News Source: topspeed.com

Chevrolet  has announced its newest model ahead of the 2016 North American International Auto show,  the 2017 Cruze Hatchback.  Technically already roaming other parts of the globe, the Cruze Hatchback is making its first appearance in the U.S. thanks to spreading acceptance and growing sales of hatchbacks in the States.

“With nine percent market growth in small hatchbacks last year, it’s the perfect time to bring the Cruze Hatch to America,” said Alan Batey, president of General Motors North America and Global Chevrolet. “As Cruze continues to set the tone for Chevrolet globally, it articulates the brand promise of offering cars with the latest technologies, more features and greater efficiency, performance and safety with fresh, distinctive styling.”

The hatchback version of Chevy’s best-selling global car rides on the same all-new platform found under the 2016 Cruze.  It also features the same vastly improved interior, updated powertrain, and continues undercutting the previous Cruze’s curb weight.

The 2017 Cruze Hatchback will offer all the same high-tech features as its sedan  brother, as well, including MyLink with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, heated seats front and rear, a heated steering wheel, projector-beam headlights with LED accents, and an interior that features French stitching and available leather surfaces.

In the safety department, the Cruze Hatchback offers Lane Keep Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Side Blind Zone Alert, and Rear Park Assist. Parents can even keen an eye their teen driver with the available Teen Driver feature, which provides driving statistics.

The 2017 Cruze Hatchback will go on sale in the fall of 2016. Pricing has not been announced, but we’ll bring you that info when Chevy makes the announcement.

The 2016 Cruze sedan isn’t a bad looking car in any stretch, but he hatchback version takes the styling to a new level of design while adding tons of functionality. Up front, the grille retains the same look at the sedan – that beaked nose with is large lower grille, smaller upper section, and aggressive lighting package. A shapely hood flows onto sharply creased front fenders that send a striking bodyline rearward.

That line continues through the door handles and into the rear taillights, ending below the slanted rear glass. A deep scallop in the lower door section further defines the side profile, as does the prominent spoiler over the rear hatch. In all, it’s a smart design that will give the competition something to fear.

The Cruze Hatchback won’t be saddled with a bargain-basement trim – no, the five-door only comes in LT and Premier trims – foregoing the sedan’s lower L and LS trims. This means the hatch will only offer up-scale equipment. The luxury-leaning Premier trim comes with handsome 18-inch wheels, for example. For those wanting a sporty feel, the available RS package offers unique front and rear fascias, rocker panels, a rear spoiler, and fog lamps.

The five-door hatchback borrows the same interior from the Cruze sedan. That’s certainly not a bad thing, as the updated-for-2016-interior is a welcomed improvement over the first-generation Cruze. Soft-touch materials abound, as does power-operated equipment and tech features.

Most notable in the tech department is the seven-inch touchscreen running Chevy’s MyLink software. The intuitive infotainment system comes standard and offers an easy-to-use graphic interface with large icons and swiping capabilities. Bluetooth connectivity, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, make smartphone integration a snap. Chevy also included a wireless charging pad for compatible devices.

Technology continues onto the driver’s gauge cluster. A TFT display offers vehicle information and a digital speedometer – a welcomed addition considering the analog speedometer counts by 20 mph increments and uses a ridiculous 160-mph scale, leaving only half the gauge in a useable range. That complaint aside, the driver’s position offers plenty of smartly placed controls for better ergonomics.

In back, a generous amount of legroom offers passengers a comfortable ride. That’s thanks to the extra inch of length in the second-gen Cruze’s wheelbase. Headroom is tighter than before due to the inch-lower roof height, but most shouldn’t notice the difference.

Of course the rear cargo area can’t be forgotten. The hatchback offers an impressive 18.5 cubic feet of space behind the second row and an impressive 42 cubic feet of space with the 60/40 split-bench seat folded flat.

Behind the aggressive grille lies the heavily revised 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. The engine dumps the old 1.4-liter’s iron block for an aluminum construction, which with the aluminum cylinder head, makes all-aluminum engine with an obvious reduction in weight. Direct fuel injection and four valves per cylinder with variable timing work in conjunction with new low-friction parts that include the piston rings, camshaft drive, and oil pump to deliver more horsepower and torque than before.

Specifically, power is up by 15 horsepower and torque is improved by 28 pound-feet, helping drop the Cruze’s 0-to-60 mph sprint to eight seconds flat. Despite this, the engine is more efficient than before. In the sedan, the 1.4-liter earns an estimated 40 mpg on they highway. In-city fuel economy is now aided by a standard start/stop function. The engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Chevy has made no mention of the 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel making its appearance in the Cruze Hatchback, though the likelihood is very high.

Like the Cruze sedan, the Hatchback offers two forms of rear suspension. All but the Premier trims come with a standard torsion beam axle. The upgraded suspension on the Premier features a torsion beam with a Watts Link setup, or what Chevy calls its Z-link design. Basically acting as a dual panhard bar, the Z-link offers greater roll stability and improved handling over. All Cruzes come with MacPherson struts up front.

A rack-mounted electric steering box that reduces parasitic loads on the engine handles steering. Four-wheel disc brakes with GM’s Duralife rotors come standard, as does ABS, StabiliTrack, traction control, and rollover mitigation. Chevrolet has not released pricing for the 2017 Cruze Hatchback, but we expect to see a slight hike in pricing over the Cruze sedan. The 2016 Cruze LT starts at $21,995 and the range-topping Premier starts at $23,995. Expect a $500 to $800 up-charge for the five-door version.

The new 2017 Chevy Cruze Hatchback appears to be a fantastic addition to the bow-tie lineup, brining more cargo room, fresh styling, and an impressive list of features to the Cruze. Chevy certainly has a hit on its hands with the Cruze, selling more than 3.5 million around the world since 2008 and snagging 9.4 percent of the segment. More impressive, Chevy says 35 percent of Cruze buyers are new to the brand, meaning the Cruze is a fantastic conquest machine.

I don’t expect anything less form the five-door version, though its U.S. sales will likely fall under the sedan’s.

Hopefully Chevy doesn’t relegate he Cruze Hatch to its 1.4-liter engine. I’d love to see the 1.6-liter turbodiesel make its appearance, as well as a hotter gasoline engine in some sort of performance version. The Ford Focus ST is a wonderful target that Chevy could easily aim for, especially given its performance heritage and SS branding.