Chevy Cruze diesel: 46 highway mpg, best of any non-hybrid car

City rating: 27 mpg; mix, 33 mpg; Highway 46 mpg

While the highway number gives Chevy a win over chief rival Volkwsagen Jetta TDI diesel’s 42 mpg highway rating, the Jetta TDI prevails in the other categories. It’s rated 30 mpg in the city and 34 mpg in mixed driving.

VW is the only mainstream purveyor of diesel at the moment. The 2014 Cruze diesel goes on sale in some cities the next few weeks, then nationwide and in Canada by early this fall.  We expect to see the Cruze Diesel arrive at Karl Chevrolet in New Canaan, CT, in the August to September 2013 timeframe.

The Chevrolet Cruze has become one of the top-selling compact sedans in the US.  The Cruze has received a FIVE STAR Total Vehicle Safety Rating from NTSHA, the highest rating possible.

The Cruze Diesel joins an already diverse model line-up, including the Cruze LS, Cruze LT, Cruze LTZ, Cruze RS, and Cruze ECO models.

Mazda also joins the mainstream-brand diesel parade this summer with a diesel version of its redesigned, 2014 Mazda6 midsize sedan. It has given no details on that car.

Diesels are typically more expensive than gasoline cars, and diesel fuel is usually pricier than gasoline. But diesel vehicles usually can go much further on a gallon, particularly at highway speeds.

Chevy had forecast 42 mpg on the highway when it unveiled the car at the Chicago auto show in February. Chevrolet says it was being conservative and that its engineers have been working on continuous incremental improvements to boost mileage.  The actual EPA estimated highway MPG came in at 46, making the Cruze Diesel a great choice for any Connecticut or New York consumers who spend a fair amount of time commuting on area highways.

Cruze diesel, which comes only with a six-speed automatic transmission, starts at $25,695, including $810 shipping. Jetta TDI with automatic is $24,885; manual starts at $23,795.

Chevy says the Cruze has more standard features than the Jetta, including leather seating, larger wheels and a longer powertrain warranty.

Chevy notes that it sells Cruze worldwide and has sold more than 33,000 diesel-power models in other countries since the compact launched in 2010.

Check out Karl Chevrolet’s current Cruze specials here.

Or CLICK HERE to view Karl Chevrolet’s current inventory of Chevy Cruze models.