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Cruze Boasts “Fuel-saving Technology”

by on 15. Feb, 2011 in Blog, Featured Bloggers, Raves and Reviews

One of the selling points of the Chevy Cruze is its efficient miles per gallon. Well I had one question this past month as I was test driving my Cruze- “Would it live up to the advertising?”

To sum it up…Yup, pretty much! The Cruze has this great feature that allows you to track all sorts of information. One of them being the fuel efficiency. Twice, I clicked over to this option and captured the results to share with you.

23.4...

Hmmm....

The Chevy Cruze website states, “Its standard six-speed transmissions, like the manual in Cruze LS, help offer 26 MPG city and 36 highway.” As you can see, my average MPG (which was mostly slow-going highway miles since I have to pass by the city’s edge on I-90) was not too far off what they advertise.

I also wanted to know how the Chevy Cruze compared to my car- the Ford Focus. Granted, I own a 2006 and this information is for the 2011, but here is what Ford had to say: “EPA-estimated 25 city/35 hwy/29 combined mpg, manual transmission.” So, very similar.

The pictures don’t lie, people. I have proof. For the most part, the Cruze is on par with other compact “fuel efficient” cars in the market.

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here an ad, there an ad, everywhere a Cruze ad

by on 10. Feb, 2011 in Blog, Raves and Reviews, video

They Chevy Cruze has been all over the place lately.  One, I am driving one.  So right there it’s kind of a big deal (I kid. I kid.)  But seriously it’s been everywhere.  Or maybe it just seems that way since I am driving one…like once you get something all of a sudden you feel like that something is everywhere.  Does that happen to you?

Well they really have been everywhere and it’s not just me.  Did you watch the Super Bowl?!  (If you didn’t you can go to the Chevrolet You Tube channel and view all their big game ads not just the Cruze ones.)  If you did watch it though, you would have seen a few Cruze commercials.

I don’t know if I need my Facebook updates read to me but the idea is better than reading them on your phone while driving (which I have totally never done.  hands at 10 and 2 at all times and maybe sometimes 3 to change the radio station but that’s it. )

It’s no mini Darth Vader commercial which the Cruze totally could have done considering the remote start–which is right up there as my favorite feature of the car right along with heated seats.

And then this is the whole tie in with the Glee pheonomenon.

So make a date today

to see the USA

and see it in your Chevrolet.

And this ad has been around a while but it’s kind of the coolest thing I have seen in a while.

What would make this the best thing ever….remote start from your phone!

You’re welcome Chevy!

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Let’s talk about satellite baby, let’s talk about you and me

by on 04. Feb, 2011 in Blog, Featured Bloggers, Raves and Reviews

When I purchased my last car, it came with Sirius free for a year.  They hooked me in and I have been loving it for the last 5+ years.  I actually can’t live without it (I even recently downloaded the app for my phone so I can listen at work too—-I am a convert) My car’s radio doesn’t have the fancy display where it shows the name of the channel, the artist, and the name of the song.  My current radio just shows the channel number and that’s it.  It’s bare bones, basic.  But it’s satellite.

the Cruze's fancy display

The Cruze has XM and the fancy display.  And while I know they are now the same company, they don’t have exactly the same lineups.  And actually, I kind of like the XM better than the Sirius. Except if this was my car, I would have to pay the extra for the Best of Sirius package.  I can’t live without my Howard Stern.  He’s been a staple in my life since high school.  My dad and I used to listen to him as we drove from the southwest side of Cleveland to the east side on my way to school–about an hour in rush hour traffic.  Actually Howard might have sparked “the talk” from my dad.  Yeah, that might have been a weird trip to school…moving on.  Still love Howard though and I miss Artie.

Channels I know and love from Sirius—standard on XM too:

  • 80′s on 8
  • 90′s on 9
  • Lithium
  • First Wave
  • The Coffee House
  • Hits 1 (happens to be know as 20 on 20 on XM)
  • Shade 45—never listed to it really before but I am loving it

New to me channels on XM I am loving:

  • Mix XM 22
  • Kiss FM
  • Music Summit
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“Cruzing” Around on a Sunday

by on 24. Jan, 2011 in Blog, Featured Bloggers, Raves and Reviews

Hey guys, it’s Katrina from the blog Bite Buff. I’ve been driving the Chevy Cruze for just over a week now, and I continue to find little things that I like about the car. Unlike Suzanne and Michelle, I drive a small compact car that is similar to the Cruze so it has been easy for me to compare them side by side. I’ve been a Ford girl my entire adult life, but my loan will be paid off this summer and before I know it…it will be time to car shop again. I consider this month of driving the Chevy Cruze a very extended test drive! I have always loved driving a smaller car. I think it’s the zipping in and out of traffic and the ability to park in small, tight spots that I love. But the snowy roads (okay, unplowed at times) have had me considering a small SUV lately. I have’t taken the Cruze out on a really snowy day yet, so I’ll be interested to see how it handles the winter roads in Cleveland. Already, the windshield wipers are waaay better! They are keeping the windshield clean and dry for me, which is key when commuting around this city.

So I plan on taking you on a shopping trip to the West Side Market this Saturday (video and all), but I do have to comment on this past weekend’s errands as it relates to the Cruze. We headed out on Sunday to do ONE errand, which of course turned into six stops by the time we were done. I was in a shoe shopping mood, and demanded that we head to DSW. Three boxes of shoes later, we headed to a few more stops in the area…including purchasing new throw pillows for our living room furniture and a TV tray table. Yes, a small table. And it totally fit into the Cruze’s trunk even with all of our other purchases. Pillows may be soft, but they are dense and take up a lot of room. Of course, you can’t forget about my shoes (oh, glorious shoes!).

I didn’t capture any photographs of our errands, or the slightly packed trunk when we finished, but here’s an image that helps show you just how spacious the Chevy Cruze’s trunk really is…

Inside of the Chevy Cruze

Yes, that’s me inside of the trunk when we picked up our cars last weekend. My trunk is large in my current car, but I’m pretty sure that it can’t fit a human body. I even had room to spare in there!

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I wonder if we can put a body in there or why I need to watch less television

by on 23. Jan, 2011 in Blog, Featured Bloggers, Raves and Reviews

I am going to admit that I have been a Jeep girl all my life.  In the 18 or so years I have been driving (wow, that makes me feel a little bit old.  I have been driving more than half of my life—–cue tears and a trip to Sephora to buy some anti-wrinkle cream) , all but a few months, I have driven one Jeep or another.  A couple of the months not driving a Jeep were driving a mini-van (and then a few short months of driving a Civic in college that I think my mom wishes I hadn’t thanks to crashing it a few hours after trading cars with her) so driving a Chevy Cruze for a month was going to be a little bit different for me.  But since my current Jeep is over 5 years old, I am starting to think about a new ride.  And I am thinking about breaking up with Jeep.  So when I was contacted to drive a Chevy Cruse for a month, I hesitated at first.  Driving a car?!  In January?!  In Cleveland?!  Am I going to crash this within hours like I did the Civic?  But then I thought about how it’s like an extended test drive (and if I crashed it, that’s what they make insurance for, right?) and decided I was game.  Also, I had heard really good things about the Cruze and found out about the StabiliTrak feature.  (below is a screen shot from the Chevy site about some of the safety features of the Cruze)

So here I am cruising around in my Cruze. (Chevy peeps, you will be happy to know, it’s been more than a few hours and no crashes.  So you beat the Civic hands down so far)

I am used to the cargo space that an SUV provides. And this little Cruze has my Liberty beat in terms of space in the rear (junk in the trunk, if you will).  Sure I can fit Katrina in the back of my current car, but she has so much more room in the back of the Cruze….and since I am putting her in the trunk, it’s all about comfort.  Side note: if you were ever to actually be put in the trunk of the Cruze there is a handy dandy little handle that allows you to get out from the inside.  (Let’s hope Dexter isn’t around and you don’t actually need this feature but just in case you do, it’s there.  Safety first!

Disclaimer: The Girls On The Go campaign is being sponsored by Northeastern Ohio Area Chevy Dealers, who gave me a Chevy Cruze to test drive for one month and blog about my experience using the vehicle. The program has given us some fun “missions” to do and will be providing me with gift certificates to allow me to do this. Follow Gotta Love Chevy NEO on Facebook or on Twitter (#chevygirls).

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First thoughts on the Chevy Cruze…

by on 21. Jan, 2011 in Blog, Featured Bloggers, Raves and Reviews

Katrina here, from the blog Bite Buff, and I wanted to share with you my experience picking up the Chevy Cruze from the Northeastern Ohio Area Chevy Dealers and my first thoughts about the vehicle. The other two Chevy Girls this month, Suzanne and Michelle, and I showed up at the dealership at the same time. Which was fun! A Chevy representative showed us all of the car’s features….

Checking out the car's features

…including the trunk…..

Suzanne and Michelle checking out the trunk right before I climbed in

…which I then climbed into. Yes, into the trunk. Suzanne (after watching too much Dexter recently) wanted to know if the Cruze’s spacious trunk could fit a human body. So I showed her that it clearly could. Watch for pictures later, but I’m just glad that the other girls didn’t have time to whip out a video camera because climbing back out was a challenge. And quite entertaining for them, I’m sure. So after we learned about all of the car’s features (you know, the important things…like where the button for the heated seats was located), I took off on the highway in the Cruze for the first time.

Initial Thoughts:
- LOVE the heated seats
- LOVE the remote start
- Enjoying rocking out to the 90′s on 9 station on XM radio
- the engine is incredibly quiet, like so quiet that “R” and I couldn’t tell if the car had actually started once
- the tires are slightly larger than the tires on my current car (compact car, comparable to the Cruze), so that makes for a smoother ride over the many potholes and bumps on our city’s streets
- being able to see my speed on the display screen is helpful for this lead-footed girl

Keep that speed in check, yo!

Seriously, my driving instructor when I was 16 told me that I drove like a race car driver…and not much has changed. I blame my mother. I get my lead foot from her. Just ask my dad! So having my speed displayed large and “in my face” has been helpful. It is much harder to ignore in the Cruze.

So there are my initial thoughts on the vehicle, but there is a lot more to come. Check back throughout the month for fun stories, pictures, video, and more as I test drive the Chevy Cruze.

Disclaimer: The Girls On The Go campaign is being sponsored by Northeastern Ohio Area Chevy Dealers, who gave me a Chevy Cruze to test drive for one month and blog about my experience using the vehicle. The program has given us some fun “missions” to do and will be providing me with gift certificates to allow me to do this. Follow Gotta Love Chevy NEO on Facebook or on Twitter (#chevygirls).

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So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye

by on 15. Jan, 2011 in Blog, Raves and Reviews, video, Videos

My time in the Northeast Ohio Chevy Mom Squad has come to an end. *sigh* With that said, I wanted to thank Chevy and NE Ohio Chevy Dealers for this opportunity.  It was a BLAST!

When I accepted this invitation I was told that Chevy encourages self-promotion from their mom bloggers… and they certainly do! I decided that not only would I blog about the beautiful Traverse but would also include a smathering of local businesses. We all have to stick together in this economy, big and small businesses! This country supported Chevy in their time of need, and Chevy supported mom bloggers (especially one’s like me with small businesses!) by giving us a forum.

*All Star Window Cleaning (mention Mom Squad & get 10% off)
*Zen-Sational Living (my inspirational book-signed FREE at my site)
*Shanachie Greens (puttohio.com)
Brother’s Lounge (Cleveland)
Bella Toccare de Spa/Salon (Brecksville)
Little Ceasars Pizza (Pleasant Valley/Broadview)
The Flats (Cleveland)
Curley’s Body Shop (in Wooster)
The Barn Restaurant (Smithville)

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My favorite things about the Traverse? Wow, there’s many! The amount of seating and legroom is just incredible in this vehicle. The XM Satellite, OnStar, Rear heating ability… amazing!, ease of manipulating the seats to get more cargo room, the battery under the seat, self start, and the large wheels are my favorites. The sunroofs are a bonus as well as that dashboard storage – so very cool.   My FAVORITE FEATURE? I love how the car tells me important information like:

Saves time not checking each tire because it tells you which one is low!

Did I mention the gas mileage is pretty good? Pretty good compared to my Jeep that’s for sure. Since gas is at $2.90 a gallon, our recent trip to Wooster cost a bit less with 24 mpg rather than the 18 mpg my Jeep gets.

Things that could use improvement? Hmmmm. The blinker sound is a bit like a German clock. And it’s loud. The locking mechanism for the seatbelts are sometimes daunting. If the latch was higher above the edge of the seat, it would be better. But really, that’s about it!

All and all this was a great experience.  I’ve learned a lot about Chevy!  They designing great cars that are getting a bit better mileage and many new concepts are in use in their designs.   And with safety being the most important on my list, this Traverse is a great find!

Chevy is not affiliated with any of these businesses that I elected to mention throughout my month of blogging, and with the exception of my (*)own… I am not either.

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Junk in the Trunk

by on 07. Jan, 2011 in Blog, Raves and Reviews, video, Videos

Oh wait, we’re not talking about junk in my trunk. We’re talking about the amazing trunk space in the Chevy Cruze! Traveling over Christmas was the perfect time to test out how much the trunk could fit! Watch the video now! And, as always, the end is the best, lol. — Yes, I do crack myself up.















As you can see we had so much room in the Cruze’s trunk… and if you needed even more room the back seats lay down! How handy is that?

Another feature I tried during my drive home to PA was the sleepability of the Cruze. I give it a 10/10. :)

Are you happy with the amount of trunk space you have in your car?

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What I’ll Miss About You!

by on 05. Jan, 2011 in Blog, Raves and Reviews

Dear my lovely Chevy Cruze,

It’s been a fun ride, but my time with you has sadly come to an end.  I will never forget the times we spent together but I wanted to share my top ten things I will miss the most about you!

  • Remote start: This is Cleveland and remote start should be standard in every car!
  • Bluetooth: I have to admit, I got in touch with people I haven’t called in awhile.  You made talking on the phone in the car safe and convenient!
  • OnStar:  This was simply a cool feature.  Lost? Call OnStar.  Need an address?  Call OnStar. In an accident? You know OnStar will be there to help!
  • XM Satellite Radio: Classic Vinyl, Classic Rewind, Holly, The Coffee House, 70′s on 7, 90′s on 9 & 20 on 20 were my faves.
  • Fuel Efficiency: I like my money and your fuel efficiency left more cash in my pockets!
  • Heated Seats: (see number one reason!)
  • Trunk Space: Not having to utilize the back seats during long shopping sprees is a nice perk.
  • iPod Hook-Up: I tend to keep my USB iPod cord with my laptop, so it’s nice to have the auxiliary and USB jacks!
  • Safety: I was proud when you were named a top safety pick!
  • Interior Space: The inside was sleek, modern and SPACIOUS!

    Goodbye, my friend.

    You are now gone, but never forgotten!  Treat your next owner as wonderfully as you treated me!

    Love,

    Alana

    In all seriousness, I am already missing the Cruze!  Whoever gets her next is a lucky driver!

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    Does your car have THIS feature?

    by on 03. Jan, 2011 in Blog, Raves and Reviews, video

    Pretty cool huh?

    This feature pretty much amazes me since I don’t even have a CD player in my current year 2000 car! Can you believe it?? So basically I went from a tape player to iPod Jack — aren’t I progressive?? (At least for one month anyway!)

    Anyone else sing and dance in the car like me? Obviously, more dancing happens while in the passenger seat… but singing is a must at all times — until you make your husband go crazy :)

    What music features does your car have? (tape player, CD player, iPod hookup, XM radio, etc!)

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