Our spies have caught the Chevrolet Cruze estate on wintry test in northern Europe. Although taken on a long lens, this is our first glimpse of Chevy’s latest Cruze brand extension.
Understandably, most of the disguise is aft of the Cruze’s C-pillars, hiding the station wagon’s more upright rear end.
Despite the camouflage, it’s clear to see this is a lifestyle estate, with a reasonably fast angle of rear screen rather than any perpendicular Volvo style uprightness.
Chevrolet Cruze estate (2012): when it launches
It’s understood that the Cruze wagon may launch as early as the Geneva motor show in March 2012.
That points to an on-sale date in summer 2012.
Why add a Cruze station wagon?
The Cruze estate will broaden the appeal of the Cruze family. Currently, Chevrolet sells a five-door hatchback in Europe and a four-door in the US.
It’s believed that the new station wagon is aimed more at Europe than America, although the marketing bods have yet to make a firm decision on the exact territories it’ll sell in.
The Americans will start selling a diesel-engined Cruze by 2013.
What’s that testing next to the Chevy Cruze?
That’ll be the new Chevrolet Sonic-based crossover. We expect Opel to show off its small SUV at the Geneva motor show in March 2012.
Looks like a traffic jam of prototypes!