D7

Introduced for the 2011 model year, this compact Chevrolet sedan replaced the Cobalt in the U.S. market and marked Chevrolet’s move toward a more globally developed small-car strategy. The Cruze nameplate was positioned as an efficient, technology-focused commuter car rather than a performance model, and it quickly became one of Chevrolet’s core compact offerings. In the U.S., the first-generation Cruze ran through the 2015 model year, after which Chevrolet continued it as the Cruze Limited for 2016 while the second-generation Cruze arrived for 2016–2019. That later car expanded the line with sedan and hatchback body styles and helped keep the nameplate relevant in an increasingly crossover-heavy market. Chevrolet ended U.S. Cruze production after the 2019 model year, closing the chapter on one of the brand’s most recognizable modern small cars.