Chevrolet Cruze to get diesel option and push-button start in 2013

Sources suggest that the Chevrolet Cruze will be getting at least one diesel option when the 2013 model year arrives. Insiders at the Lordstown, Ohio assembly plant that produces the Cruze said that management informed them this week that they will start building a Cruze diesel model for the 2013 model year. They said that management stated that production of the new engine option would begin sometime in 2012.

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Currently, the Holden Cruze CDX in Australia is available with a 2.0L diesel option that produces 147-hp and 235 lb-ft of torque. It’s unclear whether that same engine will be offered in the North American Cruze.

The folks over at GMI also say that the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze will be getting a push-button start option on the mid-level LT and high-end LTZ models.

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Hey GM, how about a Chevrolet Cruze hatchback or a Chevrolet Cruze SS?

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Refresher: The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze base LS model is powered by a 136-hp 1.8L 4-cylinder engine, while the Eco, LT and LTZ model get a 1.4L turbo 4-cylinder Ecotec engine making 138-hp and a maximum torque of 148 lb-ft. The 1.4L turbo models are expected to have a cruising range of more than 500 miles and the Cruze Eco is estimated to get an EPA fuel-economy rating of 42 mpg on the highway. All 2011 Cruze models are available with a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission. Prices start at $16,995 for the base model to $22,695 for the top-of-the-line model.

– By: Omar Rana

Source: GMI