[fan_f1]

Hello SCF members!

I just wanted to quickly share my driving impressions now that I have done so:

Long test drives now complete on both FWD and AWD Cruz's. Both is Southern California with 70* weather.

WHOA!!! The difference is markedly noticeable!

The FWD: While lively and spirited, is underwhelming at take off with lots of yaw. Mid corner lift's are scary, just testing. Even smooth roll on's out of the corner does not yield any real feedback, and on tight corners, it just binds.

The AWD: This set up is nothing short of "confidence inspiring" during all of the above scenarios. It's surefootedness, lack of body roll, and driving dynamics really makes this HTrac option something that will CHANGE your Cruz for the better and is money very well spent!

I hope this short review helps my fellow forum members.

Feel free to ask any questions or for any additional color

Have a great day!

 

[_metafizik]

Hello SCF members!

I just wanted to quickly share my driving impressions now that I have done so:

Long test drives now complete on both FWD and AWD Cruz's. Both is Southern California with 70* weather.

WHOA!!! The difference is markedly noticeable!

The FWD: While lively and spirited, is underwhelming at take off with lots of yaw. Mid corner lift's are scary, just testing. Even smooth roll on's out of the corner does not yield any real feedback, and on tight corners, it just binds.

The AWD: This set up is nothing short of "confidence inspiring" during all of the above scenarios. It's surefootedness, lack of body roll, and driving dynamics really makes this HTrac option something that will CHANGE your Cruz for the better and is money very well spent!

I haven't driven the FWD but was initially going to purchase a SEL FWD with activity. I can vouch for your description of the AWD(turbo in my case) -- "Confidence inspiring" is an excellent way to describe it. As I said before going with the 2.5T AWD is the best decision could've made. Was the AWD you drove a turbo?

 

[LovinLife]

Huge thanks. I have a reservation for a (turbo) Limited. The plan is to test drive a turbo and non-turbo offering tomorrow (just to make 100% sure I need the turbo). I do!!!! 😊

General question:

If you're average person plans on driving around town, does the non-turbo have enough power for free-way on-ramps, climbing long long grades, carrying four passengers and gear, loaded down with 200 pounds of material etc? Or did it feel underpowered?

How did the 20" wheel feel? Comfort? Handling?

Suspension differences between the two? Soft? Firm? Sporty?

Just wondering.

 

[_metafizik]

Huge thanks. I have a reservation for a (turbo) Limited. The plan is to test drive a turbo and non-turbo offering tomorrow (just to make 100% sure I need the turbo). I do!!!! 😊

General question:

If you're average person plans on driving around town, does the non-turbo have enough power for free-way on-ramps, climbing long long grades, carrying four passengers and gear, loaded down with 200 pounds of material etc? Or did it feel underpowered?

How did the 20" wheel feel? Comfort? Handling?

Suspension differences between the two? Soft? Firm? Sporty?

Just wondering.

You know you're gonna WANT and NEED it.

 

[LovinLife]

You know you're gonna WANT and NEED it.

For sure. I am 100% SOLD on the turbo.

The only way I don't end up with one is if there is an issue with my reservation (should be here soon). If that happens, I play the waiting game. Simply thinking out loud (for the benefit of the group, and if friends / family ask). Looking forward to this weekends test drives.

 

[_metafizik]

The plan is to test drive a turbo and non-turbo offering tomorrow (just to make 100% sure I need the turbo). I do!!!! 😊

Definitely Hope you get to drive both. Pretty certain the 191HP (non-turbo) SC w AWD is going to be underwhelming. I'm so glad the FWD SEL I had put a deposit on didn't arrive
on time. Even my wife who for whatever reason is so far afraid to drive (she'll got over that eventually) the SC like it's supposed to be driven would have been hugely disappointed.

 

[soldthetaco]

Huge thanks. I have a reservation for a (turbo) Limited. The plan is to test drive a turbo and non-turbo offering tomorrow (just to make 100% sure I need the turbo). I do!!!! 😊

General question:

If you're average person plans on driving around town, does the non-turbo have enough power for free-way on-ramps, climbing long long grades, carrying four passengers and gear, loaded down with 200 pounds of material etc? Or did it feel underpowered?

How did the 20" wheel feel? Comfort? Handling?

Suspension differences between the two? Soft? Firm? Sporty?

Just wondering.

could you do me a favor when you test the turbo and see if you hear chatter/noise at very slow speeds when the DCT is in the 1st or 2nd gear? You might want to turn off any sound music and AC low too to really hear it.

I notice that consistently everyday with my limited, it's prominent at launch the first 1 or 2 seconds when DCT is in 1st or 2nd gear, and also when I slow down almost to a complete stop do I hear similar noise

 

[_metafizik]

could you do me a favor when you test the turbo and see if you hear chatter/noise at very slow speeds when the DCT is in the 1st or 2nd gear? You might want to turn off any sound music and AC low too to really hear it.

I notice that consistently everyday with my limited, it's prominent at launch the first 1 or 2 seconds when DCT is in 1st or 2nd gear, and also when I slow down almost to a complete stop do I hear similar noise

Please do this or @soldthetaco will be changing his oil every 250 miles. /jk.

I sincerely hope your SC isn't defective & realize it's no laughing matter.

If you have good cell throughput several of us could do a zoom or webex conference? I'm sure many of us are curious as to exactly what you're hearing.

 

[soldthetaco]

Please do this or @soldthetaco will be changing his oil every 250 miles. /jk.

I sincerely hope your SC isn't defective. If you have good cell throughput we could do a zoom or webex conference? I'm curious as to exactly what you're hearing.

Mine is most definitely defective, as soon as the ambient temperature is above 85 degrees, mine starts to intermittently throw rear turn signal error and brake light error (they are the same lights). When temperature gets hotter, that error frequency intensifies too.

I'm not going to bother taking this to the dealership just yet because if the tech can't experience it they are going to write this one off as nothing. Hopefully next month when the temperature drops if this all goes away then pretty much I can conclude the issue is 100% temp related and just gonna suck it up or I'll install additional resistors so that it should have plenty of resistance and not falsely telling me my bulbs are out

As for the noise, it's very faint static grinding noise. I narrowed it down to transmission related because if it was engine related, I would have experienced it across all speed range when the engine runs through different RPM. The noise was almost always at the beginning of launching from standstill or very much nearing the end of a complete stop. So, changing oil won't help (I know )

 

[LovinLife]

could you do me a favor when you test the turbo and see if you hear chatter/noise at very slow speeds when the DCT is in the 1st or 2nd gear? You might want to turn off any sound music and AC low too to really hear it. I notice that consistently everyday with my limited, it's prominent at launch the first 1 or 2 seconds when DCT is in 1st or 2nd gear, and also when I slow down almost to a complete stop do I hear similar noise

Sure thing!😊

 

[_metafizik]

Mine is most definitely defective, as soon as the ambient temperature is above 85 degrees, mine starts to intermittently throw rear turn signal error and brake light error (they are the same lights). When temperature gets hotter, that error frequency intensifies too.

As for the noise, it's very faint static grinding noise. I narrowed it down to transmission related because if it was engine related, I would have experienced it across all speed range when the engine runs through different RPM. The noise was almost always at the beginning of launching from standstill or very much nearing the end of a complete stop. So, changing oil won't help (I know )

I rem now you mentioning that about those error lights. Clearly the sooner you can gather the evidence the sooner you can get it resolved. I wish you much luck on this. I can totally understand your frustration. Do you have the means to or know anyone that can troubleshoot it by hooking it up to a diagnostic computer(besides the dealer you purchased it from?)

Does anyone even have the diagnostic tools to make sense of what you're observing?

 

[soldthetaco]

I rem now you mentioning that about those error lights. Clearly the sooner you can gather the evidence the sooner you can get it resolved. I wish you much luck on this. I can totally understand your frustration. Do you have the means to or know anyone that can troubleshoot it by hooking it up to a diagnostic computer(besides the dealer you purchased it from?)

Does anyone even have the diagnostic tools to make sense of what you're observing?

SC is too new the dealers haven't really done anything to it so I can wait, this is just an annoyance but not a problem that's going to metastasize further (hopefully).
I'm planning on swapping out OE halogen brake bulbs with LED and figure out a way to install resistors so it might just kill 2 birds

 

[LovinLife]

Do you have the means to or know anyone that can troubleshoot it by hooking it up to a diagnostic computer(besides the dealer you purchased it from?) Does anyone even have the diagnostic tools to make sense of what you're observing?

An AutoZone employee once hooked up a code reader to my vehicle. No clue if it was his personal machine or if it belonged to the company. Pretty sure they will have one for rent if needed.

 

[albnc74]

I’ll just throw in my 2cents to confirm that the non-turbo has plenty of power to get out of its own way. It’s no race car, but then, it’s a not-a-truck.

 

[albnc74]

I’ll just throw in my 2cents to confirm that the non-turbo has plenty of power to get out of its own way. It’s no race car, but then, it’s a not-a-truck.

Just for reference. 191 HP is nothing to sneeze at. My 1992 GMC Sonoma ST (sports model) mini truck with the 4.3l Vortec V6 only made 195 HP.

 

[Rxturbo7man]

An AutoZone employee once hooked up a code reader to my vehicle. No clue if it was his personal machine or if it belonged to the company. Pretty sure they will have one for rent if needed.

Can get a decent reader from Harbor Freight for not a ton of money....I have one, fine for the basics.

 

[LittleBokey]

Mine is most definitely defective, as soon as the ambient temperature is above 85 degrees, mine starts to intermittently throw rear turn signal error and brake light error (they are the same lights). When temperature gets hotter, that error frequency intensifies too.
View attachment 1945
I'm not going to bother taking this to the dealership just yet because if the tech can't experience it they are going to write this one off as nothing. Hopefully next month when the temperature drops if this all goes away then pretty much I can conclude the issue is 100% temp related and just gonna suck it up or I'll install additional resistors so that it should have plenty of resistance and not falsely telling me my bulbs are out

As for the noise, it's very faint static grinding noise. I narrowed it down to transmission related because if it was engine related, I would have experienced it across all speed range when the engine runs through different RPM. The noise was almost always at the beginning of launching from standstill or very much nearing the end of a complete stop. So, changing oil won't help (I know )

All the errors are logged in the black box.. including ambiant temp and humidity. They will be able to see all that..

 

[_metafizik]

I’ll just throw in my 2cents to confirm that the non-turbo has plenty of power to get out of its own way. It’s no race car, but then, it’s a not-a-truck.

That's great to hear. I was thinking bout you when I made one of my previous comments.

 

[soldthetaco]

All the errors are logged in the black box.. including ambiant temp and humidity. They will be able to see all that..

in that case I might want to have them take a look before I attempt anything, thanks

 

[LittleBokey]

Amazon has OBDC bluetooth readers for about $20. They totally work. Some can read more codes, but even the cheap ones are pretty good.