It's an old story: Detroit automaker does a gut check, creates a car it says is a credible rival to Asian brands — really, truly, honest. This time, maybe not the same old story. The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, on sale since September, finally seems a compact from General Motors that Honda, Toyota, Ford, Hyundai and Nissan should take seriously. It replaces the Chevy Cobalt, which was OK in its day, but that day is long past.
The Cruze test car — a nicely equipped 2LT, $21,890 — had its issues. In fact, if one were feeling mean, and choosing to define the car by its worst moments, the summary would be: guttural engine, jerky transmission, clunky suspension.
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