I bought a Chevrolet Sail Sedan, 1.2 LS ABS (petrol) in the last week of June 2013. Have driven about 2000kms by now. Firstly, I knew I was taking a risk by investing in brand not so well received in India. But I still went ahead with it, because my other options(Dezire and Amaze) in this price band did not impress me as much due to various reasons (size, safety features of ABS and airbag etc etc)
I chose the Caviar Black one and believe the car looks absolutely stunning from outside from all angles except the rear. The boot may have been slightly better designed, considering it is not a sub 4 meter car (like all of the other entry level sedans). The front grille is same as of d’UVA hatchback and bears a striking resemblance to the much successful Cruze. (only resemblance, they’re not the same grille.) But enough for a lot of people on the streets to confuse it for a Cruze in the 1st glance... :-) :-) Works for me!
The interiors of the car have been much talked about for being cheap in make and finish. Personally I had very low expectations on the interiors since reading enough reviews about it. thus I wasn’t disappointed as much. Coming to brasstacks, if one compares the interiors to those of City, Vento, Fiesta, Linea etc etc.. then no it definitely doesn’t even compare.
But for a sedan in dis segment and price band, the interiors are fairly good enough. I have got a Chevrolet accessory called "dashboard trim" to up the looks a bit and make me stop worrying about the "cheap" plastic once and for all. Also, no audio controls on the steering kinda puts it a disadvantage compared to Dezire and amaze.
All other major functional features expected of a driver’s car are present and very comfortable to use.
Rear legroom space is excellent and storage space under the seats is quite useful.
Now the engine and performance. Well, a 1.2 liter petrol engine for a car of this size, is no doubt going to leave the machine under powered. If you expect to zip zap and zoom every few minutes then you will be disappointed. I am not because an extra ordinary pick up which a 1.6 liter engine can provide was not one of my requirements. A decent pick up is good enough for me, which this car provides.
And when I need the quick rush of power, say to overtake a slow moving trailer on a narrow winding highway, shifting one gear down always solves the purpose. The car has been giving me a mileage of 13-14 kmpl on my daily commute. (I drive about 36 kms one way to work in Bangalore). Which for now is quite satisfying, considering I used to manage a 17-18 kmpl on my alto on the same route).
Have not yet taken it for a longish spin on the highway. But I assume say on a drive of 300+kms, I should get a mileage of 15 or so. The factory fitted music system could have been better. Fabric seat covers were too basic and could have easily gotten dirty (I got leather covers from the dealer itself). The gear shift might be a bother for some people. Test drive if you wanna know what I’m talking about.
Overall pretty satisfied with my purchase and would recommend the same to anyone looking for an upgrade from their hatchback.