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General Motors is looking to make a splash in the compact, entry-level category with the all-new Chevrolet Cruze.

So GM just priced the Cruze at an affordable $16,995, about $400 more than Honda Civic. Why the Civic? Because it's the chief rival: cheap, bland and reasonably priced. It's supposed to be the perfect first car for newly-licensed teens who need enough pep to merge onto a busy highway -- without the extra engine power to get his or her first speeding ticket.

Though Cruze will be a bit more expensive, Chevrolet hopes it will make up the ground with more standard features. The Cruze boasts standard traction control, air conditioning, power locks, power side mirrors and stability control. And -- oh yeah -- 10 air bags instead of Civic's six to keep worried moms happy.

Under the hood, the Cruze has 138 horsepower compared to 140 for the Civic. It also has over 3 cubic feet more trunk space and 4 cubic feet more passenger room.

The $18,895 Cruze Eco is expected to get 40 miles per gallon on the highway.

For the price of a compact car, Cruze offers the styling, safety features, roominess, amenities, and refinement of a much more expensive car," said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president of Chevrolet marketing. "That formula made Cruze a hit overseas, with more than 200,000 customers choosing Cruze since it went on sale in 2009."

Source: http://content.usatoday.com