Chevrolet just announced pricing for the Cruze five-door hatchback in the United Kingdom, which is set to go on sale in July. Converting British pounds to U.S. dollars reveals that a 1.8L LT sedan costs $805 less than a 1.8L LTZ hatch. There isn’t a direct apples-to-apples comparison between Cruze hatch and sedan trim lines and available engines. The extra $805 buys more than just the extra (hatch) door, it also includes more standard equipment such as Bluetooth, USB port, rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlights and 17 inch alloys.
The European Cruze isn’t offered with the 1.4L turbo I-4 engine we get here. Instead a 122-hp 1.6L I-4 is the base mill and the 1.8L is the optional engine. British buyers also are able to select a tasty 2.0L VCDi I-4 diesel that produces a generous 161-hp and 265-lb-ft of torque, if they so desire. The tempting diesel option also carries a hefty $3000 premium over the 1.8 model. Since Europe does not have the 1.4T option, it’s hard to make a direct comparison, although the price difference for U.S. models between the 1.8 and 1.4T is $1900, indicating the turbodiesel might theoretically carry a $1000 premium over the 1.4T, if offered in the U.S.
Hatchbacks are popular in the U.K. as well as the rest of Europe, but hatchback sales haven’t been as strong in the U.S. GM hasn’t announced plans to offer the Cruze five-door hatchback in the U.S. but sales of hatchbacks by Chevy competitors seems to be increasing. One Ford, in particular, believes North American buyers are ready for hatchbacks and recently started selling the same Focus and Fiesta five-door hatches in the U.S. as they it does in Europe. Ford still offers sedan versions of both the Focus and Fiesta in the U.S. for buyers who haven’t embraced the hatchback.
