GM Korea Co., the Korean unit of U.S. automaker General Motors Co. (GM), hopes to make a bigger footprint in Korean compact sedan market through its new Chevrolet Cruze unveiled Tuesday after a facelift for the first time in nine years.

The all new Cruze is a premium sedan aimed to upgrade the nation’s compact sedan market, GM Korea chief executive James Kim said during the model`s launching ceremony held at its factory at Yeongdeungpo-gu, southwestern Seoul.

Emboldened by GM Korea’s Spark stealing the top place from Kia Motor’s Morning in the mini car segment last year, he hopes the new Cruze can overtake Hyundai Motor Co.’s Avante - the long-standing leader in the compact sedan segment.

The new sedan is 4,665 millimeters (mm) long, biggest in the segment, and1,465 mm tall, 10 mm shorter than its predecessor, in sleek design. It is fitted with a 1.4-liter turbo engine of the GM’s new family of small gas engines, producing a maximum of 153 horsepower with a 24.5-kgf.m torque. The new turbocharged engine can deliver 0-100 performance in 7.7 seconds, the company claimed.

Stop/start technology - which shuts down the engine automatically when the car comes to a stop under certain driving conditions, such as a brake light - enhances efficiency in stop-and-go driving.

The automaker used hot-stamped or high-strength steel which contributes to an approximately 27-percent stronger body structure and makes the car 110 kilograms lighter than the previous Cruze. The sedan can go as far as 13.5 kilometers per liter.

The pricing for the all new Cruze starts at 18.9 million won ($16,208), for its basic LS model, up to LTZ Deluxe model of 24.78 million won.

GM Korea commanded a 9.9 percent market share last year, failing to meet its initial goal of a double-digit growth. Its total shipment was up around 14 percent on year backed by the success of its cars such as Malibu.

Through new Cruze followed up by Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle (EV), the company expects to take up 10 percent share of the Korean car market this year.

By Woo Je-yoon

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