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dcargod 23rd May 2009, 1:27 amNowadays everybody wants a diesel vehicle for the sheer technology, refinement, performance and economy it offers. So, in the 11-15lac segment, there is only one proper diesel engined car which offers all these factors. Plus it goes an extra mile and offers comfort, space, low maintenance, looks, style. It is the underrated Chevy Optra Magnum. I have put it through the paces and hence present my review.
LOOKS AND STYLING
The Optra looks very handsome from all all angles. It, in its Magnum avatar, has lost its conservativeness and hence we get a stylish, sleek pointy nose which looks 'ready to zoom into the horizon'. The side profile looks like a blend of style and aggressiveness. The subtle shoulder line from the headlights continues through the side from under the windows and end at the comparatively boxy, yet attractive rear. The rear has been carried over from the older Oprtra, so nothing to say here. Overall the silhoette is not as well balanced and looks nose heavy.
INTERIORS
Step into the comfy interiors with ease and enjoy the comfort on offer. Both the front and rear seats are superemly comfy and only the Corolla Altis comes. The rear passengers donot get any AC vents though. The seats are full leather and boistering seemed pretty decent. There is no shortage of support from anywhere and driving position is pretty good with everything falling into your hands.
The rear seats are a good place to be in. very comfortable and supportive. Long drive in the rear seat will never be a problem, but three abreast may be because of the transmission tunnel and the central arm-rest. You donot feel cramped as windows are large enough and you get a feeling of space inside.
The quality of the interiors is debatable though. The quality of the dash, though decent, wasn't impressive. The chrome rings around the AC vents look tacky and wood finish in the centre is just decent. The leather seats is of good quality. The interior door handles, electric mirror adjust seemed tacky again. It gets all bells and whistles by way of equipment, but should have got more like electronically foldable mirrors, an essential feature for our roads, USB interface for audio system and powered seat adjusts(for the driver). Overall it is pretty good package, value for money.
ENGINE, REFINEMENT AND SUSPENSION SYSTEM
This is where the Optra made me proud. The engine is the car's strongest selling point. It is very responsive and always ready to play. Just prod the throttle and the car shoots forward. Acceleration is very strong in the midrange and doesn't tail off abruptly in the top. You can easily amble around in 3rd gear in traffic at situations where shifting down seems necessary in other cars. I tried to keep in upper gears as much as possible to keep this beast in control in traffic. This also aides fuel economy. I was at 40kph when I approached a bridge. I shifted to 5th to see how well it responds. I nearly floored the throttle and after about 2 seconds, whooooooooosh!! the car just shot ahead. Overtaking is not only easy, but addictive in this car. On empty roads too, it pulls to very high speeds very easily and in-gear acceleration is very strong. You just donot know when you reach 140kph+ speeds.
The gearshift was good but could have been better. It is okay during normal shifting, but faulters a little when you need that quick shift.
Engine refinement is praiseworthy. It is absolutely quiet and suppressed and most engine speeds and gets only slightly audible at high revs, which is very much tolerable and under control. Overall, there is just no complaint with the engine.
Complaint is with the handling. At high speeds, the car is very stable without a hint of nervousness. Problem occurs on rough roads with the front end, which due to the bulk of the engine, is heavy. It hobs and bobs over the bumps and feels uneasy. During medium-hard braking, it nosedives, which can be risky at high speeds when you have to turn along with braking. The suspension is soft, so handling isn't great inherently. The steering doesn't feel great either. The saving grace are the tyres, which are very grippy and help keep the car in control in the toughest of situations.
Then lets come to the good part of the soft suspension, i.e. the ride quality. It rides very well and silently over most bumps and doesn't easily go offline easily either. Only some of the hardest of bumps judders the occupants, but only just. Overall, this is another plus point of the car.
FUEL EFFICIENCY
Though I didn't get a chance to record it, I guessed that during my drive, according to calculations, I got an overall of 13.5 without the AC on.
OWNERSHIP
Chevrolet offers unmatched warranty for its cars, Though I donot know exactly, 3years/50,000 kms. During this period one has to only pay the labour charge. Plus extended warranty and maintenance schemes are also on offer. Spare parts are priced exorbitantly LOW and are very affordable. A rearview mirror with paint and integrated indicators costs 2500rs(source- Abhijit bhaiya). So, it is very easy on the pocket too.
VERDICT
I found the Optra Magnum diesel to be a very attractive package for those looking for a nice blend of looks, performance and economy, comfort and a no-nonsense attitude. If one drives huge distances and has 10-15 lacs to spare, this is the best choice for that person. Even if budget is lower, it is worth the stretch and well worth every penny spent. The engine is a real rocketship that will keep you smiling all the time. Only if it hand better handling....
LOOKS AND STYLING
The Optra looks very handsome from all all angles. It, in its Magnum avatar, has lost its conservativeness and hence we get a stylish, sleek pointy nose which looks 'ready to zoom into the horizon'. The side profile looks like a blend of style and aggressiveness. The subtle shoulder line from the headlights continues through the side from under the windows and end at the comparatively boxy, yet attractive rear. The rear has been carried over from the older Oprtra, so nothing to say here. Overall the silhoette is not as well balanced and looks nose heavy.
INTERIORS
Step into the comfy interiors with ease and enjoy the comfort on offer. Both the front and rear seats are superemly comfy and only the Corolla Altis comes. The rear passengers donot get any AC vents though. The seats are full leather and boistering seemed pretty decent. There is no shortage of support from anywhere and driving position is pretty good with everything falling into your hands.
The rear seats are a good place to be in. very comfortable and supportive. Long drive in the rear seat will never be a problem, but three abreast may be because of the transmission tunnel and the central arm-rest. You donot feel cramped as windows are large enough and you get a feeling of space inside.
The quality of the interiors is debatable though. The quality of the dash, though decent, wasn't impressive. The chrome rings around the AC vents look tacky and wood finish in the centre is just decent. The leather seats is of good quality. The interior door handles, electric mirror adjust seemed tacky again. It gets all bells and whistles by way of equipment, but should have got more like electronically foldable mirrors, an essential feature for our roads, USB interface for audio system and powered seat adjusts(for the driver). Overall it is pretty good package, value for money.
ENGINE, REFINEMENT AND SUSPENSION SYSTEM
This is where the Optra made me proud. The engine is the car's strongest selling point. It is very responsive and always ready to play. Just prod the throttle and the car shoots forward. Acceleration is very strong in the midrange and doesn't tail off abruptly in the top. You can easily amble around in 3rd gear in traffic at situations where shifting down seems necessary in other cars. I tried to keep in upper gears as much as possible to keep this beast in control in traffic. This also aides fuel economy. I was at 40kph when I approached a bridge. I shifted to 5th to see how well it responds. I nearly floored the throttle and after about 2 seconds, whooooooooosh!! the car just shot ahead. Overtaking is not only easy, but addictive in this car. On empty roads too, it pulls to very high speeds very easily and in-gear acceleration is very strong. You just donot know when you reach 140kph+ speeds.
The gearshift was good but could have been better. It is okay during normal shifting, but faulters a little when you need that quick shift.
Engine refinement is praiseworthy. It is absolutely quiet and suppressed and most engine speeds and gets only slightly audible at high revs, which is very much tolerable and under control. Overall, there is just no complaint with the engine.
Complaint is with the handling. At high speeds, the car is very stable without a hint of nervousness. Problem occurs on rough roads with the front end, which due to the bulk of the engine, is heavy. It hobs and bobs over the bumps and feels uneasy. During medium-hard braking, it nosedives, which can be risky at high speeds when you have to turn along with braking. The suspension is soft, so handling isn't great inherently. The steering doesn't feel great either. The saving grace are the tyres, which are very grippy and help keep the car in control in the toughest of situations.
Then lets come to the good part of the soft suspension, i.e. the ride quality. It rides very well and silently over most bumps and doesn't easily go offline easily either. Only some of the hardest of bumps judders the occupants, but only just. Overall, this is another plus point of the car.
FUEL EFFICIENCY
Though I didn't get a chance to record it, I guessed that during my drive, according to calculations, I got an overall of 13.5 without the AC on.
OWNERSHIP
Chevrolet offers unmatched warranty for its cars, Though I donot know exactly, 3years/50,000 kms. During this period one has to only pay the labour charge. Plus extended warranty and maintenance schemes are also on offer. Spare parts are priced exorbitantly LOW and are very affordable. A rearview mirror with paint and integrated indicators costs 2500rs(source- Abhijit bhaiya). So, it is very easy on the pocket too.
VERDICT
I found the Optra Magnum diesel to be a very attractive package for those looking for a nice blend of looks, performance and economy, comfort and a no-nonsense attitude. If one drives huge distances and has 10-15 lacs to spare, this is the best choice for that person. Even if budget is lower, it is worth the stretch and well worth every penny spent. The engine is a real rocketship that will keep you smiling all the time. Only if it hand better handling....
