2016--2019 Chevrolet Cruze / Cruze Hatch - 1.4L Turbo Advantage

This is a good product and delivered exactly as the description explained it would. That cruise control button will get a little more use now.

I used to have a 2014 Cruze that had a tube on it and it was so responsive and quick. The car was totalled and I replaced it with a 2016 Cruze.

The new Cruze feels sluggish and choppy and weak most of the time or the odd time it would feel alright but was not consistent.

I was on the fence about the tune but I read all of the other positive reviews and I was convinced.

After I flashed the new Cruze, WOW I have the crazy responsiveness and power that the old car had, I agree with others saying it feels like a totally different car. 

I have so far only drove for 20 minutes as I did this all my lunch but just that this feels amazing, finally fun to drive again. If anything changes I will update this review.

Also note that when you do this flash your dash might say watch for ice and the temperature reads 0, I thought something was wrong but after 5 minutes it came back to normal.

Hol--ee--crap, did the Advantage tuning wake up my daughter's 2016 RS sedan!    Under stock tuning, the car was very sluggish, especially off a start, but that is not the case now.  There is a noticeable change in power and throttle response  at all points of the throttle, and thats on 87-octane gas.   The car is actually fun to drive now.

The transmission shifts have become crisp and on-time, and the car downshifts when passing without hesitation.  I also  flat-out love the fact that GM's stupid start/stop is gone, too.    Its still too early to tell if any noticeable mileage loss, but on my first 50 mile drive after uploading the tune, I did see that my average mileage kept going up and instant stayed the same as stock. 

If you're on the fence about buying this tune, dont be.   Its worth the money.

I went from a 2005 Saab(aru) 9-2x turbo with manual transmission, to my 2018 Cruze Hatchback/Automatic when I began commuting 60 miles a day. The car was acceptable and efficient, but a major fun downgrade. So much to the point where recently I was considering trading it in. I had a Cobb Stage 1 in the 9-2X, and it made a difference. When I found Trifecta did a Cruze tune, I figured it was worth the $350 dice roll (vs. the $10k I'd probably eat in depreciation, trading it in with 12k miles).

WOW, is all I can say. The car has completely transformed. The throttle response delay is gone. The shuddering at low RPMs in 5th-6th gear is gone. It feels like the car stole a VW GTI engine with the gobs of low end torque and smooth, powerful top end. I can't say enough about this product. Where the Cobb tune gave my 9-2X a little extra punch, the Trifecta tune completely rocked this car's (and my) world. I love driving it now, and honestly this feels like the best $350 I've ever spent in the automotive world.

I was worried about installation but the Trifecta customer support has been very responsive, and it couldn't have been smoother. It went perfectly the first time I attempted, which is not the norm for me and IT. As soon as I turned out of my driveway and felt the stronger pull and absolute lack of throttle delay, I knew it "took". Once the car was warmed up and I had to get by an Outback going 35 in a 45, I gunned it. I was not ready for what happened, quick downshifts, slingshot like acceleration to redline with smooth shifts, and in what felt like 3 seconds I was north of 60 and the other car was gone. The little Cruze stretched my arms for the first time, and it was awesome.

There is NO WAY I trade in the little sleeper now, it's super fun to drive and I haven't noticed any drop in MPG other than the times I dip into the throttle, which I haven't done more than twice probably since I bought the car. Now it's twice a day, minimum. PLEASE do yourself a favor and if you're driving a 16-19 Cruze, treat yourself to this tune.

I purchased this in December and have waited to write this review because I wanted to live with this tune and see how it performs on the daily, so far I have about 4000+ miles on this tune and no regrets. I drive a manual so I can't say anything about how it effects the transmission, but it effects the engine in the best way possible. My car finally feels alive! At first it seemed twitchy because I was used to how dull it was from factory, now it actually picks up and goes when I step on it. I can hear how the turbo holds boost longer, and I can feel it too. On average I get the same 32ish mpg I did from factory, even with my lead foot, but it really shines on the highway where I got over 38mpg over 2000 miles from east coast to west coast. I debated getting this for a few months and I recommend you skip the debating and just buy it. Don't mistake me, the Cruze isn't a fast car but this is much better than factory. I've recommended this to my friends who have Cruzes and they are planning on getting it after riding in mine. I can now justify putting money into my car instead of leaving it stock "because it's my daily."

sure makes it a lot more fun to drive and you can feel the performance difference thanks guys  

Awesome gains and a very easy installation process. Made the car perform much better than stock and the shift points actually make sense now. 

The one thing I didn't like about my '17 Cruze was that is just didn't have the get up and go of the '12 GTI it replaced, which I was willing to live with for a much more reliable car. Then I bought my Trifecta Advantage tune and the performance gap between the two closed much more than I expected. I didn't think a little 1.4T could have this much punch, especially with the long economy gears in the 6-speed manual.

Even better, the Advantage tune has the ability to work with more mods than I expected it to. When I bought my upgraded recirculation valve I was certain I was going to have to upgrade to Elite tuning. Not only did I not, but Trifecta got back to me incredibly quick when I asked if an upgrade was needed. The customer service is incredible. 

I'm definitely recommending anyone on the fence about buying this tune do it immediately. Not only for the surprising amount of extra power, but for the excellent customer service that comes with it. 

My 2016 cruze feels like a whole different car. I dont even know how I could drive the car before. It was like a slug taking forever to start moving and not having any power behind it. But now with the tune its responsive, sharp and has nice torque down low. With the automatic you step on it it’ll downshift and go all the way to redline very firm and sometimes hard shifts which I love. Gas mileage is about the same, most of the time I’m having too much fun but have been getting 22mpg with heavy city driving which is really good in my area. With traction fully off and a hard launch its all wheel spin and that’s on 225 all season tires. Don’t expect to beat any crazy cars but you will surprise some and keep up with others. With the push of a button (if equipped) I can go back to a stock-ish state and its a regular car again with auto start/stop and cruise control working perfectly. Really hard to find any negatives here for the price this tune paired with a K&N intake is amazing with way louder intake and turbo sounds. Install couldn’t be easier it requires a windows laptop but if you have a newer MacBook it is possible to run windows on it just look up a YouTube video worked flawlessly for me. If this hasn’t convinced you just buy it and you’ll thank me later amazing work by the Trifecta team

My last car (an '08 Astra) looked like it was more fun than it was. Sure, it was built well (by Opel in Europe) and handled great, but it was certainly no more than adequately fast. I thought I'd made a similar purchase with my '18 Cruze RS Premier hatch. All the equipment I wanted and great looks. Decent handling but not very quick.

The tune from Trifecta changed that. The car is eager now. So much so that, with the autostop disabled with the tune enabled, I need some pressure on the brake to keep the car from creeping from a stop sign or traffic signal. Certainly more so than other cars I drive as rentals or fleet vehicles.

But it is so worth it to have the better response when merging or passing, more fun when just driving and knowing it is easily made more docile by just pushing the cruise button. Brilliant! Anyone with an ounce or more of driving enthusiasm is missing out by not getting this tune. 

I have tuned at least a dozen cars over the past 10 years with Trifecta's calibrations and they never disappoint!  This 1.4 Gen 2 cruize tune is right up there with my LNF tune. Such a huge increase in twist in such a light car. And when I take long road trips my fuel mileage is well over the factory EPA estimated numbers! This tune made my daily commute a riot!

Best tune money can buy for a second gen cruze. Really wakes it up. Doesn't have a flat power band anymore. Just keeps pulling to redline. They even had support for my gmpp intake. Really like this this tune over a competitors tune. Trifecta has way better customer service than other tuning company's.  

I've been loving this tune. The stock programming is lazy and sloppy for both the engine and transmission. Reaching way too far for downshifts, weird boost building, lazy shifts that take so long you'd think it was damaged. This tune fixes all that non sense. The best part is the torque output increase is really substantial, my DWS06s are having a hard time hooking up now from a dead stop. I drove GM 3800 S/C and non S/C cars for years and this tune really makes me feel more at home driving again. I've named the button to disable the tune the "sad mode button" now.

Support is great too, even if you think your question is dumb they will answer and explain themselves / the issue. Installation is really easy, after you do it once you'll wonder why you were worried about it in the first place.

Tuned my 2018 Cruze Hatch, Auto Trans with the Turbo Advantage calibration. Car was kind of fun to drive before but was really lacking in throttle response and acceleration.  After flashing the tune it feels like a completely different car... Feels more comparable to GM's 2.0T, obviously not as much power but almost as fun to drive.  The torque doesn't feel like it dies off after 4000rpm like with the stock calibration and the transmission seems far less confused.  Now it's always in the right gear at the right time.  This tune on a car that weighs less than 3000lbs makes for a fun daily! Would recommend to anyone who is considering Trifecta.

All I can say is WOW!! This was money well spent. While this tune is not meant to make the Cruze a race car, it certainly woke it up. The performance is a VERY noticeable improvement. This tune even resolved the majority of the (auto) transmission "chugging" and the shifts are precise. Under hard acceleration, the motor stays in the power curve and passing, even at highway speeds is effortless, as well as just merging into traffic. You don't need to second guess if you're going to make it or not (just use common sense). Overall, I'm super impressed, and the fuel mileage is still awesome. Stop reading all the reviews and JUST DO IT, you won't regret it. BTW, Installation is a snap too.

The way the car should be.

I swear this makes this car feel alive! Really responsive, smooth and smart shift points and really gets up and goes when you floor it!

Night and day driving difference compared the stock. If you have a car compatible with Trifecta then do not hesitate to get your car enhanced! You'll actually love your car more than you did before! 

Gas milage is better (when not driving too hard) and I don't have to mess with the odd transmission logic for downshifts and odd acceleration points. 

Definitely recommended to have a good time. 

5 out of 5 stars. 

I installed it this morning. It's quite cold but the installation went through quick enough so I didn't freeze to death. Anyway I could feel the difference and switching from stock to tune was easy and verified the change. 

I've been using this tune for just about a full year now, save a couple weeks, and close to 35,000 miles within that year. This tune is hands down the best money I've put into this car, feels like it should have come from the factory this way. The transmission doesn't feel confused anymore, power from 3rd+ is absolutely wonderful for a little 1.4T. As for other reviews, yes, you will not be spanking any high powered cars such as a 5.0 'stang, 'vettes, SRT-8s, etc. BUT you will be faster than most of the vehicles on the streets. Hell, I've pulled away from both a RWD and AWD Infiniti G35 (separate occasions of course), most cars around that HP range will take you from the line but from a roll it's a different story. Also, sometimes it's fun to give about half throttle and watch your headlights raise up from the acceleration, then drop back down as soon as you let off with a tiny little BOV "psssewwww."

I will admit there has been slight hiccups, but the customer service offered by Trifecta is second to none. They are incredibly responsive, actually care about your vehicle and will attempt any way within their power to make things right with your situation. That perk in itself is worth the price, a company that actually cares about service after the sale.

This tune made my 2018 Cruze into the car it should've been when it was delivered from the factory. Absolutely a major upgrade for minimal cash. When I'm feeling mellow, I can get 40-42 mpg on the highway, just like the stock tune. If I feel like letting it all hang out, it's a heck of a fun ride. You won't take a Corvette or anything like that, but I've surprised more than one 3-series BMW and Audi A4. I've found that turning off the traction control so it doesn't get in the way helps. I have a manual transmission (yes, the gearing is stupidly wide spaced) and the engine is totally stock right down to the air filter. Your results may vary, but I can hit the redline in 5th gear at a speed not recommended unless you've done something to fix the hatchback aerodynamics. There were a few hiccups at the outset, but the Trifecta Team's customer service has been first rate and my tune is awesome.

Exactly as advertised...  As so many others have stated, this makes the Cruze perform the way GM "should" have built it.

This tune won't turn the car into a high performance machine, but it will put the fun back into driving it - putting a smile on your face.

A must have - great work on Trifecta's part.

(if only they could fix the horrible gear ratios in the manual trans - such tall gearing for fuel economy kills it - with this tune and the right gearing you could truly make a hot hatch out of this car).  Oh well - still fun to drive now.

I can not believe what a difference this calibration made to my Cruze! In just a few minutes it went from a mild-mannered gas saver to a car that is incredibly fun to drive. Everything feels different, from the throttle response to the torque, it feels like a completely different car than what I left the dealership with. My fuel economy averages slightly better when driving normally, and the local youngsters with mustangs and Camaros hate what it can do from a stop light. Trifecta's customer support is excellent! If you are on the fence about a calibration, do it! You will be amazed at what your Cruze can do!

Awesome tune. Never thought there would be that much of an increase of power to my 2016 Cruze. Night and day difference. And the support is excellent. Every question I had they answered quickly.

Had a ‘15 Cruze with Trifecta Mod, couldn’t live without it with that small motor. Went to a 2.0 Malibu and ran stock, the car was amazing. Traded it back to an ‘18 Cruze RS Redline and really missed the power of the 2.0. Compared to the first Cruze stock, the new LE2 motor performed better, but really not enough to make it enjoyable.

Purchased Trifecta Mod for the new ‘18 1.4t Cruze and — wow! Not the performance of the 2.0 Malibu, but definitely how this car should be from factory. Passing on 2 lane roads, not a problem. Highway/ On-ramp acceleration - not a problem. I still believe we can get more out of this motor with a stock setup, but I understand Trifecta peeps have their reasons for not maxing the boost out.

If you’re debating or looking into the benefits of this mod, stop. Buy it, you won’t regret it. Your Cruze will feel “confident” on the road.

Chris C.

Cincinnati, OH

Best purchase you can make for a Cruze, second only to gasoline.

I truly like this tune. My Cruze drives and performs much better. I had to obtain the services of a computer guy in order to install the tune, but it was well worth the effort and the modest added cost.

I think my fuel mileage is at least as good as stock, maybe little better, but I'm using 93 octane gas. The added power is really remarkable and I assume this is because the car is turbocharged and the boost is higher with the tune. Shifting is much improved and optimized for performance. Throttle response is crisp and predictable. I now have complete confidence in the car when I need to merge into traffic or pass another vehicle. No more hoping for a proper downshift or worrying about the car missing a beat when I step on the accelerator to accelerate after the auto stop was engaged.

I really liked my Cruze before the tune, primarily because of the great fuel economy, the roomy interior (for a compact car), and its good looks. Now the car is really fun to drive and that is a real plus. Now I REALLY like my Cruze. I always look forward to driving the car now that it performs so well.

I heartily recommend this tune to those who enjoy a vehicle that is fun to drive.