Are You Thinking About a 2013 Chevy Cruze in Eastern Iowa or Illinois?

2013 Chevrolet Cruze

The 2013 Cruze marks Chevy’s latest effort to compete in the small-car segment, and it has the attention of drivers throughout eastern Iowa and Illinois. With five trim levels to choose from, the new Cruze can appeal to a variety of drivers. The standard engine (in the LS trim) is a 1.8L four-cylinder model, but higher trim levels all come  equipped with a peppier turbocharged 1.4L four-cylinder that offers improved power and efficiency. In other words, Chevrolet has finally given us a small car that can offer decent power without sacrificing a strong fuel economy. All trim levels of the 2013 Cruze come equipped with a trip computer, keyless entry, OnStar, and a CD/MP3 player.

The small-car segment is packed with competitors, though, and few are as worthy of consideration among drivers in eastern Iowa and Illinois as the 2013 Honda Civic. The Civic has reasserted itself at the top of the segment with a variety of new features even on the base LX model. With the slate of high-tech features that now come standard, it will be tough for drivers to choose a different vehicle. For instance, standard equipment on the new Civic LX includes SMS texting functionality, Pandora Internet Radio capability, and a rearview camera, to say nothing of Honda’s customizable i-MID system. All of these features are optional on the Cruze LS, and Chevy’s MyLink system doesn’t even offer customization options.

Big Test: Honda Civic 1.8 S vs Chevrolet Cruze 1.8 LT