Five-Point Inspection: 2012 Chevrolet Cruze Eco

Already-Spacious Trunk Gets Bonus Storage

Everyone loves a bonus, which is why the Cruze Eco’s fuel mileage is so nice, but there’s another extra the company won’t tell you about. Chevy shucked the traditional spare tire and its usual steel wheel in favor of a pump and tire repair kit to save weight.

Rather than the flat panel covering most spare tires, the Cruze Eco’s trunk liner conforms to offer the tire well as added storage capacity big enough to carry a gym bag.

While that probably doesn’t bump the overall capacity up much, each extra cubic inch counts when every seatbelt is being used and the Cruze already boasts cargo room that matches most mid-size cars, even though it’s marketed as a compact.