Chevrolet SRV 1.6 - Incremental Progress

1.6 litre inline four same as the Optra 1.6, but feels much more responsive Almond shaped headlamps look good, though the front is not exactly the SRV’s best angle 12-spoke alloys shod with 195/60 R15 Goodyear GT3 tyres are part of the options pack and provide ample grip around corners Being a passenger in the SRV may not be as exciting as taking the wheel, but it's no less luxurious. Leg room abounds, both in the front and the rear.

In fact, even with the front seats pushed back to their stops, there was still ample space for back benchers. At one point, I was driving around with three people on the 40:60 collapsible rear bench, and never did I hear a single word of complaint from any of them. And for coffee addicts, an armrest with cup holders unfolds out of the middle of the rear backrest if need be. For those extended weekend getaways, there's a lot of space for luggage in the deceptively small looking boot. Occupants of the SRV are going to love it, no matter where they're sitting.

When I turned the ignition key for the SRV the first time and revved up, all I wanted to do all day was sit there and listen to the 1.6-litre, inline-four thrum in response to my right foot. The mill is the same as the Optra 1.6, churning out 101PS at 5800rpm and 140Nm of torque at 4500 rpm, but shorter gearing on the SRV (especially the first three gears) means it's quicker off the line than its cousin. During speed tests, the SRV turned in a zero to 100 km/h time of 12.78 seconds and a top speed of 175.98 km/h on the V-box, which was not bad at all for a vehicle tipping the scales at 1230kg. The SRV's five-speed manual gearbox is fairly slick and precise, and shifting gears on this car is not a chore like it is on some others.

The SRV works in the city, sure, but how does it behave once it hits the highways and our favourite set of twisties? Well, we did take it out on the narrow, winding roads near Pune, and the SRV acquitted itself with grace. Keep the revs northward of the 3000rpm mark and the SRV rewards you with vigorous acceleration. Steering is light and responsive, and at the same time, has tactile feel. Handling is, by and large, neutral and the SRV doesn't display pronounced understeer like most front wheel drive hatchbacks. Push it hard through a corner and the SRV holds its line, making it ideal for a spot of spirited driving. And the SRV's 195/60 R15 Goodyear GT3 tyres offered high levels of grip even while cornering hard in the wet, so certainly, the car's handling/cornering abilities are none too poor.

The SRV employs independent suspension all round - McPherson struts on both axles with an A-frame arm in the front, and dual wishbones and a trailing arm at the rear. Low speed ride quality is not too bad, though it could have been better damped. Things get better at higher speeds, and potholes, speed-breakers and rumble strips are dispensed with impunity. As a package deal, the SRV offers a very workable tradeoff between supple ride quality and outright handling abilities.

Interiors are predominantly black, with classy metallic touches. Very neat! Alpine music system and featured steering wheel part of the options pack Passengers have nothing to complain about- ample legroom and a pop-out central armrest. Note tweeters beside the door handles Coming to another very important factor - fuel efficiency -the SRV does reasonably well.

In tests, it returned a figure of 9.8kmpl in the city and 17.5kmpl on the highways. Overall fuel efficiency was around 11.7kmpl, which we think is all right for a 1.6-litre engine. The SRV costs Rs 7.84 lakh (OTR Pune), which is sure to attract the young and the moneyed. Shell out an additional Rs 59,971 and you have the choice of upgrading your SRV with an options pack that includes goodies like 15-inch alloy wheels, leather wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, an Alpine music system with a remote, a front bumper that stays relatively undamaged up to speeds of 8km/h and a driver's side airbag. Just one thing here - we would have liked the airbag to be a standard fitment!

So there you have it. The SRV looks good, and drives well. In a market littered with half a dozen boring old hatchbacks, with little or no character, this is one sporty, stand-out car - one that you'll love driving, and showing off to your neighbours. Yes, we are impressed!

SECOND OPINION This little Chevy is the first of its kind in India and the sporty hatchback design definitely adds spice to the styling. The interiors look good and there is an element of roominess inside. I loved the positioning of tweeters near the handles on each door, which complements the lovely sounding Alpine system. Compared with the Optra and the Aveo, the 1.6-litre engine feels way better in the SRV, in terms of the punch and overall performance, primarily due to the shorter gear ratios used here. Around our favourite set of twisties, the car exuded lot of confidence - the Goodyear rubber provided ample grip and the sporty suspension setup worked wonders for the handling. After a long time, I really enjoyed driving an Indian car!

The SRV will do everything. Take your kids to school, take your better half shopping, feel at home at the best of the parties around town and take you to office every day without fail. A must have car for 'metrosexuals' who earn seven digit salaries.