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GM Retaining Current Malibu, Cruze As Fleet Specials, Diesel Dead For 2016
by
Derek Kreindler
(IC: employee)
Published: March 19th, 2015
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Although all-new versions of the Chevrolet Cruze and Malibu are set to debut by the end of the year, GM will retain the current versions as fleet-only vehicles, dubbed the “Cruze Limited” and “Malibu Limited”.
While the Malibu Limited will be available in LS, LT and LTZ trims, the lone powertrain will be the 2.5L I4. The Cruze will drop the diesel variant, but retain the “Eco” version, as well as the manual transmission option.
Derek Kreindler
More by Derek Kreindler
Published March 19th, 2015 7:54 AM
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Is there any data out there from GM as to how many diesel Cruzes they have sold since the introduction in the summer of 2013? All I can find is sad numbers from Green car congress from 2014. Ironically, I was at Epcot last week and went on the GM commercial that is called "Test Track". At the end of the ride there is a brown Cruze TD sitting there amongst the other fine GM automobiles. I don't think selling them in the $27000 range has helped at all. VW finally decided to offer a base TDI last year starting in the low 20s, which is what Chevy should also offer as an option.
I have owned a Cruze Diesel for four months now and enjoy it a lot (it’s my mid-life crisis car). GM put a significant amount of money and effort into getting its engine into compliance with US and EU regulations and it is surprising that they would turn around and dump it. I am also wondering, as others have, if this story only refers to the fleet model. Marketing support for the diesel model has been practically non-existent. I’m not sure why. The fuel price difference between diesel and regular gasoline has been mentioned by others. In Calgary this week, diesel is only 3¢/litre more expensive than regular gas, and considerably cheaper than premium. (3 months ago, the difference was 30¢, but oilpatch demand for diesel has collapsed.)