Sometimes a few words can make all the difference.
In last week’s seminars and presentations on the new 2016 Chevrolet Cruze compact sedan, GM discussed its 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and gave a few scant details on a future 1.6-liter diesel model as well.
But the company also suggested the possibility of a future Chevy Cruze Hybrid model.
DON’T MISS: 2016 Chevrolet Cruze Sedan Unveiled; 40-MPG Highway Rating Promised
It was just a single modifier in one line on a slide about the future 1.6-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder that will propel the next-generation Cruze Diesel.
That engine, Chevy noted, would provide the highest “non-hybrid” fuel economy of any Chevy Cruze model.
That’s called “begging the question.”
2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid launch – 2015 New York Auto Show
In other words, a future hybrid Chevrolet Cruze model might in fact deliver even higher fuel-economy ratings than the upcoming Cruze diesel.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Any future Cruze Hybrid would presumably use a version of the same Volt-derived full-hybrid system unveiled in the 2016 Chevy Malibu Hybrid at the New York Auto Show in April.
ALSO SEE: 47-MPG Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid: Volt’s Sibling Without A Plug May Be First Of Several
And while the 2016 Malibu Hybrid competes against several established models–including hybrid versions of the Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, and Toyota Camry–a hybrid Cruze would give Chevy an entrant in a sector with few competitors.
There are no compact sedans presently in the U.S. with hybrid powertrains, although Toyota offers a Corolla Hybrid in a few other global markets.
A Cruze Hybrid using roughly the same powertrain as the larger, heavier Malibu Hybrid might well hit the magic 50-mpg combined rating, equaling three current Toyota Prius models.
2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid – drive unit cutaway
But a hybrid Chevrolet Cruze wouldn’t have the visual distinction and reputation–positive or negative–of the Prius. It would just look like a Cruze, with a lot better gas mileage.
It would also give General Motors additional economies of scale on the Voltec powertrain, now known to be used in three cars: the 2016 Volt, the upcoming Malibu Hybrid, and the plug-in hybrid version of the 2016 Cadillac CT6 luxury sedan.
And if it wants to make the second-generation Volt plug-in hybrid break even over its model life, lowering component costs is absolutely crucial.
MORE: How Similar Are Chevy Volt & Malibu Hybrid Powertrains? Very Much; Here’s Why
There’s also the increasing pressure of the corporate average fuel-economy rules that ramp up steadily from now through 2025, ending at a window-sticker fleet average of about 42 mpg.
This site was pleased to have predicted the unveiling of a Malibu Hybrid three months before it appeared, so we’re throwing the dice again.
We’ve been wrong before, of course … but we’d bet there’s a Cruze Hybrid in the offing, possibly as a 2017 model.
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