2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco test drive

Meet the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco, a car that Chevrolet claims can get hybrid-like fuel economy -- 42 MPG on the highway -- without a hybrid drivetrain. How does the Cruze Eco do it, and can it deliver on its promises? As a matter of fact, it can -- and then some. Read on.

Larger photos: Exterior - interior - dash detail

The Cruze Eco uses every fuel-saving trick in General Motors' arsenal. Though GM's new 1.4 liter turbocharged engine (link goes to photo) is the star player, much of the grunt work is done by the Eco's improved aerodynamics, which include a belly pan, shutters to close off the lower grille, even small plastic spats to direct airflow around the tires. The alternator is programmed to charge only during deceleration and the air conditioning compressor is designed to reduce drag on the engine. But the Eco's ace in the hole is its 6-speed manual transmission, which has overdriven 5th and 6th gears. (Most manuals only have overdrive in top gear.)

Results: EPA fuel economy estimates of 28 MPG city and 42 MPG highway -- with the manual transmission, that is. The Eco is also available with an automatic, but it lacks the double-overdrive gearing and it weighs 200 lbs. more than the manual. Its EPA fuel economy estimates are 26 MPG city and 37 MPG highway -- not much better than the standard 1.4 liter Cruze, which is rated at 24/36.

Does the Eco work? It seems to. I haven't yet had a chance to use a Cruze Eco as my daily driver, but I did take a highway trip from Los Angeles to downtown San Diego and back, about 140 miles each way. On the way down, with two occupants, luggage in the trunk, and Autoblog's Zach Bowman at the wheel driving 70 MPH, we averaged 41.8 MPG -- and that included getting on and off the highway several times, since we kept getting lost. (How can a big city like San Diego be so hard to find? Honestly.) Returning to L.A., flying solo and armed with better directions, I set out for the freeway and set the cruise at 65 MPH. At the end of the trip, my door-to-door fuel economy was an astonishing 45.8 MPG. That's hybrid territory! I wasn't hypermiling, and I didn't even turn the A/C off -- all I did was drive the speed limit. Brilliant.

Here's the ironic thing: I'd buy the Cruze Eco in a heartbeat, but not because of its fuel economy. Buying an Eco is the only way to get the 1.4 liter turbocharged engine with a manual transmission, and it's fan-friggin'-tastic. The engine is a bit sleepy with the automatic, but the manual really wakes it up -- it's so lively and responsive in the lower gears that you'd never guess it's the high-MPG model. The double-overdrive transmission makes it necessary to downshift to 4th or even 3rd to pick up speed when cruising, but so what? We don't buy stick-shifts so we can avoid shifting. And at $18,895 with air conditioning and a nice stereo, the Cruze Eco is a pretty good deal -- although you'll want to add cruise control, which is a $525 option.

The problem is that the Cruze Eco is out of step with the majority of American car buyers. Better than 9 out of 10 Americans buy automatics, and nowadays most cars get better fuel economy with an automatic transmission than a manual -- cars like the 2011 Hyundai Elantra and 2012 Ford Focus, which have EPA fuel economy numbers similar to the Cruze Eco's but without a clutch pedal. What GM really needs -- what buyers need -- is a Cruze that can get 40+ MPG with an automatic transmission. Until then, the Cruze Eco isn't going to have much mainstream appeal. Too bad, because it's a great little car. -- Aaron Gold

Disclosure: This test drive was conducted at a manufacturer-sponsored press event. Vehicles and fuel were provided by General Motors. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.