The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze’s class-leading safety features and structural strength were demonstrated today in a blunt manner – engineers crashed it. It was a planned test that highlighted the active and passive safety features, as well as the technology, of Chevrolet’s new, fuel-efficient sedan.  

Cruze enters the market in the third quarter of this year with more standard safety features than any vehicle in its class, each contributing to Chevrolet’s goal of protecting passengers before, during and after a crash. Highlights include: 

1. Ten standard air bags – the most in the segment – including frontal, head curtain side air bags, front and outboard rear-seat side-impact air bags and new knee air bags

2. StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover sensing, traction control and anti-lock brakes

3. Collapsible pedal system, which allows the pedals to detach during a crash to reduce the risk of leg or ankle injuries

4. OnStar with Automatic Crash Response.  

The Cruze’s safety development included testing at GM’s rollover test facility. It is the only manufacturer-owned rollover test facility in North America. 

“We are very confident of the safety performance of the Cruze and believe it will prove to be one of the safest vehicles in the segment,” said Chuck Russell, vehicle line director. “To benefit our customers, we went way beyond requirements to exceed government safety mandates.” 

The comprehensive list of standard safety features on all models includes: 

• Dual-stage frontal air bags
• Roof rail-mounted head curtain side air bags that help protect the front and outboard rear seating positions
• Seat-mounted side-impact air bags (front and rear)
• Front knee air bags
• Front passenger seat occupant sensing system
• Rollover sensing and protection system
• Collapsible pedal assembly
• Three-point safety belts in all five seating positions
• Safety belt retractor pretensioners and lap pretensioners in the driver and front-passenger positions
• Safety belt load limiters (with pretensioners) in the front safety belt retractorChild seat latching system in the rear seat.  

Along with the standard safety features on all models – including a tire pressure monitoring system, daytime running lamps and automatic headlamps – LT and LTZ models include four-wheel disc brakes and offer rear-parking assist. 

A strong foundation 

The Cruze has a strong, unitized body structure that incorporates high-strength steel (HSS) in key areas to enhance strength and crash protection. It is used to help prevent intrusion into passenger compartment. The Cruze also features underbody main rails that extend from the front of the structure all the way to the rear, further enhancing the body’s strength and stiffness. A cross-structure beam behind the instrument panel anchors some vehicle features, while supporting the body during side-impact crashes. 

Cruze’s safety has been recognized in markets around the globe where it is already sold. For example, it earned the top rating of five stars in European New Car Assessment Program (EuroNCAP) testing. According to EuroNCAP, the Cruze scored 79 points out of 100, making it one of the safest models in the passenger car class. The Cruze achieved 96 percent in adult occupant protection, making it the runner-up this year and beating all tested premium brands. The Cruze received a maximum 16 points in the frontal offset collision test and a maximum eight points in the side-impact crash test against a moving deformable barrier. The Cruze is the first passenger car to receive maximum scores in both tests since EuroNCAP began providing crash test ratings in 1997. 

OnStar with Automatic Crash Response 

OnStar is standard and includes Automatic Crash Response and its latest enhancement, Injury Severity Prediction. This feature helps OnStar advisors alert first responders when a vehicle crash is likely to have caused serious injury to the occupants. 

With Automatic Crash Response, OnStar uses data from a collection of built-in vehicle sensors that can signal an advisor for help if the vehicle is involved in a moderate to severe frontal, rear or side-impact crash, regardless of whether an air bag deploys. 

Injury Severity Prediction uses an algorithm based on critical crash details, such as severity and direction of impact force, air bag deployments and whether there were multiple impacts or a vehicle rollover, to inform an OnStar advisor if there is a high probability of severe injury to vehicle occupants. Advisors can then relay this to the 9-1-1 operator, helping first responders prepare for what they may likely encounter at the crash scene and provide faster, more tailored help for the injured. 

With more than 14 years of experience, OnStar has provided assistance in nearly 140,000 Automatic Crash Responses and received more than 1 million emergency calls for help.

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze will replace Cobalt as the compact car from General Motors’ volume division. Cruze is a 4-door sedan that comes in LS, LT, and LTZ trim levels. The LS has a 138-horsepower 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine. The LT and LTZ use a 140-horsepower turbocharged 1.4-liter 4-cylinder engine. A 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission is available. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain-side airbags, and front- and rear-side airbags. The LS and LT have 16-inch wheels; 17-inch wheels are standard on the LTZ; and 18-inch wheels are optional on the LT and LTZ. Among the available features are a wireless cell-phone link and navigation system.

The all new 2011 Chevy Cruze has enough test miles on its tires to circle the Earth over 160 times. The Cruze made a lot of stops as it went around the globe, each one seemingly more punishing than the last. Chevy Cruze took on driving rain, mountains, deserts, potholes, mud, bad roads, cliffs, ice, snow, dry heat, humidity and more. After all that, it finally hit the test track and showed just how fun it was to drive. Even after 4,000,000 test miles, there’s much more of the Cruze story to tell. To keep current, sign up for email updates. We’ll keep you posted on every detail as soon as it becomes available. Cruze arrives in the third quarter of 2010.