2011 Chevrolet Cruze

2011 Chevrolet Cruze was enough to confirm that GM’s biggest challenge won’t be meeting or exceeding the competition, but sweeping away all those past perceptions of GM small cars.

Among GM’s homegrown compacts, the Cavalier was always a step behind the competition, while the current Cobalt, which the Cruze replaces, was reasonably comfortable and fuel-efficient but never a standout in most other respects.

To put it bluntly, it simply didn’t have the zippy yet refined feeling that a lot of today’s most acclaimed compacts like the Mazda3, the Volkswagen Jetta, the Honda Civic, or even the new Suzuki Kizashi or Kia Forte, all manage to some degree.

The Cruze, thankfully, finds that mojo without busting our bums in the process or giving up any features. And, as we’ll tell you more about below, it’s looking to be a product that will emerge near the top of the segment in every category.

But the 2011 Cruze doesn’t break entirely free from one mold: Its exterior is a little conservative, almost a little homely, and looks more like a blunted Malibu than it probably should. While most people will likely agree that the exterior styling of the upcoming 2012 Ford Focus, expected early next year, is a lot more visually exciting than that of the Cruze, a quick drive of the Chevy’s new compact sedan is all it took to convince us that it will be a very strong contender, and perhaps superior in many ways.