REPORT: Holden working on Cruze hatch... but will it come to North America?
According to Australia's Drive, Holden boss Mark Reuss has confirmed that General Motors' Australian outpost will produce a hatchback version of the Cruze sedan that it shares with Chevrolet.
The liftback will apparently be very much an Aussie product, with research and development being carried out Down Under, and there are plans to assemble the model at Holden's South Australian plant beginning in the fall of 2010. Critically, it's being built with foreign markets in mind, so that could mean that the model might find its way to North American shores, although const constraints would likely make such things difficult on such a low-cost model.
As it has here in the States, GM has halted importation of the European-built Astra into Australia due to cost concerns, and it also stopped selling the Korean-built Viva (a rebadged Daewoo Lacetti) earlier in 2009.
Interestingly, Drive suggests that the Cruze hatch model could be an upmarket stablemate to the sedan model, with different steering and suspension tunings, along with unique styling. While that sounds enticing, a higher-cost hatchback model might not go well with America's historically hatchback-averse marketplace, leading us to doubt that the car will eventually be offered Stateside.
As of yet, there are no official plans to build a version of the hatchback domestically in Chevrolet's Lordstown, Ohio plant where the Cruze sedan will be assembled.
[Source: Drive.com.au]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mr.Oak 4:37PM (6/03/2009)
Makes sense, hope they do it, would be silly not to.
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sdemo 6:37PM (6/03/2009)
Damn right it would be a good idea.
"might not go well with America's historically hatchback-averse marketplace." Are you kidding? What century are we in right now? The GTI, 3/Speed3, WRX/STI (to name a few) are all hatchbacks, and are overwhelmingly popular. Hatchbacks are the newest trend in cars, and I think a hatch would sell EXTREMELY well.
The only 2-door hatch in the States right now is the GTI... could it be that theres an opportunity there? The product planning and Marketing execs at GM need to get their heads out of their arse.
BigWill 7:43PM (6/03/2009)
I don't know where you live, but hatchbacks do *not* sell in volume. None of the hatches you listed are big sellers, are pretty much sport models not "average" cars, and more important are only available as a hatchback. Every day I look around at models that have hatch and sedan versions, I rarely see the hatch. Literally for every Yaris hatch I'll see 5-6 sedans. For every Rabbit/Golf hatch (excluding the GTI) I see countless Jettas. Same thing for Mazda 3; there are bunches more sedans running around. Speaking of Mazda, if hatches were such big sellers then why did Mazda kill off the Mazda 6 hatch and wagon? For the same reason virtually everyone else abandoned the hatchback market - they don't sell in volume in America.
sdemo 9:12PM (6/03/2009)
Wow, really? I live in the NorthEast and while there are plenty of Mazda3 sedans around, there are equally as many hatches, if not more. I dont see all that many Golfs/Rabbits, but there are GTIs a plenty up here as well. As far as the STI, well, I dont see all that many STIs... but I dont see many of the new Impreza sedans either.
I didn't think it was that much of a regional thing.
Taglane 4:37PM (6/03/2009)
This will make a LOT of people happy if so.
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Alex Nunez 4:41PM (6/03/2009)
GIven the titanic success that was the Saturn Astra in America, I have a feeling GM is in no rush to build a hatchback version of the Cruze here.
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Sea Urchin 5:01PM (6/03/2009)
Alex, I should just write my thoughts and copy and paste them later on, because I thought that we beat this issue to death on this blog.
#1 Astra was priced above the competition, it was above Civic and other similar cars, even thou it was “better” equipped. Saturn simply doesn’t have the luxury to price its cars above such giants as Civic and Corolla. I know that neither is a hatch, but I think most people will look at those two cars when considering a 17K-22K vehicle.
#2 Automatic transmission, which I assume would outsell manual tranny 8-2 was a super expensive option. At the time I did my research (few months ago) it was the most expensive automatic tranny in GM family, it was about $1,500 even Corvette did not charge that much. That is a BMW territory. That tranny I believe was a 4 speed and at $1,500 would scare off A LOT of costumers. Also one of the safety systems was priced at $450, I think it was EBS or whatever it is called.
#3 I sat inside Astra, its not exactly good looking, I personally think that the interior was cheap and ugly, and that little monitor was way out of place.
So let’s not judge all hatches because one bad apple. If done correctly Cruze may sell well in USA, may even start a cult for hatches.
Sea Urchin 5:08PM (6/03/2009)
I just checked out the cheapest trim level of Astra and AC was a $960 option.
geo.stewart 5:54PM (6/03/2009)
As mentioned the above points are good.
However, for all we know right now is that Australia is doing the R&D. If the Cruze is being built north of the equator, and they keep to a simple change to the sedan rather than an Elantra-type diversion, relatively cheap tooling swaps could make it easily viable for the US if the demand is there.
I like the Astra a lot but the Euro build did not make for a cost-competitive offering. It was only to be a stop gap rather than the final small car offered by Saturn
laser 6:31PM (6/03/2009)
The Astra failed not because of its hatchback configuration, but rather because you couldn't get one - at least here in Virginia. Countless times I would pass by numerous Saturn dealerships to see if they had the two door hatch (3 door to you knuckledraggers) and all they had were red, white, and black ugly four door sedans. I did manage to see one red two door hatch on the road, but you can't sell what you don't build or stock so the issue of hatch-fear by GM should be put to rest.
Second, the Astra failed because it wasn't marketed. I watch a fair amount of tv in the three hours I am awake after work and don't remember ever seeing an Astra commercial.
Third, while the sedan version of the Cruze (sic) is dreadfully dull, I've seen a chop (or maybe it wasn't) of a hatch version that was quite stunning save for the putrid front end with those wretched headlights and caricature Chevrolet grill.
There is a market for hatchbacks but you have to build them, learn to sell them, and tell people that you actually have one and two.
geo.stewart 10:55PM (6/03/2009)
yeah, because the 3 is an obvious dud.
AB pointed out the Vibe is a hit.
IDK how many PT cruisers were sold. HHRs are getting pretty popular.
VW GTi 4:46PM (6/03/2009)
A hatchback would round out the Cruze line. It will at least help in European sales.
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Iwa 4:49PM (6/03/2009)
"While that sounds enticing, a higher-cost hatchback model might not go well with America's historically hatchback-averse marketplace, leading us to doubt that the car will eventually be offered Stateside."
It might if they made it the sports tuned version. Honda sold the fifth generation Civic Si here in the US, with the vehicle itself assembled in England.
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P.V. 5:34PM (6/03/2009)
But then again, that Civic Si sold rather poorly in the US.
I don't think people have an issue with hatchbacks; they just have an issue with expensive hatchbacks sold in brands lacking such cachet. VW and MINI could do it as they both had long established themselves as premium brands; Saturn could not because it was viewed as a cheap car company. I don't think the upmarket thing would work very well in the US, although it could work under Buick (not Chevrolet), which does have slightly more cachet (in terms of selling premium cars).
By the way, the Holden grille looks totally mismatched (in terms of proportions) versus the rest of the car. I much prefer the Chevrolet-badged version.
Iwa 5:43PM (6/03/2009)
The Civic Si sold poorly, not due to being a hatch, but from Honda competing against itself. The Si was detuned for the US/Canada so it wouldn't erode sales of the Acura RSX.
KeatMP 4:53PM (6/03/2009)
How bout lets not spam your website....That would be grreeeaaattt...
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Bloke 4:55PM (6/03/2009)
News of the Cruze hatchback is nothing new ... it will also be sold in Europe as a Chevrolet early next year.
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WilliamTell 5:34PM (6/03/2009)
yeah that was my understanding aswell. A hatch was always in the pipeline for Europe and the far east. GM in their infinite wisdom couldn't be as dumb as to only have a sedan model for these markets.
motorforum 7:27AM (6/04/2009)
Perversely, the UK prefers hatchbacks to saloons, but so many are happy to have saloons when they buy a 3er/A4/C-klasse et all.
As an example, I've seen many Vauxhall Insignias, but only 2 have been the saloon version.
dukeisduke 5:17PM (6/03/2009)
Wow, Mark Reuss is over at Holden? I seem to remember him being over Buick.
And no, they probably won't sell the hatchback here, because they don't Americans would buy one. Wrong.
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