The refreshed 2019 Chevrolet Cruze has been introduced for the North American market, featuring an updated design and equipment list. The model is available in both sedan and hatchback body styles, with a choice of a 1.4 litre turbo petrol and 1.6 litre turbodiesel engines.

The visual revisions are relatively minor, starting with a different design for the front grille. Elsewhere, the fog lamp section in the corners of the bumper are a lot larger than before, and the Chevrolet bowtie logo has been moved to the chrome trim piece separating the upper and lower intakes.

Higher-end variants also come LED taillights, while cars with the RS package (the red hatch) are identified by black window mouldings, logos and machined finished 17-inch alloy wheels (18-inch optional). Additional wheel designs are also available for other variants.

Moving inside, the facelift adds on a standard 7-inch touchscreen display for the new Chevrolet Infotainment 3 system, remote start and automatic climate control on certain variants, plus an Umber interior colour.

A comprehensive suite of the safety and driver assist systems will also be offered, which include Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Rear Park Assist, Following Distance Indicator, Forward Collision Alert, Front pedestrian braking, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning and Low Speed Forward Automatic Braking. Ten airbags remain as standard across the entire variant range.

As mentioned at the start, buyers will get to choose from two engines, with both being from the Ecotec family. On the petrol front, the 1.4 litre turbo four-pot makes 153 hp at 5,600 rpm and 240 Nm of torque from 2,000-4,000 rpm, all going to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. The oil burner serves up 137 hp and 325 Nm, also directed to the front but with a nine-speed auto instead. If there’s no mention of the previous six-speed manual, that’s because that option has been omitted for the 2019 model year.