Cars 3 introduced Cruz Ramirez as a trainer at the Rust-eze Racing Center.
Cruz is assigned to help Lightning McQueen prepare for the modern racing season. She is a yellow sport utility vehicle with a background in training and a strong interest in racing, although she initially works within a different role at the center.
The relationship changes as Lightning’s preparation becomes more personal and demanding. Cruz’s own abilities and ambitions become increasingly important to the story, giving Cars 3 a second character whose racing identity develops alongside Lightning’s.
Cruz Ramirez is voiced by Cristela Alonzo. She should not be confused with Sally Carrera, Lightning’s friend and the town attorney in Radiator Springs, or Holley Shiftwell, the spy character introduced in Cars 2. Cars 3 premiered in 2017 and is the third theatrical Cars feature.