Do we like this name? Isn't it kind of dumb?

 

I think it's a good name.

 

agile, cruze, verve, all ****ty names.

 

It is dumb that they keep changing the name with every generation of car.

People didn't care for the name last year = http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...t=Cruze&page=2

On the bright side Z284ever, if you don't like the name, there is a good chance that the 2015 replacement will have a different name.

 

The Cobalt is kind of junk relative to the competition... as was the Cavalier. I think what GM won't admit is that they're changing the name because people have negative associations with the previous model's name.

I mean, people think new name = fresh slate. It leaves some of the bad opinions of past models behind.

On the flip side you'll never in a hundred years see the Civic or Corolla renamed. They'd lose sales due to the positive image those cars had.

Then again Ford had big problems when they changed the name of the Taurus to the 500, and picked sales right back up when they changed 500 back to Taurus. Maybe it's just because the Taurus name has been around for so long, it was selling very well apparently on name alone, and has always ranged from extremely to moderately successful. People got confused when the name they recognized went away. Not to mention I don't think the Taurus was ever as bad of a car relative to its competition as the Cavalier/Cobalt were to their competitors. Just my .02 though.

 

Exactly. And that seems to be GM's MO. Build a cheap car, sell it unimproved until it's reputation turns to dust and you've squeezed every last bit of blood out of the brand name - then rename it's replacement.

 

I have a Cobalt now and had two Cavaliers (1997 LS Convetible and 2000 Z24) and haven't had any problems with any of them other than an occasionally leaky top on the convertible.

The Cobalt has been rock solid and gets great gas mileage. The interior is definitely cheap compared to Civic and Corolla, but it's also a generation behind those cars. My only gigantic complaints are that the seat fabric and wheel covers are laughably bad. Otherwise, no problems with it really. No doubt, however, GM needs to start working ahead rather than benchmarking the current competition!

I don't think that there's any huge negative connotation to the Cobalt, honestly. There might not have been for Cavalier if Chevy hadn't let the last generation languish on for so many years too long. At least the Cobalt is only a couple of years long in the tooth vs 7-8 for Cavalier at the end. I really do think going to the Cruze name worldwide is part of it.

Changing the name back didn't really help much:

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/08/r...-taurus-sales/

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m.../ai_n26638226/

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...710080356/1078

I think the new Taurus will definitely help.

 

 

I hate the constant name changing too. What, GM didn't learn anything from the G6, G8, LaCrosse, etc., all models whose sales dropped significantly from the ones they replaced? And I'm also in the camp of not thinking the Cobalt is a horrible car ... sure, it's not up to the imports' standards, but neither is it so bad that it needs to be broomed.

As to the comment about Toyota, they're not immune to name changes either

Tercel > Echo > Yaris
T100 > Tundra
Cressida > Avalon
Toyota Van > Sienna

 

Eh, I could argue either way. I like the Cobalt name better than Cruze, but Cruze seems ok too. I like Cobalt because it makes me think more of something substancial and solid. Cruze looks/sounds kind of flakey, like it's trying to be artsy and creative.

However, I don't have a big problem with it being called Cruze...

 

Ditto.

I'd prefer keeping Cobalt, though. Changing the name seems more desparate.

 

Cruze > Cobalt > Cavalier > Citation > Chevette...

Compared to past names for compact Chevy sedans, they could've done worse.

I doubt they'd bring back "Nova" after the whole "No go" fiasco.

 

Oh, you know that's an Urban Legend

http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.asp

 

I think they should stop making up weird spellings for words. If they're going with that name, they should spell it normally (Cruise). I've seen many people on this board repeatedly spell it incorrectly (Cruize).

Spelling aside, I think Cruze is a fine name. I just wish they'd pick something and stick with it. I'd rather they squash whatever negative stigma they've created by releasing a great car under the same old name than see them run from that negative stigma.

What if, after the 165hp Corvette of 1975, GM had said "well, that last Corvette sucked, so let's come up with a new name."?

IMO, cars don't become legends if you keep changing the name. As unassuming as they are, Camry and Accord are nearing legendary status. They have been around FOREVER. They have a role to fill in the market, and they keep coming back and filling it. Do a decent job at that every year, and do a great job at least some of those years, and you've got yourself a legend.

GM has abandoned all of its legends except for Impala, Camaro and Corvette (and for a few dark years, it was just two of those). I think that, when the money allows, they should bring back as many of those names as they can and assign them to new, great models. I want to be able to go to the Cadillac dealership and pick up a Deville, Seville, or Eldorado. I want to be able to go to the Chevy dealership and pick up a Nova, Caprice, El Camino or Cavalier.

 

Hense the