Chevy is back
A comeback kid for Chevrolet, but expect better response for the 1.6 automatic.
Ride comfort and handling are probably among the top in its class 
Needs a bit more power Forget your fears about the company going bust, the Cruze will prove critics wrong
By Andy Hum
“AMERICA IS BACK” in Asia, says Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State. And while many are probably not going to welcome that (especially if you’re Vietnamese, or North Korean) statement with a grin wide as an average American, it’s probably true. At least, if she was referring to Chevrolet and their parent company, General Motors.
While the giant car-maker were busy performing bankruptcy reorganisation, critics of the then doomed company had as much praise for the new Cruze as Kim Jong Il does for America.
But now that the world has seen and driven the car, Miss Clinton’s remark seems hard to discount. And it would be hard to disagree. Because, for one, the Chevrolet Cruze, or ‘Daewoo’, as some might prefer it, has taken a huge leap forward in terms of build quality and design.
Plus, it’s the first GM model utilising their new Delta II platform and has a wheelbase of 2,685mm – one of the longest in its class. However, it’s been fitted with a 139bhp 1.8-litre engine that might be happier with a bit more power (but of course, it’s American).
Since recently, though, this ‘American’s’ arrival has caused a bit of a stir among the Koreans and Japanese.