Just hatched

Chevrolet adds five- door Cruze

There’s a new branch on the Chevrolet Cruze tree: the 2017 hatchback, a small five- door model that sits in a compact footprint, wears mid- size dimensions and offers some fun ways to reconfigure the interior.

The Cruze has been Chevrolet’s most popular small car in America and a best- selling model worldwide. The affordable sedan is the little brother to the Malibu and is powered by a fuel- efficient but sporty powertrain.

The extra door brings more utility, despite the fact that the hatchback is slightly shorter than the sedan. With seating for five and 22.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat ( and as much as 47.2 cubic feet when the rear seat is folded), it’s a functional and sporty offering.

The hatchback is enhanced by an upgraded six- speaker audio system with Sirius XM satellite radio and steering- wheel- mounted audio and phone controls, daytime running lamps and fog lamps up front, special wraparound taillamps, a rear spoiler and special wheel and tire packages.

Under the hood, the Cruze hatchback is powered by a standard 153- horsepower, 1.4- liter turbocharged four- cylinder engine with 117 pound- feet of torque mated to a sixspeed manual or automatic transmission that has 0- to- 60- mph acceleration in 7.7 seconds. Excellent fuel economy of 29 mpg city and 38 mpg highway with the auto transmission ( manual transmission models drop those numbers by one mpg) comes thanks to direct injection and stop/ start technologies; it’s also 200 pounds lighter than the previous- generation model. A diesel engine with an all- new ninespeed automatic transmission and the six- speed manual will go on sale in the spring of 2017.

Inside, the compact hatch has comfortable passenger space, with 2 inches more rear leg room than its Ford Focus and Hyundai Elantra competition. Standard equipment includes Chevrolet MyLink with a 7- inch diagonal color touch screen; a rear- vision camera; standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility via the MyLink radio systems; and available 4G LTE with Wi- Fi hotspot, plus Chevrolet’s exclusive Teen Driver safety system that allows parents to set controls, review driving habits and encourage safe driving habits even when they are not in the vehicle.

We drove the Cruze Hatchback on a recent ride and drive in Detroit, where its dimensions shine in city traffic; its low- end torque allows it to dart and lane- change with relative ease — after the turbo kicks in. Its lower ride height will appeal to some; it is decidedly not an SUV or crossover, but has the look and feel of a small sedan with a larger, open trunk. The cabin has wide door openings, is light and airy with more elbow room than expected and good ergonomics to reach controls.

We appreciated the standard rearview camera and loved the wireless charging. The new model benefits from a host of available advanced safety technologies to help prevent, protect and respond in the event of a collision.

The 2017 Cruze Hatch LT is priced at $ 22,115 with the manual transmission and $ 22,795 with the automatic. The Premier trim is $ 24,350.