Audiophiles Hail Chevy Cruze Stereo as “Luxury-Car Quality”

If we’re being honest, no one expects the factory-installed stereo in a budget-friendly sedan to be all that stellar. But in the case of the Chevy Cruze, flick on the radio and you can expect to be blown out of the proverbial water.

The 2011 Chevy Cruze, one of the most anticipated vehicles this year, and its premium audio system are music to the ears of Chevrolet fans in Wilmington.

Reinforcing the point, the all-new Chevy Cruze recently earned the highest ratings from the Mobile Electronics Competition Association (MECA) in a competition comparing sound systems of popular vehicles. The MECA’s professional audio judges determined that the sound system of the Cruze outperformed those in major competing vehicles, the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.

Three areas were evaluated in the competition: volume, fidelity, and listening experience. “Audiophiles believe that rating audio performance requires critical listening as well as measuring output,” said Steve Stern, MECA president. “Sound provides a baseline rating of the potential of a sound system, but does not necessarily equate to a great-sounding system. Only the human ear can gauge how natural and believable the listening experience is.” Each of the vehicles in the competition were equipped with comparable factory-installed audio systems. The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze 2LT featured with a Pioneer nine-speaker sound system, which is available as a $445 option on Cruze LT and LTZ models.

The other vehicles were the 2010 Toyota Corolla LE, with a six-speaker sound system available starting at $490 and the 2010 Honda Civic EX, with a six-speaker, 160-watt sound system included on EX models and above.

The final test involved the judges listening to music selections in each car and awarded points based on system noise, tonality, realism, staging, and placement. With an average of 74.83 points out of a possible 100 the Cruze earned the highest score, with Corolla earning a score of 69.75 and the Civic finishing with 58.83. “The most important measure of an audio system is how well it recreates the experience of listening to a live performance,” said Stern. “From that perspective, the Cruze was clearly the best of the group, delivering more presence, more realistic sub-bass, and silky smooth midrange.

“In our competitions, stock systems typically score between 55 and 65 points,” Stern said. “With nearly 75 points, the Cruze delivers the performance we would expect in a luxury car – not an $18,000 car.”

The 2011 Chevy Cruze adds award-winning audio to its long list of exciting features. This, of course, is in addition to its 40 miles per gallon highway rating and numerous standard convenience and safety features.

Listen as the Chevy Cruze hits all the right notes when it arrives this October at Jeff Gordon Chevrolet.