Update 3/2006: Scroll to the bottom of the article for the update:
Had anyone asked me a year or so ago, whether I would have considered purchasing a Chevrolet Optra, I would have laughed in their face saying ’’Chevy...No way!!’’ My preconceived notions of Chevrolet had their roots in America’s view of the car company, which is far from ideal.
Almost a year later, Chevrolet launches a 1.6 version of the same car, with identical options etc. As opposed to the 1.8 pushrod, which is a long serving Holden unit, the 1.6L E-Tec II mill is a spanking new evolution from Daewoo. While certainly not as efficient as comparable Japanese mills, this unit produces a surprisingly good amount of power from it’s displacement. 104 Horsepower and 15+ Nm of Torque to be exact. This is much higher than any other 1.6L engine sold in India.
In a car as light as the previous generation City, this motor would pave way for acceleration times seen only in the West. But alas, the Chevrolet Optra’s re-enforced Steel body, with All Wheel Independent Suspension (Basically Independent Struts and Springs under each wheel-well) contribute to the car’s weight of 1220 Kgs for the Base 1.6. While it may seem alot, it’s actually only 60 kgs heavier than a fully loaded Indigo.
When I first drove the car, I assumed it would be noticeably inferior to it’s 1.8 liter counterpart. Why would GM sell a smaller engine that matches it’s larger sibling in every way, and beats it in the fuel efficiency game? I DON’T KNOW...BUT THEY DID!
The 1.6 has a 0-100 km/h time of 11.6 seconds. That?s almost identical to the 1.8’s times. What a bargain, especially considering the 1.6’s substantially lower price tag (we’ll get to that later).
Ride and Handling, Interiors, Exteriors, Space etc. are all identical to the 1.8, so I’m not going to get too much into them, but I will say that the car feels and drives like a Solid European Astra, or something similar. It is extremely well engineered and built.
I am not impressed with the gearshift. It’s very smooth, but you can’t shift quickly. Even the Tata Indica has a quicker feel to it. Disappointing for such a fast car.
Now for the all important factors:
FUEL EFFICIENCY
The car is not as frugal as the New Honda City, but it’s really not too bad. A steady figure of 8 km/l in the worst City Traffic Conditions (Bombay Office Rush) with Air conditioner is respectable for this class. That number rises considerably when you turn the AC off and drive at a constant 60-70 km/h. The car should return 11-12 km/l realistically on the highway, which is damn good for this kind of car.
PERFORMANCE
The next pocket rocket, the 1.6 Engine is not about high end revving, like it’s Japanese rivals, but more about Low to Midrange Torque (pulling power). Make no mistake, this car is fast, but it does it in style as opposed to all out screaming of its valves. Like I mentioned before, expect to beat almost everything standing next to you at a stoplight. Even a 1.8L Optra.
RELIABILITY
So Far So Good. Touchwood. You really don’t have to worry with GM India though. They seem to cover you pretty well. The Optra 1.6 comes with a 2 Year Warranty and a 2 Year Service Holiday. They also provide the option to purchase an extended warranty for an additional 2 years. Even the Battery comes with a 4 year Warranty, so everything is pretty much covered.
It should be mentioned that the car needs a full service only once every year or 10, 000 kms, so that only adds to the hassle free nature of the car.
The cost of Spares scare me. If you plan to keep the car for more than 5 years, please look into the costing of parts. I am uncertain at this point, but hear that they are similar to the Opel Astra when it was in service. And that is Expensive. Hopefully, localization will bring that down a bit.
PRICE
Here’s the best part. You get a D Segment Competitor for a few thousand more than the New Honda City in the C segment. It is possible to own a Base 1.6 Optra for 7.8 Lacs OTR Vashi. (Base comes with Power Everything and AC). GM have done it again! They’ve taken the fight to the Corolla on one end, and the City on the other. And believe me, the Optra 1.6 is a much better car than the Honda City. It has a distinct upscale feel to it.
AVIV’s SUGGESTION’s
Everytime I write a review, I get a number of people asking me how to improve the performance of the vehicle overall. This section is for them.
- Wheels & Tires -
The Optra deserves bigger footwear. No doubt about it. I opted for larger 15 inch wheels with 195/60 R 15 BFGoodrich (made by Michelin) Tubeless Radials. These Tires are Monsters and the Grip they provide is simply Velcro-like. Wheels are nothing fancy... Indian manufactured Gravity Cast yet light, strong and very Sexy looking. The new footwear has changed the dynamics of the car to Superb. The car glides over potholes even better and provides incredible ride and handling characteristics on the highway. Even the city ride has improved due to the wider contact patch absorbing the bumps better. (If you’re afraid of upsizing don’t worry. GM USA and Canada offer 15 inch radials for the Optra as options. It is a safe Upsize for sure) Est. Cost - Rs. 25, 000 in exchange for factory wheels and tires. Not bad for this size. Try to make the Dealer subsidize some of the cost when buying the car from the showroom. It worked in my case.
- Synthetic Oil -
All my cars have used synthetic oil, and this one will surely benefit the most. High revving petrol engines require the lubrication of Synthetic oils to perform at their peak. I recommend MOBIL 1 Fully Synthetic Oil. If you can’t find it go for Shell or Castrol FULLY synthetic. Make sure you mention the Fully Synthetic Part. Your car will benefit from superior performance, longer engine life due to less friction and better Fuel Economy - Guaranteed. All my cars have.
Est. Cost - Rs. 2500/- per annual oil change. Expensive - but worth it.
- Regular Unleaded with System G -
GM India seems to think that regular Petrol with the System G additive suits the car’s needs best. Who am I to argue? Well...maybe after a couple years, I’ll switch to 93 Octane just to see how the car behaves?
- Catback Free-Flow Exhaust -
Definitely up there for you performance people. Increasing the width of the piping AFTER your Catalytic Converter by .5 inch, and leading it through a Stainless Free-Flow Exhaust will really alter the way your car feels AND give you more power.
Attempt this ONLY with someone who knows what he’s doing and you’ll be rewarded by 3-4 more Horsepower and a kick-ass Sounding car * Est. Cost- Rs. 5, 000/-
- K & N High Flow Filter -
The first step in Performance enhancements, this filter allows your car to breath alot easier and gives it a more responsive nature. These are just pleasant side effects. The REAL benefit is in the added protection it gives to the engine. Instead of using paper, this filter uses Cotton wrapped around aluminum wiring. This cotton is soaked in special oil which traps dirt very effectively, yet allowing for a larger surface area resulting in more airflow to the engine. And everyone knows that more airflow = more power. Expect the filter + Catback exhaust combo to yield atleast 5 additional Horsepower.Est. Cost - Rs. 5, 000/ Make sure you get the original K & N.
So there you have it. This is the best car, in my opinion, for Bombay city. The only niggles I have are with the gearshift feel and the costs of spares. Hopefully, I wont have to worry about that for the next four years.