With a troublesome shifter and roly-poly suspension, how did the Chevy perform on the track? The 153-hp, 177-lb-ft of torque 1.4-liter turbocharged I-4 engine propels the Cruze hatch to 60 mph in 8.4 seconds, faster than the naturally aspirated 2017 Subaru Impreza's (CVT) time of 9.2 seconds but slower than the turbocharged 2017 Civic Sport hatchback's (six-speed manual) time of 7.5 seconds and the turbocharged 2015 VW Golf (six-speed automatic) time of 7.8 seconds. The Cruze might have had a faster sprint to 60 mph, but the hatchback was not easy to launch. "One of the most frustrating cars I've ever launched," Walton noted. "Despite turning off stability and traction controls, it will not allow wheelspin and cuts the throttle for several seconds if I try." Additionally, the Cruze's very tall gearing does not help and highlights the engine's turbo lag.

2017 Chevrolet Cruze LT hatchback cockpit

The Cruze hatch's figure-eight time of 27.5 seconds puts it ahead of the Impreza's time of 28.2 seconds and just slightly behind the Civic hatchback and Golf SportWagen's times of 26.8 and 27.2 seconds, respectively. Braking is not a strong point for the Cruze. The Chevy took 123 feet to stop from 60 mph, behind the Civic's 115 feet, the Impreza's 118 feet, and the Golf's 117-118 feet. Brake feel is decent for the segment, and it's firm.

Both the all-wheel-drive Subaru Impreza and front-wheel-drive Chevy Cruze have an EPA-rating of 28/37 mpg city/highway, topping the Golf's 25/35 mpg but below the Civic's 30/39 mpg (both front drive). The transmission's tall gearing helped keep this rating competitive. In National Highway Traffic Safety Administration testing, the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze hatch received four stars out of five for its overall safety rating, below the Subaru, Honda, and Volkswagen, which all received five stars. The Cruze offers a suite of driver assist safety features and technology, but they are not available with the manual transmission. The same goes for the Civic, Impreza, and Golf.

2017 Chevrolet Cruze LT hatchback front end in motion

The Chevrolet Cruze hatch starts at $22,115. Our tester came standard with the Chevrolet MyLink audio system that features a 7.0-inch color touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hot spot. This was my favorite feature in the Cruze. MyLink was quick and intuitive, Apple CarPlay was easy to set up use, and the Wi-Fi hot spot was simple to connect to. However, there is only one USB port. Our Cruze hatch also came equipped with the optional Convenience package, which comes with an eight-way power adjustable driver's seat, keyless entry, push-button ignition, and heated front seats. The previously mentioned RS package is standard on the manual Cruze hatch and includes a sporty body kit, foglights, a rear spoiler, and a red RS grille badge.

Chevrolet has done a decent job designing its new hatchback. Overlook the manual shifter (or opt for the automatic), subpar crash rating, and the nonsporty handling, and the Cruze hits the rest of the marks. The hatchback's comfortable ride, torquey engine, spacious back seats, healthy cargo room, good outward visibility, nice interior layout, and attractive looks will make most owners happy. Just don't let the sheep in wolf's clothing trick you. This is a hatchback for those who want a sporty look without the usual rough ride that accompanies sharp-handling hot hatches.

2017 Chevrolet Cruze hatchback (LT) RS
BASE PRICE	$22,115
PRICE AS TESTED	$22,965
VEHICLE LAYOUT	Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door hatchback
ENGINE	1.4L/153-hp/177-lb-ft turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4
TRANSMISSION	6-speed manual
CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST)	2,860 lb (61/39%)
WHEELBASE	106.3 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	175.3 x 70.5 x 57.7 in
0-60 MPH	8.4 sec
QUARTER MILE	16.4 sec @ 86.8 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH	123 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION	0.81 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT	27.5 sec @ 0.61 g (avg)
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON	28/39/32 mpg
ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY	120/86 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB	0.60 lb/mile