Moral of the story… we can’t hold judgment on the Cruze until it ships but it does look much improved inside/out vs. previous efforts. If it makes at least the progress that GM did with the Malibu and Aura vs. the rest of their cars, it’ll be a marked improvement over anything prior. Now we just need GM to give it something with some cahonies that’s still economical. The Cobalt SS is a good balance in terms of performance and economy (just not quality and reliability… true, it’s better than the Cavalier, but that’s not saying much), GM needs a package available for it comparable to this.

I still want to cry that GM finally had the nerve to bring the Astra over (and best yet… not decontent the materials used to the point it looks like it’s made out of Fisher Price plastic), which is sexy as hell, but since they produce it in Europe where the unfavorable Dollar->Euro exists… we end up with a base model Astra for the price of a Civic Si. So many of us yearned for an Astra Redline (nee-VXR) and that is but a dream for most of us still. By the time they put that model into play, the car would cost as much as a VW GTI without the reputation. Not good…

Oh and GM… park Pontiac and bring us the above sedan as a Saturn (or an Opel or Vauxhall or Holden or whatever you want to call it) to compliment the next Astra. Build both the Astra and this new sedan here. Use the Pontiac/Buick/GMC dealer network to sell Saturns/Vauxhall’s/Opels or whatever you want to call it in areas where no existing Saturn dealers are available. Just as important, change the pricing from no dicker at Saturn/V/H/O to just like the rest of GM. I guarantee Saturn sales will spike after Pontiac is dead and they’ll have a far more modern lineup than what you’d get by killing Saturn and replacing it with Pontiac where 3/4 of the product is either ancient, done as well or better elsewhere, or garbage (the G8 and Vibe = their only saving graces… the G8 would make a fine Impala replacement which is also long in the tooth, and the Vibe could slot in nearly anywhere). It’s the closest fit to Pontiac in pricing and it has half the dealer network, little wonder Saturn can’t outsell Pontiac’s crap they have parked on lots. LoL The Aura is definitely miiiiiiiiles better than the G6, but it’s not anywhere near $7k better after you haggle the Pontiac salesman out of the keys, his trousers, and take a few ballpoint pens with you.

What makes them think their version of the Cruze will sell any better?