Just drove another sedan a 2lt in Black
Yep, the other day I found another Sedan and was able to take it for a drive. It too was a black one, but it was the base LT with the Communication package only. Boy, those stock 15' wheels and tires look ridiculous on this car. The wheel wells were designed to hanle a much larger wheel, so this thing looks like the tires are all mini spares. The overall quality was first rate, just as good as the first one I drove was. A good sign. The cloth drivers seat was as comfortable as the leatherette one the was in the other sedan. Still ,the cloth does not look as rich and upscale as the 'Pleather' version does(contrasting stitching on the cloth would help that). The cloth material looks fine and feels like it will be durable over time. I really like the interior design of this car, especially the instrument cluster and all the storage in the dash. The rake of the dash as it goes up towards the base of the windshield, the big glass itself and the dual cockpit look to the dash courtesy of the two-tone color materials and the design, lends an airy feel to the to front of the cabin. In reality, as one will notice when they try to put there arm on the top of the door panel next to the glass, the green house is tall but the side glass is smaller then it looks. Also, since the panel is so tall, resting you arm on the top of it makes your upper arm high up level with the shoulder. Not comfortable, at least for me. Good thing that the door armrest falls easily to arm at the right height (Although padding it would have been nice. Come on, how much would that have cost?) ASlo, the door pockets are HUGE, affording great place for stuff(not to mention a good place to lean the left calf on) One piece of glass that is an exception here is: the back glass: in a word: HUGE. One of the biggest back glass's I have seen since the Chrysler LH sedans. More like what you would find on a fastback car. It's significantly bigger than the one on the Cruze. Fully a third of the glass, at the top portion over the top of the back seat, is devoted to the progressive shading film. (dark at the top and thinning as it runs down the glass) On a hot day, those sitting in the back may want to be wearing a hat or there heads could get a little hot) I imagine this was necessary to allow the steep rake needed for aerodynamics, and looks. OK, enough of revisiting the car at rest. How was the second drive? Much better. I had a longer drive this time and was able to get on the Fwy for a bit. The 1.8 has more than adequate acceleration. It felt much more responsive than the other one I drove. I attribute this to the better driving conditions I had. It moves off smartly and gets to speed quickly. It has a responsive and snappy feel. The trans under acceleration holds the gears longer as I hoped it would and shifts were qucik and smooth. Finally, the most impressive feature of this car is the ride and handling. This car rides really well for such a small car and wheelbase. And, except for the really tough holes and pavement issues where some harshness and tire noise gets your attention, this car is also really quiet. The car responds very quickly to driver input and goes right where you point it, right now. Be sure the spot where you are wanting to go is open! I imagine that lane changing in this car will be a lot of fun. So, if you enjoy being a 'space pilot' (See a space; pilot into it quickly) I think this car will more than do the job.
So, as it sits right now; I feel very strongly that once the word gets out there from word-of-mouth press by new owners, this car is going to really popular. I can hardly wait to order mine: A silver LTZ Sedan with the sunroof. I may still wait for the 1.4ltr/AT combo to come out so that I can drive one of those to see the difference. But, I may not be able to wait that long.
