of the interior.
Chevrolet Cruze or Skoda Rapid
Comparing Skoda Rapid and Chevrolet cars, car owners note the low reliability of the camshaft position measuring system on the Cruze. In some cases, the engine continues to run, but there is a significant decrease in power and increased fuel consumption. Determining the malfunction is quite difficult. For this you need a diagnostic scanner. The problem can only be resolved by replacing the sensor with a new one.
Comparison of Cruze with Mazda
Chevrolet Cruze and Mazda are analyzed according to the main criteria in the table below.
Comparison of Chevrolet Cruze and Honda Civic
The Honda Civic has advantages over the Chevrolet Cruze, on which failure of the air flow sensor often occurs. This leads to unpleasant jerks and failures in acceleration. The engine begins to consume significantly more fuel. Troubleshooting is only possible by installing a new sensor. 
Chevrolet Cruze and Citroen C4
Unlike the Citroen C4, extraneous sounds are often observed when the turbocharged engine of the Chevrolet Cruze is running. The imperfect design of Opel's phase regulators leads to the fact that the engine is diesel. The lifespan of the cooling system pump is also short, so it begins to whistle after a mileage of more than 60 thousand km. These problems are extremely rare on Citroen.
At the same time, C4 often causes problems due to failure of suspension elements. The transmission also cannot be called reliable. The cost of the car ranges from 1.3 million to 1.8 million rubles.
Review of other cars
Another car in a similar price segment is the Kia Sid. The machine is characterized by good handling and safety. Kia is inferior to Chevrolet in the reliability of its main components.
There is no definite answer which car is better than the Chevrolet Cruze or Renault Fluence. The first has a more modern filling, and the second is a little more reliable.
Cruz replaced the Chevrolet Lacetti. The car inherited all the best design solutions of its predecessor. The main advantage of the Lacetti is its lower cost.
The quality of the main components of the Cruze in comparison with the Chevrolet Epica and Chevrolet Aveo is almost at the same level. At the same time, Epica has a lower cost. Experienced car owners, all other things being equal, recommend choosing the Chevrolet Cruze.
Another competitor to the Chevrolet Cruze is the Kia Cerato. The car is characterized by dynamism and comfort. According to reviews, the quality of the Kia is slightly worse than that of the Cruze.
Very heated debates are going on between the owners of Cruz and Ford Mondeo. Both cars have similar characteristics and price segments. However, most drivers admit that the Cruze has better handling on the highway. 
Good day!
I want to tell the story of my short-term ownership of a Chevrolet Cruze. The car is far from my first, when I was choosing I already had some ownership experience, including a Chevrolet. But somehow bad things are forgotten quickly, and I bought into the fact that the last Chevrolet was a Niva, our domestic car, and here it seems to be Korea, it seems inexpensive and rich. It turned out to be a wrong opinion. I’ll make a reservation - before Cruz there was a Skoda Fabia, maybe small, but a very worthy car in all respects. She set the bar quite high when choosing her next car. There were quite a few potential candidates, mostly Japanese on automatic, I really liked the Lancer X 1.8 of my now wife. Here are some of the candidates - all from 2009 - Mitsubishi Lancer X 2.0, Mazda 3 2.0, Honda Civic sedan, Toyota Corolla with automatic transmission and certainly not with a robot, Skoda Octavia and many others. The Japanese, in principle, were good, but each had their own cockroaches... Lance's CVT scared him away, Mazda is very low and harsh, Honda is low and has problems with the steering rack, Corolla is just cramped, boring, and just no good. About the Skoda Octavia I will say that I really liked it, but when the purchase was already looming in earnest, we decided to choose from new cars, and the Oktashka was a bit expensive - 640 rubles. In the simplest configuration with a handle and oars, the only options are Conder. ALL! The Volga is some kind of honesty... And then I began to look at some of the new ones, but already more stuffed. Hyundai Solaris is dynamic, very comfortable, it just appeared, but the suspension is junk and the car itself, as time has shown, is not very reliable and is simply not very good in itself. The Kia Rio is better, but also not great, and also cramped and small. I almost bought a Volks Polo sedan; with all the stuffing and an automatic transmission, it turned out to be a not too expensive, new and quite good car. I was ready to buy it, but then my friend and I went into a nearby salon and saw IT! A handsome, large, snow-white Chevrolet Cruze at the same price as a Polo sedan. Tempting!
So. We took it for a test drive and I was hooked on the purchase! The wife tried to dissuade him but retreated; it was useless to argue. A week later I became the owner of this snow-white beauty. 1.6 engine, automatic, basic equipment which seemed to have everything you needed - air conditioning, electric front windows, electric mirrors, heated seats and so on. It was euphoria, life was good! Two days later, the seat creaked under me. Happens. Nonsense. I noticed wild fuel consumption - 25 liters in quiet mode. It happens, it’s a run-in. I remembered that on the Skoda the consumption was immediately low and did not change for almost a hundred thousand kilometers, up to 8-10 in the city and on the highway around 5-7 depending on the speed. I attributed the expense to the fact that the machine is still completely new and the engine is not Shkodovsky, but an ancient Opelevsky like the last Nexia (not a very pleasant comparison), and you have to be patient a little and everything will be normal, including the constantly floating engine speed (well, not it should be THIS way on a new car!). I started driving and enjoyed it every day - a big car, beautiful, automatic, a lot of all sorts of buttons, people noticed the car on the road, they stopped blatantly pushing it out and cutting it off, well, Skoda and I are used to it, it’s a cost of the Russian mentality. Over time, I began to notice pain in my back; the seats were simply no good. There is no adjustment of the steering wheel for reach in the initial configuration, the seating position is low, there is simply no back support, it is impossible to get comfortable behind the wheel. Unpleasant. Two days later, the paint chipped off the front bumper at the junction of the bumper and the fender - they refused to paint it under warranty. The manager argued that it was a chip from a pebble, but how could it get there, since even a fool can see that the bumper is skewed, on the other hand, the bumper is not even adjacent to the fender! Nevertheless, the management’s argument was ironclad - the St. Petersburg assembly, this is also very common on Insignias. Okay, no problem, we'll survive. I would like to talk separately about the quality of service at Chevrolet dealerships; we have 3 of them in Yekaterinburg, I won’t name them. How competently the manager of the car dealership, Dmitry, dealt with a bunch of gifts when buying a car from him and did not fulfill a single promise, he was simply a born huckster. Just as competently, he was able to sell, and yes indeed STEAL, a obviously low-quality product. By the way, how are Ford dealers different? Ford Focus 3 was considered as an inexpensive alternative to the Cruze; the quality of finishing and assembly of both was disappointing. Regarding the Russian assembly, it all depends on the manufacturer, the Skoda Fabia was assembled in Kaluga and has completed 100 thousand km. km. without a single breakdown, I now have a Skoda Octavia also built in Kaluga and I have no complaints, everything is at a high level.
