Even with the impending launch of the Volt later in the Fall, the Chevrolet Cruze may be the biggest vehicle General Motors will launch in the U.S. this year. The reason is money. The Cruze should make some of it, while the Volt and its pricey development and battery packs likely won't for a long time.

The Cruze looks pretty good to us, but we know that the new sedan will only be successful if it is properly launched and marketed. So how do you best show off a refined interior, 10 standard airbags and more hip- and shoulder-room than the top sellers in the class? Automotive News reports that The General will ask its 3,000 dealers to purchase a Toyota Corolla and a Honda Civic so Bowtie shoppers can compare and contrast the newest Chevrolet against the C-Segment stalwarts from Japan.

Since the Cruze is all-new in the U.S. market and both the Civic and Corolla are a bit long-in-the-tooth, we're thinking the Chevy will win more than its fair share of buyers, but we'd like to see Chevy stores step up to the challenge of the Mazda3, as well. Perhaps the bigger challenge, though, will be to get customers who would traditionally buy a Honda or Toyota to shop at a Chevy store in the first place. GM plans to officially launch the Cruze in late September.


Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze: First Drive



Photos by Zach Bowman / Copyright (C)2010 AOL




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