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August 1, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Money & Work • Automotive

Chevrolet Cruze

The Chevrolet Cruze is a compact car produced by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand from 2008 to 2023.

Updated August 1, 20261 min readCited sources

The Chevrolet Cruze is a compact car produced by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand from 2008 to 2023. It was developed as a global model and sold in sedan, hatchback, and wagon body styles in different markets.

What it is

The Cruze was introduced as a globally developed compact car, replacing several earlier compact Chevrolet and Holden models in various regions. It was offered mainly as a four-door sedan, with a five-door hatchback and, in some markets, a station wagon. The model spanned two major generations, with a redesigned second generation launched in the U.S. for the 2016 model year.

Why it matters

The Cruze was a key part of Chevrolet's North American compact-car lineup, including in Canada, where it was a familiar model for buyers. It represented General Motors' effort to unify regional compact offerings under one global nameplate. Production ended in the Americas in 2020, and globally in 2023.

Key details

The first-generation Cruze reached markets outside North America before its U.S. launch. The second generation brought refreshed sedan and hatchback versions in some markets. The Cruze was front-wheel drive and classified as a compact car.

In short

  • Produced globally from 2008 to 2023 as a compact car.
  • Available as sedan, hatchback, and station wagon in different markets.
  • Replaced models like the Chevrolet Cobalt and Holden Astra.
  • Production ended in the Americas in 2020 and globally in 2023.
Canadian angle

The Cruze was sold in Canada as part of Chevrolet’s North American compact-car lineup, making it a familiar model for Canadian buyers during its production run.

Quick questions

What body styles were available?
The Cruze was offered as a sedan, hatchback, and in some markets a station wagon.
What cars did it replace?
It replaced models including the Chevrolet Cobalt and Chevrolet Optra in various markets, and the Holden Astra in Australasia.
When did production end?
Sources say production ended in the Americas in 2020 and ended globally in 2023.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Cruze
    Supports: Production years, body styles, global model description, and replacement models.
  2. GM Authority — https://gmauthority.com/blog/gm/chevrolet/cruze/
    Supports: Global compact sedan description and development by GM Korea.
  3. Autoevolution — https://www.autoevolution.com/chevrolet/cruze-1/
    Supports: Generation count and model-year timeline, including the second generation.
  4. Cars.com — https://www.cars.com/research/chevrolet-cruze/
    Supports: U.S. debut as a replacement for the Cobalt and global-market launch order.
  5. Edmunds — https://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/cruze/2016/review/
    Supports: Second-generation 2016 U.S. model details and trims.
  6. Chevrolet India — https://www.chevrolet.co.in/cars/cruze
    Supports: Body style and specification details for a market-specific Cruze variant.