The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze promises to be General Motor’s (GM’s) crowning glory in the small sized car category. In road comparison tests against the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic, the Cruze performed admirably and out-classed these other vehicles with its aggressive styling. In fact, the interior has been compared to the quality and style of both the Accord and Maxima.

For those interested in purchasing and owning a purely American vehicle, the Cruze would not be it. The Chevrolet Cruze is stated as having a “global nature” to its design. The original architecture was engineered in Germany; however, the Daewoo Lacetti is a product of Daewoo, a Korean company, and that vehicle was transformed into what GM is now calling the Cruze. Nevertheless, no matter where it originated, the Cruze’s sticker price, styling, and performance is sure to position this vehicle nicely against the Toyota Camry.

The vehicle boasts that it can seat five adults, but shoulder room in the rear row of seats may make the middle adult feel a little tight. The front seats feature 54.7 inches of shoulder room, 39 inches of headroom, and 42 inches of legroom. The rear seats have 52 inches of shoulder room, 37 inches of headroom, and 36.5 inches of legroom. The Cruze provides 15 cubic feet of cargo space, and can hold a maximum of 15 gallons of gasoline. Fortunately, the turbocharged 4-cylinder, 1.4-liter engine claims to produce 40 miles per gallon fuel efficiency. However, because the EPA has not finished with fuel efficiency testing, the 40 miles per gallon figure has not been qualified.

The Chevy Cruze is available in five trim styles; the LS priced at $18,175, the 1LT priced at $18,175, the 2LT priced at $20,675, the ECO priced at $18,175, and the LTZ priced at $21,975. All styles come equipped with a six-speed transmission. The LS and the ECO come standard with a manual transmission and the others come standard with an automatic. Depending on the trim style selected, the Cruze employs 16-inch steel wheels that can be upgraded to alloy or 17-inch alloy. The LTZ style uses 17-inch alloy wheels as standard and can be upgraded to 18-inch alloy.

In comparison to the Camry, the Cruze is much quieter. GM has strategically placed vibration dampening throughout the passenger compartment and, due to the turbocharged engine and six speed transmission, drivers and passenger will enjoy the lack of engine noise. Another reason the 2011 Cruze may replace the Camry is the price difference. Camry’s sticker price is higher than that of the Cruze and the two provide nearly the same options. Lastly, because the Camry is closing in on the end its life cycle, it is unlikely that Toyota will invest large amounts of money into an old product line in order to make it competitive with the new line of vehicles being produced.

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is a small vehicle with a grown-up style. From the luxurious interior to the zippy, yet fuel efficient, engine and transaxle, the Cruze is sure to win the hearts of the American public with style and grace.