GM Reveals 2016 Chevrolet Cruze

[stoopid]

There's obvious similarities on the sides, overall proportions, and the front headlamp layout/style. The front 'attitude' is definitely different though.

[FenwickHockey65]

Fenders, body character lines, DLO, grille, mirrors, LED lighting, all different.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by Number 3

Same same in that they are both blue????

Oh come on. Can't you see that they both have side mirrors and headlights and circular wheels. They're impossible to tell apart.

[motorhead]

It looks more like the kia then the car it's inspired by. I know what all you "trained" eyes are saying about the differences, but they are certainly more alike then a camaro, caddy or other very obviously different cars to all of us "untrained" eyes. I really thing its just a way for you to be smartasses without coming right out and saying it. This happens with damn near every car debut shown on here. If you don't see what all of us untrained eyes see, then maybe your vision is too narrowed by your training.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by motorhead

It looks more like the kia then the car it's inspired by. I know what all you "trained" eyes are saying about the differences, but they are certainly more alike then a camaro, caddy or other very obviously different cars to all of us "untrained" eyes. I really thing its just a way for you to be smartasses without coming right out and saying it. This happens with damn near every car debut shown on here. If you don't see what all of us untrained eyes see, then maybe your vision is too narrowed by your training.

I'll describe what I see when I look at the Kia next to the Cruze so that you can see it for yourself. The first thing is to look at the details of the car instead of its body shape or the most basic things that indicate that, yes indeed ... this thing is a car.

• The upper grill on the Cruze is thin & linear, vs a thick 'bowtie' shape on the Kia.
• The lower grill resembles a tall inverted trapezoid (but not quite) that is canted forward, vs being a thin trapezoid pushed back.
• the grill pattern is a tight mesh on the Kia vs a open grid on the Cruze
• I can't pick the proper words to describe the differences in the headlights. The best I can do is say that on the Kia, the headlights look like small, individual elements set deep in the housing while on the Cruze the lights 'fill' the entire space & seem to sit more forward
• the overall design of the front fascia is smooth & rounded on the Kia while the Cruze has a much sharper, more angular look (including a central crease)
• There is a feature above the front fender (an eyebrow?) on the Cruze that is completely non existant on the Kia.
• The body line running below the window is far sharper on the Cruze and angles up before curving down, vs a practically straight line
• the door handles on the Cruze sit out from the body, while the Kia has them nearly flush mounted with round pockets behind them
• on the lower door area, the Kia has body line that dips down before rising and nearly blending into the wheel arch. It appears to be a chunk 'removed' from the body. The Cruze has a 'bulge' defined by a line angling up along the top, horizontal for most of the bottom then a short rise at the rear
• the Cruze looks to have a fairly rounded door shape (from top to bottom) while the Kia appears to be somewhat slab sided
• The Cruze has an extra ground effects 'thing' running below the door-sills that the Kia lacks.

When I look at the two cars, its those things that I see. I don't have to look for them, its just 'there' staring me right in the face. And I don't have a trained eye for automotive design. If I did, I could probably write a small book on the differences & give proper names to each styling element. I simply see the differences, and by virtue of seeing those differences I cannot possibly agree that one is a copy of the other. Its pretty much the same whenever I see a car. I identify the details & that becomes my reference for what that car looks like. Similarities can exist, but just because two things share a couple similarities does not make them the same. Furthermore, with something like the profile shape its created mostly in the wind tunnel. Similarities there are as a result of design convergence: there is only 1 ideal solution to optimize aero & interior space. To say that Chevy is copying from Kia because of that is akin to saying that two people who got the same right answer on a math test copied off each other. No ... it just means that they both know what they're doing.

[Number 3]

Originally Posted by joeybsyc

No, same in that the look very similar from every angle.

Ummmmm no, no they don't. They aren't even close in the one angle in the comparison.

If all you are doing is looking at "size and proportion" then yes, they are both compact car that have spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel.

Just in case you guys don't know, there is only one optimal shape for aero. Every car going in the wind tunnel either optimizes for that and ends up looking like a Prius/Volt or there are choices made for styling over aero.

There is not one common element between the two cars other than they are similar in size and proportion.

I also agree that untrained eyes that aren't into cars would think them similar. But what you are saying to my trained eye is the same as saying the Gen 6 Camaro looks just like a Mustang. These two cars are that close...or far apart... in styling.

Don't get me wrong, I understand why people would think that. I just assumed that anyone into cars enough to be on this site would see the substantial differences in these two cars.

[rocket403]

I think that the Cruse and the Chrysler 200 look a lot alike

[motorhead]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

I'll describe what I see when I look at the Kia next to the Cruze so that you can see it for yourself. The first thing is to look at the details of the car instead of its body shape or the most basic things that indicate that, yes indeed ... this thing is a car.

• The upper grill on the Cruze is thin & linear, vs a thick 'bowtie' shape on the Kia.
• The lower grill resembles a tall inverted trapezoid (but not quite) that is canted forward, vs being a thin trapezoid pushed back.
• the grill pattern is a tight mesh on the Kia vs a open grid on the Cruze
• I can't pick the proper words to describe the differences in the headlights. The best I can do is say that on the Kia, the headlights look like small, individual elements set deep in the housing while on the Cruze the lights 'fill' the entire space & seem to sit more forward
• the overall design of the front fascia is smooth & rounded on the Kia while the Cruze has a much sharper, more angular look (including a central crease)
• There is a feature above the front fender (an eyebrow?) on the Cruze that is completely non existant on the Kia.
• The body line running below the window is far sharper on the Cruze and angles up before curving down, vs a practically straight line
• the door handles on the Cruze sit out from the body, while the Kia has them nearly flush mounted with round pockets behind them
• on the lower door area, the Kia has body line that dips down before rising and nearly blending into the wheel arch. It appears to be a chunk 'removed' from the body. The Cruze has a 'bulge' defined by a line angling up along the top, horizontal for most of the bottom then a short rise at the rear
• the Cruze looks to have a fairly rounded door shape (from top to bottom) while the Kia appears to be somewhat slab sided
• The Cruze has an extra ground effects 'thing' running below the door-sills that the Kia lacks.

When I look at the two cars, its those things that I see. I don't have to look for them, its just 'there' staring me right in the face. And I don't have a trained eye for automotive design. If I did, I could probably write a small book on the differences & give proper names to each styling element. I simply see the differences, and by virtue of seeing those differences I cannot possibly agree that one is a copy of the other. Its pretty much the same whenever I see a car. I identify the details & that becomes my reference for what that car looks like. Similarities can exist, but just because two things share a couple similarities does not make them the same. Furthermore, with something like the profile shape its created mostly in the wind tunnel. Similarities there are as a result of design convergence: there is only 1 ideal solution to optimize aero & interior space. To say that Chevy is copying from Kia because of that is akin to saying that two people who got the same right answer on a math test copied off each other. No ... it just means that they both know what they're doing.

I see all the differences you see and I get it. But,because of regulations on safety, fuel mileage, the class of vehicle and some other constraints it's hard not to see how similar, not just these two cars are, but many cars in the same class. Did chevy copy from Kia? Of course not. Why would they? I agree on that point. As far as that fact that you guys can't see one similarity, I'm on the side that these two and many others are very similar due to the constraints we all now modern engineers have on them. That's all I mean. I know from reading you guys posts over the years that you are all very intelligent and knowledgeable, and it may be that that keeps you from seeing what people say when two cars look alike. Really, it doesn't matter in the end what we think. If the public thinks they look alike, regardless if true or not, then it doesn't matter. It's a case of perception out weighing fact.

[motorhead]

Another thing is that we are looking at pictures on the Internet which helps to exaggerate the perception of them being similar. It's the 50 ft rule. I bet if you swap emblems and photo shop swapped grills that even you guys wouldn't pick it up at first glance. Anymore other than special cars that are outside of the normal box like the Camaro, mustang and challenger, I have to look for an emblem first on a car I haven't seen before to know what it is. This is because of how similar most cars are now a days. That's one reason I like what they do with the Cadillac. You don't mistake any of them for anything other than a Cadillac.

[102SS]

Originally Posted by c5Legend

Does anyone else think the front end looks like a 14/16 Camaro??
Im not a fan of making the sedans look like the sports coupes at all.. SMH

Remember the Cavalier and Sunfire?

The Camaro and TA got them in the showrooms then they either seen the price or gas mileage and bought the mini version.

My GF went and bought a new 97 Sunfire and when she showed it to me she said it looks like a smaller version of your 94 TA.

I like the look of the new Cruze and .29 drag co efficient is what a 4th gen F Body had.

Chevy hits another home run....maybe a Grand Slam.

[motorhead]

Originally Posted by 102SS

Remember the Cavalier and Sunfire?

The Camaro and TA got them in the showrooms then they either seen the price or gas mileage and bought the mini version.

My GF went and bought a new 97 Sunfire and when she showed it to me she said it looks like a smaller version of your 94 TA.

I like the look of the new Cruze and .29 drag co efficient is what a 4th gen F Body had.

Chevy hits another home run....maybe a Grand Slam.

A 97 sunfire looks like 94 trans am? Wow!

[102SS]

Originally Posted by motorhead

A 97 sunfire looks like 94 trans am? Wow!

Kind of sort of but not really you can see a bit of lineage.

[King T]

[King T]