2013 Chevrolet Cruze

Chevrolet Cruze

Chevrolet’s Cruze sedan hails from a time when you’d still spot a few bowtie badges around Johannesburg or Durban, wedged in among legions of Corollas and Civics. On paper at least, it pitched itself as a car for buyers who wanted a bit more substance than a hatchback but weren’t ready to graduate to a full-fat family sedan. All three examples currently for sale run tried-and-tested petrol fours—either 1.6 or 1.8 litres—matched to automatic or semi-automatic boxes. The market’s tiny: just 3 listings, asking R79,500 to R107,500, and the median sits at R98,500. That should tell you sellers aren’t exactly throwing in the floormats for free. Each car is a 2010 to 2013 model, and the average odo reads 137,089 km, so you’re not picking from garage queens here. A full check-up is non-negotiable. The one 1.8 LT A/T at R79,500 is the only proper automatic—handy for Gauteng traffic, less so if you’re after that clutch pedal feel. Where the Cruze stood apart from its Corolla rival was in its Euro-tinged suspension and a cabin that actually looked like designers had been let off the leash for once. Not many South Africans are trawling classifieds for a Cruze, and that’s the point: these three are for folks who need honest, recognisable wheels and don’t mind hunting for spares down the line. If you pack smart, you could do worse.