Chevrolet Cruze now with jet black interiors

General Motors (GM) India has launched a new variant of the Chevrolet Cruze with jet black interiors. The ‘Back in Black’ Cruze comes at an additional Rs. 16,000 in comparison to the existing model, which is priced at Rs. 12.02 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the LT variant, Rs. 13.60 lakh for the LTZ variant and Rs. 14.44 lakh for the LTZ automatic variant.

The jet black interiors aside, GM has made several minor, yet significant, tweaks to this new variant. The feature list boasts an iPod docking socket, Bluetooth with music-pairing capability, vanity mirror with light and a single CD changer. The seats will now come in monotone jet black with a titanium stitch that adds to the car’s premium feel. The dashboard and door trims too get the black-and-titanium-coloured treatment.

Chevrolet Cruze is one of the new entrants in GM India’s line-up and is positioned above its mid-sized sedan, Optra Magnum. The Cruze came into the market when the segment was ruled by Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, both of which still hold a sizeable market share. Related: Chevrolet Cruze road test and photo gallery

The changes have lent the car a sportier and more athletic stance, thanks to the muscular wheel arches and bold front grille. The sedan will continue to be powered by the same 2.0 VCDi diesel engine wedded to a responsive 5-speed manual transmission apart from a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

Chevrolet claims a mileage of 17.34 km/litre for the manual variant and 14.4 km/litre for the automatic variant according to ARAI test results. The Cruze we had road-tested a few months ago returned a mileage of 13.5 km/litre in city and 17 km/litre on the highway for the manual variant and around 9.5 km/litre (overall) for the automatic variant.

The Cruze comes with ABS, dual airbags, 4 km/hr impact-proof front and rear bumpers, advanced security system and child seats provisions as standard. It also boasts of some high-end features such as cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, reverse parking sensors and follow-me-home headlamps. However, the front fog lamps are available only in the top-end variant, which is a tad disappointing.

The Chevrolet Cruze is the second-largest selling car in the D segment with sales of around 750 – 850 units every month. In March 2011, the company sold 873 units of the Cruze. That figure revs past Skoda Laura’s sales figure of 591 units and Honda Civic’s 379 units in the same period. The Cruze, however, played second fiddle to the Toyota Corolla Altis which sold 953 units in the same period. Related: Car sales in March 2011