Of course, the 4-door Chevy Cruze Eco Sedan has been built to appeal to those who want to obtain maximum fuel efficiency without spending a packet (My test vehicle priced out at just $21,855 including taxes and destination charges). So why couldn’t this idea work for all cars? After all, if you chose to drive a V8 Camaro, the same basic concept could be applied. In fact, this would work on just about every vehicle on the road, perhaps with the exception of the really small-engined cars, but then they get pretty decent fuel economy anyway!

Well, let’s get back to the car in question, and see how it stacks up!

Now I’d term this a good-looking car, and from the outside it appears to offer great value for money. In fact, with the stylish multi-spoke alloy rims that my test vehicle sported, I’d say that GM has excelled themselves on that point.

The interior is also above what one would expect from a vehicle is this price range. The dash layout is bang up-to-date in styling, and could readily reside in a vehicle costing several thousand dollars more. I’m also going to give credit to GM for something else which has often troubled me. Coming from a detail shop background, I’ve often said that the most important things to get right in a vehicle are the two items which drivers touch the most, the steering wheel and gear selector. Kudos to Chevy on this, because these both feel better than some much more expensive vehicles I’ve driven!

The seating, although cloth (which I actually prefer on hot summer days), supplies a comfortable ride and is firm enough to offer decent back support.

The vehicle performs well on the road, and apart from perhaps benefiting from a little heavier steering ratio, I’d deem the vehicle a very nice drive.

All in all, the Cruze Eco Sedan offers great value for money, and if you’re prepared to learn stick shift, it pays off with Best in Class fuel economy (7.2L/100 kms City, 4.6L/100 kms Hwy).

So there you have it… A little old-school thinking, coupled with modern engineering, and we’re Cruzing past gas stations with a big grin on our faces. Well-done GM!