The Chevy Cruze will be revealed this week at the L.A. Auto Show, but GM has released pictures of the car ahead of the live unveiling. The Cruze is Chevrolet’s post-bankruptcy attempt to do what it failed to do with the Cavalier and Cobalt and build a competitive small car.  Chevy’s Cruze, which shares a platform with the Volt electric concept, will replace the Cobalt for the 2011 model year.

The Chevy Cruze is going up against the Civic, Corolla and Focus in the small car segment, so it will have to be a really great car to sell when buyers are comparing it to the established favorites. According to Autoblog, the Cruze will come with a 140-hp turbocharged 1.4 liter engine and is expected to receive an EPA rating of 40 mpg highway. Those are some pretty impressive numbers, but the Civic and Focus are both set to be redesigned soon so it remains to be seen if the Cruze’s great gas mileage will set it apart from the crowd.

Autoblog says that the Cruze won’t be on dealer lots for another nine months, so if you need a new car right now, the Cruze might not be worth waiting for.  If you’re in the market for a new small car and can wait until mid-2010 to buy, you should definitely bide your time and check out the Cruze.  The Cobalt will be worth a look too while you’re there, as they will be heavily discounted once the flashy new Cruze starts showing up on dealer lots.

Picture via Autoblog.