Honda Civic vs Chevy Cruze

1. Introduction

Changing over to the Chevrolet Cruze CDX, likewise, this is a very good car being the typical modern-day family car. It being practically the same dimensions as the Civic, it also offers the four-door model with the same amount of cabin space. Again, the engine in the Cruze is a 1.8-liter which also gives a great amount of flexibility of performance and an extremely smooth drive. But unlike the Civic, Cruze offers much more for the space side of things. A key noticeable feature the Cruze has over the Honda is the amount of rear legroom available. This being perfect for those who have older children or those who regularly drive friends around. And over again, one of the most important aspects of the car is its safety. The Cruze has received a very good safety rating in regards to the engine capabilities and driver/pedestrian protection. Now cross-matching this with a very good expected reliability and low maintenance at an affordable price, this would be the perfect family car who do not require the high running costs. (Bennett et al.)

Firstly, let's take a look at the Honda Civic VTI-L. Generally, the Civic is known as being the sportier model in comparison to the regarding style of the car and type of engine. The VTI-L being a four-door with an impressive 1.8-liter engine, it offers a great amount of flexibility and practicality. This would be a very important car for the typical modern-day family man/woman. With its great reliable engine with low fuel economy, this would be more than enough performance for your average city driver. However, for the true rev head, the performance from the engine and the style of the car can easily be upgraded with model type and additional accessories. This being perfect for the family and the younger person. An important point to note is the outstanding reliability and easy maintenance that Honda has always offered at an affordable price. Straying a little from the performance comparison, another deciding factor would be the step-less cargo area, with the rear seats being able to fold down flat creating more space for those who require a larger boot area.

Both vehicles are competitively similar. Both being four-door, front-wheel drive, automatic transmission or manual, and four-cylinder. However, for the purpose of this buyer's guide, we will be comparing the Honda Civic VTI-L and Chevrolet Cruze CDX 1.8 liter, both in automatic transmission.

There are a few manufacturers who have always impressed their audience with the best of their performances by creating quality cars. Showing the best in the form of motorway performance and reliability, we look at the true competitors on the streets: two names that stand out, Honda Civic and Chevrolet (Chevy) Cruze. These names ring bells on the streets, and Civic being very famous on the World Touring Car Championship.

1.1. Overview of Honda Civic and Chevy Cruze

Overall, both cars can suit different buyers. The Civic is for those who want a fun, lively, and relatively fast car. The Cruze is more for those looking for a quiet and relaxing car with more options in performance. Both cars are average with reliability and should offer a good ownership experience. (Rymenants et al.2023)

The performance of these cars is very different. The acceleration of the Honda Civic is much greater than that of the Chevy Cruze. Both cars have a very good fuel economy. The Civic has 32 city and 42 highway MPG, while the Cruze has 30 city and 40 highway MPG. This is due to the Cruze offering a 1.6L turbo diesel, which has more torque but much slower acceleration. The Cruze has more choice in engines, which does give it an advantage if you are looking for a specific amount of performance. The Civic does come with an Si "sports injected" model, but the base model is still faster. Both cars handle quite well, but the Civic can be said to have a sportier drive and feel due to its acceleration and handling. Both cars offer standard safety features and good safety ratings. These are 5-star rated cars. The Civic has a slight advantage with standard features such as a rearview camera and adaptive cruise control. The cost of maintenance and repairs on Honda, in comparison to a GM product, is generally more. The warranty of a Civic and a Cruze is average compared to that of other cars.

The interior of the Civic and Cruze are both very well designed with a superior quality of materials. The Civic seems to have an easier layout design with a 5-inch LCD screen as standard and then an optional 7-inch touch screen. The touch screen has the ability to have an Android platform now, which is very interesting. The trucks and SUVs of Honda and GM tend to offer much more space than the sedan. Both cars offer a good amount of space. The Cruze gains an advantage with storage and trunk capacity, while the Civic has better overall cargo space and passenger space. The interior of the Cruze seems more quiet and serene, while the Civic is lively and more exciting.

The Honda Civic and the Chevy Cruze are both visually appealing cars. The model of Chevy Cruze, however, is basically a two-box sedan with a lot of interesting and intricate detailing. The Civic, on the other hand, has a very interesting mix of angles and curves along with very sleek lines. The Civic has a slightly modern look while the Cruze is a mix between the past and present. Both these cars are selling well with a wide range of buyers due to their visuals.

1.2. Importance of comparing these two car models

Comparison serves a variety of purposes, whether you are seeking out the best deal on a product you are considering purchasing, or the best job opportunity for yourself. Moving along a different path of decision-making, comparing two things can often help us discover something about a single item by presenting it in the context of some other item. This is the case when you compare Honda Civic and the Chevy Cruze. The Chevy Cruze, which is often looked at as a 'cheap American inferior knock off of a Japanese car', actually fares very well when put side by side with a Civic. The Honda Civic is considered by many to be the best compact car on the market. With fun driving dynamics, a wide array of body styles and trim levels, upscale cabin materials, and a bit of a price tag to go with it, the Civic has a competitive advantage over the average compact car. This makes the comparison to a Civic an excellent achievement by any competing compact car. When two things are placed next to each other and one outshines the other, the inferior item's flaws become blatantly obvious. This couldn't be more evident in comparing the two. Before the comparison of the cars has even begun, potential car buyers have begun to question whether or not the Cruze can really compete with the Civic. In many situations, perhaps the worst thing one can do for a product is to compare it to a superior product. For example, comparing a Colt 45 to a Miller Lite Beer would reveal that both are light American products made for easy consumption. However, the beer will always outshine the malt liquor. Now knowing the Cruze and the Civic, Chevy might have blindly walked into an unfavorable comparison. However, the revelation of weakness due to inferiority can often lead to changes being made within the product to turn the inferiority into an equality. This is the best-case scenario for the Cruze. Although sales and reputation will be made instantly, the Cruze can use the Civic as an example to mold their car into something better. This may not be of any benefit to current Chevy Cruze drivers and owners, but to potential future buyers of new Cruzes, they could be looking at an entirely different car from what is currently available. (Chandran et al.2022)

2. Performance

The 2015 Honda Civic comes equipped with one of two choices for an engine, the first being a 1.8L 4 cylinder, producing an average of 143 horsepower and 129 torque. It is also offered with an upgraded 2.4L engine that comes standard in the Civic SI, producing 205 horsepower and 174 torque. The SI model, being the more sporty of the two, is equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission, while the rest of the lineup for the Civic is stuck with a CVT. The Chevy Cruze comes standard with a 1.8L 4 cylinder engine, producing a slightly lower 138 horsepower and 125 torque. However, the Cruze does offer a 2.0L turbo diesel engine that produces 151 hp and a decent 264 lb-ft of torque. The diesel Cruze also comes equipped with a 6-speed automatic and tops the 1.8L in fuel economy. All said and done, in both stock and upgraded options, the Honda Civic simply outperforms the Chevy Cruze in this category. Acceleration and top speed for the Honda Civic example can be a bit skewed considering the different model setups and options for the engine. If we were to base it on the 1.8L 4cyl engine with the CVT, the Honda Civic would be slightly slower than the Chevy Cruze in a 0-60 sprint. The average for the Honda in this case would be around 9.3 seconds, compared to the average 9-second flat time for the Chevy. The Cruze also has a top speed of around 124 mph compared to the Civic's 2.2. Fuel efficiency and mileage is where the tables turn. With the Civic averaging around 33-34 mpg combined, while Chevy falls behind with the Cruze model only achieving 29-30 mpg combined. Seven years ago the competition was definitely steeper between the two cars, but the current state at the end of 2014 has the Civic outclassing the Chevy in performance as a whole.

2.1. Engine power and specifications

Each car is also available with automatic and manual transmissions, which may slightly influence the acceleration capabilities of each car. Overall, both cars have adequate engine performance and these specs may lead buyers to consider alternate factors such as design or fuel efficiency to make a decision between the two cars. (Moradi, 2020)

In comparison, the Chevy Cruze has a 1.8 L four cylinder engine with the capability of 136 hp at 6300 rpm and 123 ft-lb of torque at 3800 rpm. The second engine available for the Cruze is a 1.4 L turbocharged engine which will be capable of similar if not better performance numbers than the base engine due to the fact that it has been designed to enhance fuel efficiency. This comparison shows that the Civic has a slight edge over the Cruze in engine performance but also that the performance is very similar for the two compact cars. The torque for each engine is low, which may make it difficult to quickly accelerate, especially up hills or with several passengers in the car. However, it is a good thing for fuel efficiency and will be discussed further in the next section.

Starting with the engine power and specifications, one can infer much about the performance and capabilities of these cars. The Honda Civic comes equipped with a 1.8 L 16-valve SOHC i-VTEC engine. This engine is capable of producing 140 hp at 6300 rpm and 128 ft-lb of torque at 4300 rpm. The Civic also has an option for a more powerful 2.0 L engine that is exclusively found in the SI models, which produces 197 hp and 139 ft-lb of torque.

Both the Chevy Cruze and the Honda Civic are marketed as fuel efficient, sporty cars. Yet, with such a broad description, many characteristics could influence one's decision between the two cars. By comparing the engine power and specifications, acceleration and top speed, and fuel efficiency, we can help to determine which car will be more suitable for potential buyers and their needs.

2.2. Acceleration and top speed

The Chevy Cruze, no matter what trim level it is, comes with the same engine as the Honda Civic EX and LX, a 1.8L inline four-cylinder engine. The engine is the same, so the acceleration in 0-60 MPH and top speed are the same. Because the car is heavier than the Civic, with a curb weight of nearly 3000 pounds, acceleration will seem slower than it actually is. The Cruze has a top speed of around 125 miles per hour. The Civic 1.8L inline four-cylinder does 0-60 mph in 8.5 seconds and has a top speed of 132 miles per hour. The Cruze and Civic both offer an optional more powerful engine. The Honda Civic EX, EX-L, and HF have a 1.8L I-4 engine that produces 140 horsepower at 6300 RPM and 128 lbs feet of torque at 4300 RPM. The HF, excluding fan votes, would receive the weakest, slowest car award among the Civics and Cruzes at 140 horsepower. It has the best fuel efficiency at 29 city 41 highway MPG and a 0-60 mph of 9 seconds, slower than other Civics due to its fuel efficiency modifications. The EX and EX-L have the acceleration of 0-60 in 8 seconds, with a top speed of 132 mph, and a fuel efficiency of 28 city 36 highway MPG. Compared to the Chevy Cruze, the Civic's 1.8L engine has similar horsepower, is slightly faster in acceleration and top speed, has better fuel efficiency, and weighs less due to the Cruze's heavy curb weight. The Chevy Cruze 1LT, Eco, and LT have a 1.8L I-4 engine that produces 136 horsepower at 6300 RPM and 123 lbs feet of torque at 3800 RPM. The performance of the 1.8L engine Cruze is slightly slower than the Civic, with an acceleration of 0-60 in 9 seconds, despite the similar weight and power, and a top speed of 126 mph. Optional Cruze engines include a 1.4L turbo and a 2.0L turbo. These engines, despite having better acceleration and torque, are not offered in the stock Civic models, so the comparison ends here. The 1.4L turbo Cruze has worse fuel efficiency than the 1.8L engine, and the Civic, based on the current comparisons between non-performance models, will have better mileage and performance. Once either company tries to compare high-performance cars, then a new comparison can be conducted.

2.3. Fuel efficiency and mileage

The Chevrolet Cruze comes with a 1.4-liter turbo-four with direct fuel injection that produces 153 horsepower. It has a fuel efficiency rating of 40 mpg on the highway and 30 mpg in the city. Chevrolet also has the Cruze Diesel model available, featuring a 1.6-liter turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine rated at 52 mpg on the highway and 49 mpg in the city. The diesel version of the Cruze also offers up to 702 highway miles on one tank and has been said to have achieved 55 mpg during real-world testing. This clean diesel also comes with the option of a 6-speed manual transmission, a rare sight in today's automotive industry. Chevrolet has included the Cruze Diesel in Xfinity series racing as they aim to lead with fuel-efficient automotive technology. This has all combined to give Chevy the title of "best gas mileage" in their 100-year history of making trucks and passenger cars.

The Honda Civic features a small, 1.5-liter, turbocharged inline-four with direct injection that produces 174 horsepower. It is capable of achieving 42 mpg on the highway and 31 in the city. The optimal fuel efficiency is achieved with the CVT. It is important to note that the Si and Type-R versions of the Civic are more powerful, but they have lower gas mileage ratings. They are rated at 38 mpg and 25 mpg on the highway, and 28 mpg and 22 mpg in the city. While a more powerful and efficient turbocharged engine is available in the Si or Type-R Civics, it guzzles premium fuel due to its increased power. It should be noted that the above emissions data is for regular models based on 87 octane. Finally, the Honda Civic has been crowned one of Green Car Journal's 2016 Green Car of the Year and 2017 Best Compact Car for the Money by US News and World Report.

3. Features and Technology

Honda Civic's infotainment system features include a secondary touchscreen located just below the main touchscreen. This is a big plus, making for less jumping around to find different settings or screens. A volume knob that everybody wished for on the original 2016 Civic has been added to the left of the screen. The Civic's infotainment system is feature-rich and easily one of the best in the market. A 7-inch touchscreen is standard on all models except the Si and Type R. The base LX model's system comes with 4 speakers and the rest of the trims get 8 speakers. A 450-watt 10-speaker stereo system is available for the EX-L and standard for the Touring. The Civic's system also includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with SiriusXM, HD radio, and Pandora integration. The Civic is available with Navigation but only standard on the top-of-the-line Touring model. This would be the only downside as Civic's infotainment with navigation will be disabled with aftermarket hacks for CarPlay/Android Auto, so a sacrifice would have to be made. Overall, the Civic's infotainment system is probably the biggest advantage if not the most advantageous aspect of the Civic over the Cruze. The Chevy Cruze's infotainment system is on the Chevrolet MyLink Infotainment system. MyLink has made some good strides over the years and is debatably better or worse than Honda's system. MyLink has a 7 or 8-inch touchscreen, the 7-inch standard on most trims, 8-inch standard on the Premier. Unfortunately, the Cruze's infotainment system does not support Apple CarPlay/Android Auto on the LS and base model LT even though you can see data about having the feature on Chevy's website when purchasing the vehicle. Just like the Civic, the Cruze has a 7-speaker standard system on most trims but instead offers a 9-speaker BOSE system on the Premier. The Cruze's Sedan and Hatchback RS package both have specific RS themed interfaces and the hatchback is equipped with a 4G LTE hotspot. Although it is a good system, selling points come down to having to compare features to features with the Civic where MyLink is no match.

3.1. Infotainment systems

The 2018 Chevrolet Cruze comes standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 6-speaker sound system. One step up from the base trim is a 7-inch color touchscreen system that features HD Radio, USB ports, and Bluetooth audio streaming. The top infotainment system in the Chevrolet Cruze is an 8-inch color touchscreen with navigation and a 9-speaker Bose Premium sound system. The Cruze is also equipped with a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot for on-the-go internet access. Honda Civic models come standard with a 5-inch color LCD screen and a multi-function center console with USB ports and Bluetooth audio streaming. All models of the Honda Civic above the base LX trim are equipped with a 7-inch display audio touchscreen system featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 6-speaker sound system. This includes a series of touch-sensitive buttons, one of the few complaints of the new Civic generation. This system is competitive with most vehicles in the class, but you must purchase a Sport or a later model trim to have access to Honda's button-less system along with a volume knob, included with the most up-to-date Honda Sensing system. Overall, these cars are competitive in terms of infotainment, new to the scene, and have much room for growth in the years to come.

3.2. Safety features and ratings

The Chevy Cruze has an OnStar Guidance Plan that offers Automatic Crash Response, Emergency Services, Crisis Assist, and Roadside Assistance, including Stolen Vehicle Assistance and Turn-by-Turn Navigation. In addition to that, the Cruze is equipped with 10 standard airbags, a high-strength steel safety cage, and rear vision cameras are available. The 2015 model scored well in its crash tests, earning the highest rating of Good in four Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests and an Acceptable rating in the small overlap front crash test. The Honda Civic safety features include standard rearview cameras, tire pressure monitoring systems, and Vehicle Stability Assist with Traction Control. The Civic offers an available Honda Sensing suite that is designed to alert you to things you might miss while driving. The 2016 model is built with an Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure that enhances protection and crash compatibility. Like the Cruze, the 2016 Civic received the highest rating of Good in four IIHS crash tests and an Acceptable in the small overlap front crash test. Honda also scored a 5-Star vehicle safety rating for the Civic Sedan, with 4-Star ratings in other categories. An advantage of the Civic is that it received a 5-star frontal crash safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, compared to a 4-star rating from the Chevrolet Cruze. The 2015 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study ranked the Honda Civic the highest compact sporty car. The Honda Civic also received 2015 Best Buys from Consumer Guide, and Automotive Science Group named the Civic the best all-around performance award winner. These accolades are reflective of the Civic's safety and reliability, making it a trustworthy choice of vehicle.

3.3. Interior comfort and convenience

The 2020 Honda Civic Sedan offers ample entertainment. Although the lower trim provide a rather standard set of 4 speakers stereo with no change for higher trims, but a 7 inch display with a physical volume knob and 2 USB ports is still considered as high tech especially compared to its rivals. There is still no AUX input in this car, an acceptable loss due to the same functionality from Bluetooth. A dedicated physical channel to lock the phone to the head unit. Due to trap of USB cable to be entangled and break entering through the armrest storage area, Honda removes the head unit phone slot all the way to high trims, replacing it with a wireless charger. A drastic change occurs in 2019 Civic edition with the addition of the Honda Sensing system for all trims that eliminate the High Speed MCM system in the ACC function as a separate identity from the Honda Sensing system. In Coupe and Sedan series all are like combining features of the Honda Sensing system found on 2019 Honda Civic Hatchback series starting from LX, LC, L2C. This feature is a nice mid-cycle update, because until now we haven't heard of any other Honda vehicle other than the other 2019 model before the Honda Sensing system offered as a standard feature at all. Honda offers a heat feature in a driver's side mirror placed on the Sun and above trims. The existence of indicators as well as sound sightings make driving safer as it comes with the Honda Lanewatch system and upgraded from the previous year. All changes are eclipsed by a drastic change from the integration of the SOC or System On Chip technology debuted on the Civic Si and Type R which results in much faster system speed. Mainly Honda Civic interior does not offer so many features, but the clean design of the dashboard and the easily reachable infotainment system has won the 2020 IIHS Top Safety Pick + rating in a coupe and sedan series. A lot of awards received are proof that Honda Civic gives priority to safety and driver and passenger comfort without losing style and driving fun.

Interior in Honda Civic is very comfortable in any version and cavernous, with good storage space. The front seats are designed perfectly and they offer great support especially in higher trims. Material quality also increases with trims with top trim providing full-leather seats. The rear seats are also comfortable and have heating features in higher trims. Since the beginning of tenth generation, Civic has noise reduction technology using a system of microphones placed throughout the cabin to neutralize both undesirable sounds and desirable sounds so the car sounds quieter overall. Special attention is given to reduce the noise produced by the engine and tires as the noise filters in the cabin outside is quite annoying.

3.4. Advanced driver-assistance systems

In the fight for advanced driver-assistance systems, the Honda Sensing suite makes a strong stand next to the Chevrolet's options. Both offer the standards like lane keeping systems, adaptive cruise control, and automatic braking. However, the effectiveness and UI of Honda's is superior. Both lane keeping systems are similar, but Honda's will provide more steering torque and keep the vehicle in the center of the lane. The Cruze has an issue of ping-ponging within the lane. The Cruze's adaptive cruise control will bring the vehicle to a complete stop and then continue without driver input, but it is too abrupt in doing so. The gap in following another vehicle is difficult to set and often is too small or too great. But again, the most important part is making sure the vehicle is at a safe speed on the highway. If traffic ahead slows or another vehicle cuts in front, Honda's system will bring the vehicle to a smooth and complete stop and take off again with the flow of the traffic. The Cruze system will beep multiple times and then turn off when it gets too close to the vehicle in front, and the driver must take over. This is entirely less convenient and often dangerous. Both automatic braking systems performed similarly in IIHS testing, but on the whole, Honda's systems will perform these functions more smoothly with less jerky inputs and beeps from the car. These are the foundational aspects of driver-assistance systems, and since the systems are optional on these vehicles, cost will be an important aspect. When comparing all of these functions the Honda Sensing system is more effective and available at a lower trim level and cost than the Chevrolet options.

4. Pricing and Value

The Honda Civic is available with a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) starting at $17,565. The 2016 Chevy Cruze also has a low beginning cost of $16,120. According to Edmunds, the Civic has a good "Fair Market Value" and can be purchased for close to MSRP frequently. The Cruze, however, has a much lower fair market value than the MSRP. In this manner, paying closer to the MSRP for a Civic would be a superior investment. Higher-trim Civics can reach the mid $20k territory, and right now there are no official pricing points for the Touring or Sport Touring. The new Cruze will mark down to $20,120-$26,120 contingent upon the model. With more reliable options on higher trim levels and a superior reputation in creating long-term quality vehicles, the Civic would be the better decision with regards to price and continuing value through ownership. The Cruze will have an average resale value of 46% following 3 years. With these figures, a base model Cruze can lose anywhere from $10,890-$13,345 in depreciation. On the other hand, the Civic has traditionally fared well in resale value, and with Tacita Price has actualized a page for the 2016 Civic showing the 3-year depreciation values. High-quality alternatives, for example, the Touring trim, will only lose $6,591 over a three-year time frame. With an average 3-year used value of $14,430, that most finish Civic Touring still holds half of its value. Compared to the 2016 CR-V with an average used value of $21,847, higher-trim Civics will be the thing to have more noteworthy used values proportionate to their newer costs. This data gives a strong examination of both short and long-term values in ownership for both the Civic and Cruze. Given that the Civic is a newer vehicle and has higher-trim options that are still below the Cruze's total price range, the Civic is the clearer decision for maintaining value through a more extended period of time.

4.1. MSRP and starting prices

The 2015 Cruze L starts at around $17,000 with the LS not being too far off. The LT, LTZ and Eco range from about $20,000-$25,000, so there are plenty of options before the higher performance and premium loaded trims of the RS and Diesel which reach up to $26,000. The beauty of the Cruze is that Chevrolet will usually offer multiple purchase and leasing discounts, as well as a fair amount of cash back incentives and rebates to allow a buyer on a tight budget to afford the vehicle, with a particular focus on the outgoing model year. If you're lucky, enough discounts on the higher trims will bring one to $2000 under MSRP. The sedan Honda Civic offers substantially more starting points which range from $19,000 to about $28,000 for the high-performance Si model. Because production for the 2015 Civic was drawn to a halt, any remaining inventory will have slightly greater depreciation of what it already had from previous years production. With the 2016-2017 Civic being a successful redesign staying rather consistent at about $20,000 MSRP to $27,000 for the Touring model. Honda wisely chose to offer no money down leases for the compact which Chevrolet also employed doing for the Cruze. An effort to keep base payments low is crucial for sales and Honda is currently offering to cover the first payment on a lease for 2017 Civics. The 2016 Cruze and 2016 Civic were both on the newly designed and advanced platforms, now using technology to ensure the highest degree of safety possible for the segment. With a slight price increase for reload at $17,850 the base Cruze L was out the door and the Civic LX had come back with $18,640 for revised safety features added. The few extra hundred dollars for the 2016 Civic were a small investment considering what the car would be capable of retaining in long-term value.

4.2. Resale value and depreciation

To determine the market's choice between these two popular models, we have compared the value of these vehicles for up to 5 years. Depreciation is an important factor that measures the budgeting of a vehicle, as the decline in value grows larger over time. In the first year of owning a new car, the typical depreciation is between 15-25 percent. The depreciation on the Cruze and Civic were 16 and 12 percent respectively. When comparing to Japanese model vehicles, it is nearly equal to the leader in the small car segment, the Toyota Corolla, which has a 14 percent depreciation rate. The Chevy Cruze has a 43 percent value retention after 3 years and a 35 percent retention value after 5 years, while the Civic leads the segment again with a 52 percent retention after 3 years and a 46 percent retention after 5 years. An important note of interest on the Honda is the fact that it matches the same projected residual value as its big brother, the Honda Accord. This is a stark contrast compared to past models such as the Honda Integra and Honda Prelude, where the retained value was much higher than their corresponding models today. The real pricing of these vehicles is yet another interesting finding. With the current global economic crisis, purchasers have flocked to small car options. Sales statistics between the previous report periods show a decrease in comparative large car sales, while small car sales have increased. Reports from manufacturers with holding sales of larger vehicles in North America, such as predominantly Toyota and Honda, have both reported losses on sales of models such as the Camry, yet an increase in sales on the corresponding smaller Camry and Accord models.

4.3. Cost of ownership and maintenance

The cost of ownership and maintenance is often looked at by potential buyers. It is a good indicator of the long-run value when a car is driven into the ground and has outlived its 'newness'. The Civic and Cruze parallel each other in cost of ownership when using general guidelines for when cars are new. Both models are relatively newer therefore more expensive to maintain, it then follows that small sedan models are generally cheaper to maintain in comparison to other body styles, and both are Japanese (Civic) and Asian (Cruze) brand vehicles often seen as more reliable with cheaper parts than their European and American competitors. However, the most significant cost of ownership will likely be related to expected repair costs due to known issues and what kind of fuel economy is attainable over the life of the car. The Chevy Cruze has had many known issues and TSBs (technical service bulletins) associated with various parts of the drivetrain including the manual and automatic transmissions. In addition, certain 1.4L engines in the Cruze have been more problematic than others with the Cruze model in general receiving slightly below average reliability ratings. All these issues will result in higher than average repair costs which will drive up the cost of ownership for this model. The Cruze is designed to be a fuel-efficient vehicle with the ECO model achieving an impressive 28 MPG in the city and 42 MPG on the highway thanks to a variety of fuel-saving features. While this figure is good and will mean lower fuel costs and lessened fuel-related maintenance the present and future fuel economy of a vehicle has a large impact on its cost of ownership and overall value. The general consensus is that the cost of ownership is lower for a vehicle with better fuel economy as fuel costs are an adjustable expense and vehicles with known fuel issues are often parked and/or sold for low prices.

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