The Chevrolet Cruze is a sporty compact car sold around the world by General Motors. With its stylish advent and plenty of room inside, it initially seemed like an improvement over previous Chevy compact cars like the Condescending and Cobalt. Unlike many meaty cars, the Cruze has more than weight and feels similar a safe, solid vehicle.

Simply were the first generation of Chevy Cruze reliable cars? Or were there problems?

The first generation of the Chevy Cruze

The 2017 Chevy Cruze on display at the North American International Auto Show
The 2017 Chevy Cruze | GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images

The first generation of Chevy Cruze was produced from 2011 to 2015. The base model was the LS, which featured a 1.8-liter engine that put out 138 hp. Other trim levels like the LT, 2LT, ECO, and LTZ offered a ane.4-liter turbocharged engine.

In 2014 and 2015, they added a turbodiesel engine with an output of 151 hp to the two.0TD and Diesel trim levels. The Chevy Cruze's first-generation offered a six-speed transmission transmission for the LS, LT, and ECO trim levels.

It had decent features similar the USB which became standard in 2013. Yous couldn't get cruise command in the LS base models, simply it was standard for the other trims moving up the trim ladder. The one caveat is that you could have added a connectivity package to the 2011 model's base configuration. Bluetooth connectivity was standard on all trim levels commencement with 2013.

In that location were xviii-inch alloy wheels on the LTZ trim simply. A spare tire and jack were options in the 2011 models but not available on all ECO versions. The cars offered a quiet ride and mostly responsive handling.

The reliability of the Chevy Cruze

According to a ranking of 85 Chevrolet generations by their reliability ratings, the first generation Chevy Cruze models from 2011 to 2015 ranked the lowest at 85. What problems made this the worst Chevy to buy?

For starters, there were instances of leaking water pumps in the 1.4-liter engine models. The leaks caused the air conditioning to end working and caused the car to overheat. It was enough of a trouble for there to exist an announcement in the GM service bulletin in Jan 2015 for 2011 to 2014 models with that engine. The warranty coverage for the upshot got extended past GM to 10 years or 150,000 miles, whichever came first. The repair involved replacing the water pump.

There were reports of defective PCV diaphragms in the valve cover. There were too instances of missing air bank check valves in the intake manifold that crusade numerous issues with the 1.4-liter turbo engine. The bug resulted in blue smoke from the exhaust, excessive oil use, and a rough idle – all of which triggered the bank check engine light. In that location were cases of the PCV pipe existence faulty too.

The repairs involved replacing the intake manifold in some cases. In other cases, the valve cover needed replacing. Either way, the repair could cost several hundred dollars.

The Chevy Cruze also reportedly had oil leaks from the engine, cooler lines, and transmission seals. Coolant leaks acquired problems requiring that the thermostat housing be replaced. In that location were trunk release switch issues, which, while not expensive to fix, could cause quite a few headaches.

There were ignition coils that were faulty and caused misfires. The earlier models in this generation of Chevy Cruze even experienced consummate transmission failures.

Another GM service bulletin reported electric problems caused by loose negative battery cables. The event could be the display randomly turning on and off. It also acquired problems with the anti-lock brake organization, service traction system, and more.

The last verdict

Because of the many issues with the Chevy Cruze from 2011 to 2015, it's rated by Consumer Reports as worse than average for predicted reliability. Many of the bug were addressed with increased warranties or recalls. Those in the market for a used sporty compact machine may want to have a look at something else. The Toyota Corolla, Toyota Prius, Honda Borough, or the Mazda3 might exist better choices.

If your middle is set on a beginning-generation Cruze anyway, consider a model with the i.8-liter engine every bit it had far fewer troubles than the 1.iv-liter turbo.