For ’18 models, GM quietly backs diesel-with quiet new diesel
17AUTP10_14
10/01/2017
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When Volkswagen fell afoul of U.S. and European emissions rules, it effectively stripped the U.S. car market of small turbodiesels for passenger vehicles. While Mazda is still certifying its 2.2-L Skyactiv-D for the CX-5 (now expected on sale in spring 2018), General Motors is ready to fill the void. Its all-new 1.6-L turbodiesel, a $2,200 option for the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze and Equinox and GMC Terrain, was engineered four years ago in Italy, is built in Hungary and was calibrated in Detroit for the hitherto-abandoned market.
Fuel economy, with highway numbers particularly impressive, are diesel strong points. The Cruze diesel is EPA highway-rated at 52 mpg with the GM-Ford joint-venture 9T50 9-speed automatic transmission. The Equinox is rated at 39 mpg for front-drive, 38 mpg for all-wheel drive using GM's 6-speed automatic. Equinox' greater curb weight precludes any real-world economy advantage for the 9-speed over the 6-speed transmission.
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- Citation
- Weissler, P., "For ’18 models, GM quietly backs diesel-with quiet new diesel," Mobility Engineering, October 1, 2017.