2018 Chevrolet Cruze vs 2018 Toyota Corolla

Equipped

2018 Chevrolet Cruze

The 2018 Chevrolet Cruze has four trims: L, LS, LT, and Premier. In these trims, you get lots of extras, but you can get most of the technology and safety features available to you in the standard economic model. If you want to see what the luxury trims can provide, there are two packages available as upgrades – the RS and Redline Edition, which offer a more sporty driving experience. To make your ride even more comfortable, the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze comes with LED lighting, heated seats and steering wheel, and smart alloy wheels. Other impressive features that come standard is a rear vision camera and convenient keyless entry. The 2018 Chevrolet Cruze also features a plethora of lux features like push button and remote start, and power-adjustable seating for the driver – customizable in up to 8 ways. Standard features in the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze LT hatchback include cruise control and tire-pressure display.

Top-of-the-line Chevrolet Cruze safety updates for 2018 include the extremely popular Teen Driver mode, which allows parents to further set limits beyond the initial standard safety features. Parents utilizing Teen Driver Mode can set controls for audio volume, create alerts for speeding, and even view a detailed report of their teen’s driving history.

And of course, you can rest assured that Chevrolet has the best in technology enhancements, including the addition of USB ports in the back row and an Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible infotainment system with a convenient 7-inch touchscreen. These entertainment features tend to be more consumer-preferred to Toyota’s Entune Audio.

2018 Toyota Corolla

The 2018 Toyota Corolla does have a leg up when it comes to technological enhancements. The popularity of the Toyota Safety Sense P, the standard safety feature system, includes the following necessary safety features: lane departure alerts including steering assist, pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, impressive cruise control features, and headlight that turn on automatically.

Even the base-level trims come with ABS, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, backup cameras, brake-override technology, increased stability and traction control and a tire pressure monitoring system.

Toyota understands the importance of safety enhancements. Toyota engineers have won countless awards, including the Top Safety Pick from the IHS. Their safety trims and features were also awarded a perfect overall rating from the NHTSA.

But Toyota doesn’t just have the latest technology in safety features; they also are very competitive when it comes to the latest in entertainment. They have their own version of the very popular infotainment system, which features the Entune Audio multimedia bundle.

But not all of the popular technology advancements come standard. You must purchase the XSE trim in order to get an impressive entertainment system that includes must-have features such as USB ports and voice recognition. Toyota also does currently support some of the most requested technology, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. These tend to come standard in other many other vehicle models.

Power

2018 Chevrolet Cruze

The Cruze has two engines to choose from. One is the four-cylinder gasoline motor, and the other is the 1.6-liter turbo-diesel. Whether you prefer automatic or manual, you can choose from both, with the availability of a six-speed manual box.

Aerodynamic and lightweight, this car moves quickly, it’s speedy and fun to drive, getting up to 153 hp. And even compared to the 2018 Toyota Corolla, the fuel-efficiency is impressive, achieving 31 mpg in the city and up to 47 mpg on the highway. Keep in mind that mileage like this resembles that of many hybrid and electric models!

2018 Toyota Corolla

Consumers admit that they do not purchase a Toyota Corolla for performance. They are pleasantly surprised however with its 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine, producing 132 hp. This doesn’t exactly get the purr of the Cruze engine, but by choosing upgraded trim levels, the Corolla becomes extremely fuel-efficient getting an average of 32 mpg. This, however, is not anywhere near Cruze’s 40 mpg combined mpg!

Style

2018 Chevrolet Cruze

The 2018 Chevrolet Cruze is acute and efficient-looking. It has a head-turning, sleek appearance, with its more expensive trim looking even more impressive from the outside. Designers perfected the exterior look of the Cruze making the roofline smoother, the truck lid shorter, turning what might have been a run-of-the-mill sedan, into a more luxurious looking vehicle.

Chevrolet’s look is sharp with the famous bowtie badge blending into the upper grille blends and highlighting its narrow headlights. Chevrolet also raised the Cruze’s door-handles and added a beautiful new luxurious exterior color, Satin Steel Metallic.

2018 Toyota Corolla

The 2018 Toyota Corolla is definitely considered stylish by consumer standards, along with being fuel efficient, and reliable. Consumers appreciate the appearance of Toyota and the quality that comes with Toyota’s reputation. However, with Toyota, style does not always come standard in their more affordable models.

This 2018 models have six different trims options available. While the L trim is considered reasonably priced at $18,500, the prices of the more popular trims begin to max out a more economical budget. The XSE model, which has many features of the more affordable 2018 Chevrolet Cruze, will cost the consumer well beyond the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze MSRP of $16,975.

Spacious

2018 Chevrolet Cruze

Chevrolet Cruze is considered a compact sedan. However, it is anything but. While it looks much like the Corolla, with a small but smooth exterior, its interior looms large with extremely comfortable seating, with enough room for five full-grown adults. Consumers love the amount space available for legroom, whether in the front or back seating areas. And like the Corolla, the interior also has a spacious amount of headroom.

2018 Toyota Corolla

The Corolla does have a very roomy cabin for a compact car. Consumers note that the headroom is the best aspect of this roominess. The very popular XSE trim has a large moonroof and extremely comfortable heated seats. The seats are small, however, and a bit cramped, especially in the back. And the trunk volume is considered standard at only 13 cubic feet.