DETROIT – For the fourth month in a row, the Chevrolet Cruze is the best-selling compact car in the United States, recording a total of 21,807 sales in August. It is also the fifth-consecutive month of Cruze sales exceeding 20,000 units.
Calendar year to date, Chevrolet has sold a total of 169,427 Cruzes. Due to sustained customer demand, Chevrolet dealers have about a 30-day supply of Cruze sedans, roughly half the industry average.
“The Cruze has been a great success story for Chevrolet,” said Alan Batey, U.S. vice president, Chevrolet Sales and Service. “In less than a year, the Cruze has become one of the most-popular cars on the market, and it is successfully bringing new customers to Chevrolet showrooms.”
The Cruze contributed to Chevrolet’s overall growth in August, when the brand sold a total of 152,779 vehicles, an increase of 16 percent over the same month a year ago. Much of that growth has been fueled by car sales, which increased 22 percent over last August.
The brand’s car sales are expected to continue gaining momentum, as the all-new Sonic subcompact and 2012 Chevrolet Volt electric car with extended range start arriving at dealerships this month.
The Cruze Eco manual delivers an EPA-estimated 42 miles per gallon highway, making it the most fuel-efficient, gasoline-powered car in the United States, excluding hybrids and diesels. To achieve its segment-leading fuel economy, Cruze’s engineers focused on aerodynamic performance, reducing weight and powertrain enhancements
For example, the Cruze Eco was the first in the compact-car segment to offer an active air shutter that closes at higher speeds to reduce aerodynamic drag and opens at lower speeds to optimize engine-cooling airflow. Engineers also made more than 42 changes to reduce weight on the Cruze Eco, such as light-weight 17-inch wheels and tires save 21.2 pounds (9.6 kg) per vehicle.
The Cruze Eco features a standard Ecotec 1.4L turbocharged engine that delivers the fuel efficiency of a smaller engine, as well as the power of a larger engine when needed. The Ecotec 1.4L turbo delivers 138 horsepower (103 kW) and 148 lb.-ft. of torque (200 Nm) between 1,850 rpm and 4,900 rpm.
About Chevrolet
Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Sonic, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers “gas-friendly to gas-free” solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
