The Auto Writer

One of my biggest beefs about the Chevy Volt project is that the car will be built in low volumes and priced north of $40,000. Neither of these points can take away from the fact that the Volt could be a game changer for GM; it’s just that so much attention is put on one model at the expense of another very important car, the Cruze.

The compact Chevrolet Cruze promises to be one of the most significant cars for GM of our day. Sure, it is easy to be awed by the European feel and drive of the Cadillac CTS, wowed by the retro good looks of the Chevy Camaro, or impressed by the all-new premium Buick LaCrosse sedan.

But what it comes down to is that GM needs an affordable volume leader to draw in customers, stimulate sales, and increase market share. None of the previously mentioned models can do that, at least on the level that the Chevrolet Cruze can deliver.

Auto shows are fun, but they often highlight the specialty or exotic models ahead of the bread and butter vehicles. That isn’t necessarily wrong, but when it comes to making an actual purchase, the Volt may struggle to sell 50,000 units annually while the Cruze should sell at least 250,000 units, perhaps much more if the car catches on and steals sales from its competitors.

Apparently, others are agreeing with me concerning the importance of the Cruze including Consumer Reports, a trusted source for car buyers. At the Los Angeles Auto Show last week, the magazine’s senior auto engineer, Jake Fisher, declared that the Cruze was “…the most significant car of the show.” (The Youngstown Vindicator: Consumer Reports: Cruze most significant car of L.A. car show)

That’s momentous, especially as the automaker showered plenty of attention on the CTS coupe, Buick Regal, and the Volt in addition to the Cruze. GM has never had a serious contender in the small car segment which is dominated by the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic. Certainly, the Cavalier and the current Cobalt have sold like hotcakes in some years, but neither model offers the quality and reliability of the others.

For Consumer Reports (CR) to say what they did about the Cruze before the first model rolls off of a Lordstown, Ohio, assembly line next spring, is worth noting. Amazing would be a better word to describe CR’s early critique of a model that may do more to save General Motors than any sports coupe, luxury sedan, electric car, or big SUV can possibly achieve.

Photo Credit: GM Corp.