That fuel economy is courtesy of a 2-liter diesel engine producing 148 horsepower and 258 pounds-feet of torque. An overboost function can increase torque output to 280 pounds-feet for short periods of time. The Cruze diesel's sole transmission is a 6-speed automatic.
Chevrolet is pushing the Jetta TDI as the Cruze diesel's direct competitor. While the Cruze diesel is $700 more expensive than the Jetta TDI at $26695 including an $810 destination fee, it offers more features than the Jetta TDI such as 17-inch aluminum wheels, the MyLink infotainment system, leather seats, and two years of free maintenance. The Cruze is also 0.1 second quicker from zero to 60 miles per hour compared to the Jetta TDI, but the TDI matches the Cruze diesel's fuel economy by have a 4-mile-per-gallon higher city rating and a 4-mile-per-gallon lower highway rating.
However, the Cruze diesel pales in comparison to another Cruze: the Cruze Eco. The Cruze Eco costs over five thousand dollars less than the diesel, and it matches the diesel's fuel economy in terms of combines fuel economy. Now, that is for the manual Cruze Eco, but even with the automatic and extra features in an Eco, the more expensive diesel fuel and much higher upfront price make the Cruze diesel's proposition tricky.
The Cruze diesel officially goes on sale in a few cities this spring, and it goes on sale nationally in the fall.
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