Turbo lag normal on Cruzes?

[Nick1994]

Sort of a short review of my experience test driving a Certified used 2014 Cruze 1.4L turbo yesterday. I didn't like it. The turbo lag was absolutely awful, and this is coming from someone who had a TDI! I know turbo lag, but this was just plain bad. Accelerating from a light was either extremely slow, or it was really zooming along. There was no in-between. Massive delays between pushing the gas pedal and the car actually accelerating. I didn't care for the steering on the freeway either, it was kind of all over the place. Had brand new tires on it too. Electronic power steering? Braking was decent, visibility out the mirrors wasn't so good. It had TONS of legroom up front, I'm 6'2" and I had to scoot the seat way up. Legroom in the back seat was almost non-existent. Trunk was really small. What also drove me nuts was when on the highway if I wanted to pass, it shifting down into 5th gear did absolutely nothing. It had to jump down into 4th gear for it to make any power which was decent when you got on the throttle. A/C was not very good either. Didn't blow hard enough and was warm when you weren't moving. Cooled off decently on the freeway. The salesman said everybody complains about the A/C performance on the Cruze. The dealer I went to has a big "Cash for Clunkers" deal going where it's $4,000 minimum for trade in for any car. Once they saw my Camry they literally upped the price on the Cruze by $5,000. I figured I might get a nicer car if they gave me a good deal on trade in. I'll just happily drive my Camry and probably buy a brand new car in a year or two with cash and just avoid the hassle of used car buying and the used car salesman at dealerships.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

It is probably a combination of a bit of turbo lag and GM's laggy electronic throttles.

 

[RooflessVW]

FWIW, what you experienced is call "boost threshold," not turbo lag.

And, as posted above, GM can't program a throttle body.

 

[double vanos]

Man, your 2000 Camry with 216k on it is a better car than a brand new Cruze! Get thee to a Toyota or Honda dealer......

 

[Pop_Rivit]

I thought your Toyota was the greatest thing since since sliced bread-now you're test driving newer cars?

 

[Dave Hess]

Finish college and then buy new car.

I had a Cruze LTZ and it didn't have any turbo lag.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
I thought your Toyota was the greatest thing since since sliced bread-now you're test driving newer cars?
It is a great car, but now I have a decent job and am a full time university student and I figured a car with a warranty that is only two years old would be more reliable than a 16-year-old car with 216k miles, getting me to work on time and to school on time. I drive 23,000+ miles per year. The only thing my Camry needs is rear strut mounts. It's also the most hideous thing on the road since it was totaled in March when I was rear ended. The Cruze was a good price and they had a great price for a trade-in value but they couldn't honor their price.

Oh well, I'll wait a couple years to look again.

 

[Jimzz]

If it was used then the intake/throttle body was probably very dirty. Many newer cars, esp the DI motors, need more intake cleaning than before. Some need it every oil change.

 

[SatinSilver]

I test drove a new one when they came out(5 yrs ago or so?) and also had a loaner for a few hours. I didn't put may miles on it. I noticed a very minimal turbo lag but once it did it's job it really took off. Which helped make the car very fun to drive. I preferred it over a Focus even though I think the Focus esp the hatch version looks better.

The new Malibu with the 1.5 turbo with around 160 hp seems very mellow by comparison. I'm sure the 2.0 turbo in that car makes it much more fun to drive but the dealer here only has one or two and sticker is in the mid 30's. I like the styling of the Malibu and the interior seems nice. Plus it had that start/stop feature, it was an LT and sticker was 27k and change.

The new generation Cruze has a feature where you pull the hood latch twice and lift the hood straight up. No latch to unhook under the hood. If you only pull it once the hood will pop ajar but won't raise all the way up. The latch you pull inside the car is super cheap looking but hopefully it will last. I think they saved a few pesos on that part.

 

[Silverado12]

The Cruze needs premium when the weather is hot. That's where your turbo lag is coming from. I have a 2015 1LT with the 1.4 auto and it drives better once I started using premium. It also gets 2 mpg better overall. My computer is showing 36 with premium, 34 w/87 octane as average mpg. One thing I can say about it is the ride is good for long trips and the gas mileage is really good. It doesn't hurt you real bad to run premium in it (like the Mustang does LOL). I'll switch back to regular once the weather cools down. I think pretty much any turbocharged engine needs decent gas esp when it's running hot in the summer. The computer pulls the timing back a lot is what I'm thinking.

 

[DevilsRule]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Sort of a short review of my experience test driving a Certified used 2014 Cruze 1.4L turbo yesterday. I didn't like it. The turbo lag was absolutely awful, and this is coming from someone who had a TDI! I know turbo lag, but this was just plain bad. Accelerating from a light was either extremely slow, or it was really zooming along. There was no in-between. Massive delays between pushing the gas pedal and the car actually accelerating. I didn't care for the steering on the freeway either, it was kind of all over the place. Had brand new tires on it too. Electronic power steering? Braking was decent, visibility out the mirrors wasn't so good. It had TONS of legroom up front, I'm 6'2" and I had to scoot the seat way up. Legroom in the back seat was almost non-existent. Trunk was really small. What also drove me nuts was when on the highway if I wanted to pass, it shifting down into 5th gear did absolutely nothing. It had to jump down into 4th gear for it to make any power which was decent when you got on the throttle. A/C was not very good either. Didn't blow hard enough and was warm when you weren't moving. Cooled off decently on the freeway. The salesman said everybody complains about the A/C performance on the Cruze. The dealer I went to has a big "Cash for Clunkers" deal going where it's $4,000 minimum for trade in for any car. Once they saw my Camry they literally upped the price on the Cruze by $5,000. I figured I might get a nicer car if they gave me a good deal on trade in. I'll just happily drive my Camry and probably buy a brand new car in a year or two with cash and just avoid the hassle of used car buying and the used car salesman at dealerships.


Massive lag.....i call bull. Steering wandering.....I call bull. Trunk is really small.....I call bull, it's actually 15 cubic feet. Visibility is bad.....I call bull. My Cruze is nothing like you describe. Are you sure it wasn't a Toyota Corolla?

 

[steveh]

I never liked turbos with a automatic.

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted By: steveh
I never liked turbos with a automatic.


Turbos are way better with an automatic! Faster shifts than a person can make and the throttle stays open as well, so you don't have to dump boost at every shift.

 

[sciphi]

This engine is known to be a dog in the summer with the a/c on and running 87 octane.

What transmission? My manual doesn't go very well until the turbo gets huffing starting about 1800 rpm. After 2000 rpm it moves fine. This small of an engine doesn't have much torque without the turbo. If it was kept between 1400 and 2000 rpm, it won't move fast. Throttle doesn't have anything to do with it. The engine simply isn't pumping enough exhaust to spin the turbo it has.

 

[AZjeff]

Originally Posted By: DevilsRule

Massive lag.....i call bull. Steering wandering.....I call bull. Trunk is really small.....I call bull, it's actually 15 cubic feet. Visibility is bad.....I call bull. My Cruze is nothing like you describe. Are you sure it wasn't a Toyota Corolla?


Wait, you didn't mention the weak A/C...



Nick, seems like your grandparent's car that you're the only driver could be your next ride...

 

[stephen9666]

What you were experiencing was because of the summer heat, not something else like throttle programming.

I actually think the throttle programming is fine in this car. It definitely has better driving dynamics with the manual than quite a few of its competitors in the class.

The 1.4 turbo sucks in the summer heat. It's a well known issue with this vehicle. You either have to get used to it in the summer or step up to a higher octane.

On the highway with a manual you have to shift to 4th if you need to do any quick passing. That's the side effect of the gearing that gets you good highway mileage.

Some of the other complaints are valid, others I don't agree with. The back seat is useless except for kids. I wouldn't agree the trunk is small. The mirrors are fine. The AC in my Cruze is quite strong. The steering light, but is otherwise fine.

 

[dareo]

TDI's use VNT technology and have virtually no turbo lag. They feel less responsive just because they are diesels. You probably drove a car that had been sitting on a dealer lot with old cheap gas in it. Hot weather, cheap old gas, and only 1.4 liters is going to feel doggy.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Originally Posted By: steveh
I never liked turbos with a automatic.


Turbos are way better with an automatic! Faster shifts than a person can make and the throttle stays open as well, so you don't have to dump boost at every shift.

Agreed. A quick shifting auto trans can actually mask some of the turbo lag.

 

[PolarisX]

The electric steering in our Malibu feels off to me compared the hydraulic steering in my Impala. The electric feels vague and has no feedback. It's very happy to want to wander and seems to need more correction. Yes the car tracks straight, but everything seems to bump it around. Not in an alarming way, but it always seems to need 'help'. It also feels almost touchy and too assisted.

After awhile you do get use to it and kinda forget, then I get back in my car and realize the difference. It's not a deal breaker but it's not my preference. The Impala seems to be way more at home on the highway. The Malibu is actually more enjoyable around town with it's easier steering. The use a comparable tire and the sizing isn't far off. One is 215 wide, the other 225, both 17s, aspect ratio I believe a difference of 5.

Besides work we just take the applicable car for whatever we are doing.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: DevilsRule
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Sort of a short review of my experience test driving a Certified used 2014 Cruze 1.4L turbo yesterday. I didn't like it. The turbo lag was absolutely awful, and this is coming from someone who had a TDI! I know turbo lag, but this was just plain bad. Accelerating from a light was either extremely slow, or it was really zooming along. There was no in-between. Massive delays between pushing the gas pedal and the car actually accelerating. I didn't care for the steering on the freeway either, it was kind of all over the place. Had brand new tires on it too. Electronic power steering? Braking was decent, visibility out the mirrors wasn't so good. It had TONS of legroom up front, I'm 6'2" and I had to scoot the seat way up. Legroom in the back seat was almost non-existent. Trunk was really small. What also drove me nuts was when on the highway if I wanted to pass, it shifting down into 5th gear did absolutely nothing. It had to jump down into 4th gear for it to make any power which was decent when you got on the throttle. A/C was not very good either. Didn't blow hard enough and was warm when you weren't moving. Cooled off decently on the freeway. The salesman said everybody complains about the A/C performance on the Cruze. The dealer I went to has a big "Cash for Clunkers" deal going where it's $4,000 minimum for trade in for any car. Once they saw my Camry they literally upped the price on the Cruze by $5,000. I figured I might get a nicer car if they gave me a good deal on trade in. I'll just happily drive my Camry and probably buy a brand new car in a year or two with cash and just avoid the hassle of used car buying and the used car salesman at dealerships.


Massive lag.....i call bull. Steering wandering.....I call bull. Trunk is really small.....I call bull, it's actually 15 cubic feet. Visibility is bad.....I call bull. My Cruze is nothing like you describe. Are you sure it wasn't a Toyota Corolla?
Obviously you didn't drive the car I drove. It fell flat on it's face when you tried to accelerate. It had plenty of power once you start going though. I'm a GM guy, and really wanted to like the car. The seats were comfortable though. Maybe I should have phrased it differently for the trunk. It might be decent sized, but the opening is tiny.