As the last Chevy Cruze rolls off the GM assembly line in Lordstown, Consumer Reports' annual Auto Issue is arriving in mailboxes with the last review of the latest and last model of the small car.

The April issue of Consumer Reports places the 2019 Chevy Cruze among a list of fourteen best new compact cars under $30,000.

The magazine says Cruze is a “recommended” buy.  The Cruze and 12 other compact cars received the highest overall scores among the seventeen cars tested.

Based on overall performance on road tests, reliability, owner satisfaction, and safety features, the Cruze earns an overall score of 70.

The review says the 2019 Cruze “possesses big-car qualities, such as a comfortable ride and quiet interior. The standard engine is an unobtrusive 1.4-lite, turbo four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.”

The diesel Cruze also tops the list of gas mileage winners and losers, getting 41 miles per gallon, compared to the Kia Soul Plus at the bottom of the list with 26 mpg.

The older Cruze models didn't fare as well in the magazine's review of used cars.

The 2011 through 2014 Cruze made the list of “Worst Used Cars”. Those models scored poorly on reliability, minor engine issues, noises and leaks.

The 2018 Cruze has high scores in all categories.

Last month, Consumer Reports noted that buyers could save thousands of dollars on the Cruze; one of several cars GM is eliminating from its lineup due to poor sales.

Posts on social media indicate that the last 2019 Chevy Cruze was being assembled in the Lordstown fabrication plant.

GM said it expected that the Lordstown Assembly plant would stop Cruze production this coming Friday.  However, some UAW sources say that could happen on Wednesday.

General Motors has not assigned a new product to replace the Cruze.

The "Drive it Home" campaign organized by autoworkers and local community leaders is an effort to lobby GM to make a new car, truck, or SUV in Lordstown.

UAW leaders have said they plan to make the future of the Lordstown plant an issue in national contract negotiations beginning late this summer.