For some time, car enthusiasts in the U.S. have been clamoring for more fun and affordable compact->ke140 hatchbacks,->ke304 and now is the time to put up or shut up. Joining the already long list of compact hatchbacks, it is being reported that the all-new second-generation Chevrolet Cruze->ke3230 will be offered as both a hatchback and a sedan.->ke142 Although the Cruze has only been a sedan thus far in the U.S., other markets have had access to the Cruze as a hatchback and a station wagon.->ke143

The report comes from Automotive News, which cited three attendees of a recent dealer meeting in Las Vegas, who said that a hatchback version of the next-gen Cruze was revealed under secrecy. It is also being reported that the hatchback shown was listed as a 2016 model, so it isn’t clear if Chevy will launch the sedan and hatchback at the same time or wait until after the sedan goes on sale to introduce the five-door. This latter scenario is what happen with the current Cruze as the sedan was first rolled out before the hatchback and then the station wagon joined the lineup.

Chevrolet->ke199 will introduce the second-gen this week, and while we’ve only seen spy shots of the car, it will have the same basic shape as the redesigned Cruze that launched last year in China. This new design will essentially leave the new Cruze sedan looking like a shrunken version of the new 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, so it will be interesting to see how well the swoopy new design language lends itself to a hatchback body style.

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Why it matters

Despite being developed during one of the darkest periods for General Motors,->ke1024 the current Cruz has proven to be a global success for General Motors. Adding a hatchback model in the U.S. will allow the Cruze to garner even more sales while competing against compact hatchbacks like the 2014 Kia Forte5, 2016 Hyundai Elantra GT, 2015 Ford Focus, 2015 Volkswagen Golf and the 2014 Mazda3 Hatchback, as well as the expected return of the Honda Civic->ke236 Hatchback.

2015 Chevrolet Cruze

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