Yeah - my last Car and Driver magazine indicated the Cruze SS wasn't coming any time soon.

 

I looked at a GS last week and did a quick around the block drive.

I'll go back, but overall it's kinda slow. Not a kick in the pants like the HHR, nothing like my EVO (though obviously a much different car than both).

Build quality is good, maybe not Audi good, but close.

Rear seat is typical euro standards which means not much room and the trunk is ok at 14 cu. ft., but not going to haul a lot of stuff.

The auto I tested felt like a mid 15 second car, which is kinda slow for the price.

I love the looks though and like everyone says the wheels are almost a good reason to buy it.

Why they only put Brembos on the front is kind of a cheap ass move, though probably doesn't change much of the car, it still looks kind of silly to only put those beautiful calipers on the front end.

What I don't understand is why they can't give it 290hp like our HHRs. I'm sure there is a reason but getting this car up to 300 hp would make a big difference.

 

The Brembo thing on many cars is just a name gimick. While they are good brakes there are several levels of Brembo since they entered the OE market. They used to be just a high end brake company and now they have combined with another OE company and offer their brakes under the Brembo name. To be honest the stock brakes on most cars were not bad or any better anyways on most vehicles. Think of it as Recaro seats. While Recaro is good many cars has Lear Sigler seats that were just as good but just no label.
As in the case of the HHR Brembos while they may be a little better they are not that much better than the stock GM. Many people get fooled into thinkin other wise with the lavbels. Now on systems like the ZR1 that is the real Brembo deal. There are no better brakes than that on a factory car and they do live up to the name.

The Regal was just a space filler till the replacment comes. Buick needed product and we have a Opel ready to fill the slot. Many had hoped for the OPC package but no one in their right mind here would have paid the price of the TT V6 and Haldex AWD. It cost around $60,000 in Europe and would have been more here.

Since the Verano is faster than the GS now and they claim it is not a sport sedan more is coming in the future for the Regal. The Regal was old when it got here and while it will recieve a refresh soon we should see more coming.

Ford has a 320 HP Turbo 4 coming and I expect GM will have something as good or better to offer soon. We here know what they can do with the old engine and the new 2.0 just arrived. Like I said elsewhere GM has more upgrade kits coming too and now they have a better tranny to hold more power.

 

I think the Regal is a much more attractive car than the Verano and might be a fraction slower but it's much more european in looks.

I don't really think that if they built a Regal like the OPC in the right to work states that it would be $60,000, maybe $50,000, maybe a fraction less before dealer add ons and a little less with some discounts.

Still your right, it probably wouldn't sell, because Americans seem to hate wagons of all kinds, high performance or not and not many people would understand why a Regal sold for the same price as a 335 BMW.

What's strange is Americans seem to love underpowered 5,700 lb SUV's that don't hold much more than a wagon and handle like a motor home.

Anyway, people buy what they want to buy and the car companies provide the same.

If we're going to be stuck with SUV's I love to see an extension of the HHR SS maybe with a more modern body, not weighing in at 4,300 lbs, but maybe 3,500 with at least 280 hp.

Obviously there was a market for something close given the fact gm sold 100,000 HHR's yearly (yes I know a lot are fleet sales), but they still sold a bunch of them.

Then again my neighbor just traded her audi for an Equinox, paid $40,000 plus and it has no more useable space than our HHRs. It's just jacked up and higher and people seem to like vehicles that sit high above the ground.

The Equinox sold 200,000 units last year so I guess gm is right.

P.S. I can't believe I just said a Buick was attractive.

 

$40K for an Equinox??? That used to be Caddy territory just a few short years ago.

 

Note I speak of the Opel Insignia TT V6 OPC not the Astra OPC. The price would be about the same here or there. It did carry the Haldex AWD system which was one of the best in the world and it did carry the Twin Turbo V6 with 320 HP. I do not think the Insignia OPC was ever offered in a wagon.

As for the CUV market it is hot. The fact is people all want to drive SUV's but given a car with a SUV body they will buy it. The HHR was a Cobalt with a SUV like body and it sold. The Nox and Terrain are based on the Theta that is based on the sampe platform under the Buick Lacrosse. Even the new Buick Encore is based on the Chevy Sonic.

People have moved on from Minivans to more truck like vehicles. Even with us my wife would never be caught dead in a Minivan wanted the Terrain. It is not something I would have bought for myself to drive daily but I have to admit I enjoy it. It feels like driving a truck with the comfort of a car. If the HHR only had the better interior and extra options like it had.

I do hate the weight of the Terrain at 4,000 pounds but the next one is about a year out and it will lose weight.

I laugh anymore when I walk out into a parking lot and there are more small SUV than any other vehicle anymore.

Three of Chevys best sellers not a pick up were the HHR, Nox and Cruze. These vehicles sinc 2008 have help keep Chev viable along with the full size truck.

 

Traverse, Equinox, Terrain ..... All a bunch of over weight oversized fluff to me.

Intimedating Sheet metal, interiors with oversized center consoles. way to high side and rear panels.

The manufactures all mostly tripping over each other to see who can build the ugliest vehicle and still sell it.

SUV's all look alike with an Asian Flair.

I have finally reached a point where I find nothing much that really lites my fire anymore.

I'll just keep my 2 HHR's until the scene changes more to my liking.

P.S. Money ain't my issue ... I have purchased as many as 6 vehicles in one year.

Just tired of all the Crappy Copy Cat designing thats going on.

But Maybe it's because I come from the 50's 60's Era.

SF

 

While you may not like the CUV's they are right now the profit center.

While like I said I would not buy a Terrain for myself I have really come to like the one we bought the wife. I still would not buy one for myself as a daily driver I do find the Terrain a very comfortable and solid well built vehicle.

In all the new cars I have ever purchased it is the very first I have ever had that never had a defect from day one including perfect paint.

The only real gripe I have is that it is too heavy. But the coming replacment will be a little smaller and much lighter without giving up on space. Even though ours is heavy it is very solid and quiet. It does give me a break from bouncing around in the HHR for a while. It feels more Cadillac like. It as may not be a sports car but it handles and rides very well.

As for styling there is little to work with in this 2 box class. If you get too crazy it puts buyers off.

The best part is the power rear hatch.

 

I bought my daughter a cruze and she loves it.

It has a really cute turbo too.

 

2013 LTZ RS - only one issue so far, the coolant cap venting and leaving a film on the windshield. Very nice car, cute turbo and all.