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Hatchbacks are a completely European theme, and Russia has always been a country with conservative tastes and a love for sedans. Beyond the Urals they generally prefer “sheds” and single-volume vehicles. What motivates Chevrolet, which is presenting a five-door variation of the Cruze in Russia with strong sales of the sedan of this model? A Gazeta.Ru correspondent was looking for an ace up his sleeve.

Chevrolet was serious about making the Cruze a utilitarian car. Presented at last year's Geneva Motor Show (this year the Americans also showed the world a station wagon), the five-door Cruze has finally reached Russia. The company is wooing him to take a place in the not very well-selling Lacetti in a similar body, compared to which the Cruze is not only larger, but also more expensive.

In the new body, the model became shorter by 87 mm (4510 mm versus 4597 mm for the sedan), wider at the “shoulders” by 279 mm. The rear door has become slightly larger: as a result, the ceiling height above the rear seats has increased from 963 to 974 mm. The mass has also increased. The petrol five-door is 20 kg heavier than the sedan.

The trunk deserves respect, its volume is 413 liters, a result worthy of cars of a higher class. Competitors have significantly smaller sizes (C4 - 380 liters, Focus - 277 liters, Golf - 350 liters).

In all other respects, the hatchback and sedan are completely identical. The same interior, the same engines (“fours” with a volume of 1.6 and 1.8 liters with a capacity of 109 and 141 hp), the same torque converter automatic with six gears. Diesels again passed by Russia.

Such technical unity, together with the increase in mass, did the hatchback a disservice, as has already happened with the Orlando compact van. Even in a car with a 141-horsepower engine and manual transmission, the desire to overtake the car in front disappeared after the first two attempts.

At first it seems that the engine grabs quickly at the bottom, but after 3000 rpm the agility disappears somewhere. The engine roars strainedly, and the wheels seem to be immersed in a thick layer of cotton wool. One got the impression that under the hood it was harnessed not by real horses, but by Przhevalsky horses.

The automatic in the version with two pedals either “freezes” in thought when switching, or, on the contrary, strives to move from fifth to second without the need.

Even though the engine did not have an impressive operating torque, everything turned out to be in order with efficiency. Fuel consumption in the combined cycle was 8.9 liters per 100 km according to the on-board computer.

If the Orlando, which is experiencing similar problems, turned out to have a retuned chassis, the Cruze hatchback is not in danger. The suspension gives in even to small irregularities (let alone serious road nightmares), the body rolls from side to side. Added to this cocktail is a steering wheel with insufficient feedback in the near-zero zone.

The cost of the hatchback in all three of its versions: Base, LS and LT has dropped by about 20 thousand rubles compared to the sedan. The cheapest package starts from 548 thousand rubles and includes 16-size steel wheels, 4 airbags, a CD player and electric front windows. The maximum version with an automatic transmission, leather interior, 17 alloy wheels and 6 airbags will cost 805 thousand rubles.

True, those who want to buy a car will have to choose from only three colors: white and two metallics: black and silver. Two more colors should appear by summer, the company assured. For the Cruze sedan, today there are 7 different colors available. In addition to the above, these are beige, dark blue and gray metallics, as well as bright red.

Hatchbacks, unlike sedans, are aimed at a youth audience. They are bright, aggressive, dynamic and functional.

Cruze, whose name is so similar to the main character of the most famous soap of the 80s, Cruz Castillo from Santa Barbara (who was just aggressive and dynamic), must meet these parameters 100%. But the five-door Cruze has functionality and design and absolutely no dynamics. This is a car for a leisurely summer resident or a novice driver. Although, on the other hand, the price tag is too high for a summer resident, and in a couple of years a novice driver will need something more lively.

Test drive Chevrolet Cruze hatchback