The Hindu Business Line : Chevy SRV, for the `recreation' minded

The Chevy SRV is one swell looking car. But it addresses the needs of a small, niche segment which will be less conscious of fuel efficiency and more mindful of performance that can match the car's external image.

Note: Accessories shown include after market options. - Pic: S. Muralidhar

General Motors' tagline for promoting the Chevrolet brand here is `An Indian Revolution', on the lines of the original — An American Revolution.

With the exception, probably, of the Tavera, every current Chevy model can claim to have signalled a revolution in design for GM India. And there are only Chevrolet brand vehicles in GM's fleet here now.

What is more, unlike consumers in some of the more advanced markets, we in India don't have any issues with the Korean roots of many of the current Chevy models.

After gradually moving its focus away from the Opel brand in the Indian market, and launching new Chevy cars developed by GM Daewoo Auto and Technology (GMDAT), the company has seen a clear reduction in the age profile of the average buyer.

The latest addition to the young Chevy fleet is also sure to promote the chic, fashionable image of the brand and be a big draw amongst younger buyers. Well, at least for its looks.

Build

The Chevy SRV (sport recreation vehicle) is a five-door hatchback with a sporty touch and is designed to look like the GTR/GTX version of a larger car. GM calls the SRV a `sportsback', not a hatchback. This premium hatch has been built on the Optra platform and shares a number of similarities, in terms of dimensions, with the larger sedan.

The SRV's wheelbase, width and overall height are all identical to the Optra's. In terms of overall length, because of its nearly notchback style, curved hatch door design, the SRV is only an inch shorter than the Aveo.

The SRV's ground clearance at 185mm is the highest compared to the Aveo and the Optra. Chassis build of this premium hatch is sturdy and rigid, enabling it to offer a fairly flex-free, stable ride at high speeds. The SRV is clearly one of the largest hatches available in the country currently. Its plus-sized dimensions, equalling that of the Optra, enables this compact to also offer loads of interior space.

Exteriors

Looked at from the front, the SRV is deceptively prosaic. With simple, elongated headlamps that flow over to the side panels and a large, square bonnet the SRV's front is definitely not its best. But make no mistake; the SRV is one swell looking car.

A few sporty touches at the front include a broad, sturdy bumper and large airdam, fog lamps and a slapped on flared fender (optional add-on) that gives the car its squat appearance. Smaller details such as self-designed, clear lens headlamp glass further the youthfulness of the SRV, but panel gaps and the design flow, especially near and around the headlamps, just don't match up to cars in this price segment.

Just step to the side of the SRV and almost immediately the car charms you with its fluid lines and muscular, aerodynamic profile.

The brawny waistline and the bold, flared wheel arches give the SRV an aggressive profile. If you are young (at least at heart) and car crazy, it is difficult not to fall in love with the Chevy SRV. Clearly, the car has been put through the wind tunnel and would have come out with a low drag co-efficient. And having been designed by Italdesign, the SRV has Giorgetto Giugiaro's magical hand written all over it. At the side, the most attractive features are the chrome finished, pullout style door handles, chunky outside rear-view mirrors, multi-spoke alloy wheels and the optional, flared side skirts with faux air-intakes.

But the best looking side of the SRV is of course its rear. The smashing, circular-themed tail lamps sit wrapped around, crowning the waistline that runs up gradually sloping from the front panels. An extra-large rear bumper with integrated twin reflectors add strength and character to the rear profile of the SRV. In addition to the single chrome slat on the bonnet grille that features the matt-beige Chevy bowtie, the logo is also featured prominently at the centre of the hatch door. A rear spoiler mounted at the top of the hatch adds to the `sportiness' of this racy looking car.

Great exterior, but...

The drool-worthy exteriors of the SRV, unfortunately do not get carried over into the car's interiors. GM has chosen to retain a very practical and very unadventurous style inside that will not seem appealing to the young buyer. What you get is a lot of space and room; after all the Optra wheelbase should ensure that.

But there is not enough novelty built into the interior to keep young buyers, who are willing to spend Rs 8 lakh on a hatch, happy. Seats are firm and supportive, the four-spoke steering wheel is good to hold and overall the instrument cluster, dashboard and centre console layout are all too simple to look at and have a stiff-upper lip feel about them. The finish quality is good, but the oomph factor is entirely missing.

And then there are the nagging misses, especially in this price segment. The turn indicator stalk is located to the left of the steering wheel, there is no remote boot release button and though the driver seat is height adjustable, the steering wheel is not adjustable for tilt or reach. The air-conditioning is very effective with enough power take-off available from the 1.6-litre engine and the circular aircon vents with matt-silver surrounds are the only bit of young design element inside the SRV.

Another let down ...

The character of the car's 1.6-litre engine further adds to the feeling of being let down by the Chevy SRV's relatively unexciting interior. The same 1,598cc, 16V, DOHC, VGIS (variable geometry intake system) engine finds itself shoehorned into this hatch too. But it has been re-tuned to offer a peak power of 101 PS at 5,800 rpm and a maximum torque of 140Nm at 4,500 rpm. Now, the engine offers adequate reserves of torque after it is well past the 2,000-rpm level. But since power delivery is not very linear and torque availability is stepped up gradually, the SRV feels a bit sluggish in the first two gear slots. What we would have liked to see, to please the buyer in this segment, is a more ready availability of considerable reserves of power right from the word go.

The culprit is possibly the engine mapping, which may have been done to strike a feeble compromise between fuel efficiency and better performance. The SRV clearly only addresses the needs of a small, niche segment of the car buying population. This segment, we would tend to think, will be less conscious of the car's fuel efficiency and will be more mindful of performance that can match the car's external image. Another feature that GM could have bettered in the SRV is its gearbox. Refinement of this five-speed manual is only so-so, with a shift stick that has a relatively long throw and a notchy feel too. The gearbox in the SRV may be found wanting by buyers used to expecting better.

Some of the other features that the SRV is offered with include split folding rear seats, a rear-seat armrest with cup holders, central locking, tachometer, floor console with lid and armrest, cooled glovebox, driver's side sunglass holder, power windows, electrically operated ORVMs, MP3 audio system with six speakers and front fog lamps. GM is also offering an options pack that includes a driver side airbag, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, 15-inch alloy wheels and an Alpine 2-DIN radio, cassette, MP3 player with remote for a higher price.

Overall, we cannot help but think that the SRV is a bit muddled in its priorities. It does not manage to bring together its fantastic exteriors with an equally exciting interior and performance package. Sedans, which are priced in the same Rs 8 lakh plus (on-road) category, may seem to offer more features than this SRV. Particularly, since this Chevy does not offer some basic luxury segment features such as tilt steering, remote boot release and a more young, funky and exciting interior theme.

The Chevy SRV could still be an option to consider for boys whose pockets are well-padded. But they must be ready to accept the compromise. It is not so much the mix-up that the SRV represents, as GM's lost opportunity to offer a genuinely sporty performance car to premium hatch buyers.

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