Chevrolet SRV 1.6 - Incremental Progress

The new SRV sure looks good. So good in fact, that from some angles, it has shades of the scrumptious Alfa Romeo Brera. But is the SRV as good to drive as it is to look at?

Story : Muntaser Mirkar Photography : Kunal Khadse

THINK CHEVROLET AND YOU think Corvette. Well, at least I do. The 2006 Corvette Z06 has a 7.0-litre engine that pumps out close to 500 horses in stock trim - enough to make your mind go numb at the faintest dab of the throttle. Chevrolet has it all - racing history, a loyal customer base, and great looking and performing cars. Which is why the Optra and the Aveo, good cars in their own right, don't fit the Chevrolet tag in my mind. Enter, the Chevrolet SRV.

If there's one car that has the potential to spin the image of a brand around by a tight 360 degrees, it has to be the SRV. A small drive around the block in the SRV elevated me to celebrity status, with on-lookers craning their necks to catch a better glimpse of this stylish new hatchback. GM India calls it a 'Premium Sportsback,' and the SRV looks like one too. It has the makings of a hot hatch. Twenty minutes with the car had my mind racing with scenes straight out of The Fast and the Furious. It was love at first sight.

Look at it from the rear three-quarters and you'll be bowled over by its Brera-esque back end. Once you're done admiring the large tail lamps, walk over to the side and its low profile and rising waistline add to the sporty flavour. Twelve spoke alloy wheels, which are an optional extra, fill the muscular wheel arches very well. The front end isn't as strikingly good looking as the rear - almond shaped head lamps with matt black surrounds are classy, but along with the grille, don't gel too well with that fabulous back end. In any case, the car is available in four colours - black, blue, red and silver - and I'd take the black. And I'd take the optional rear spoiler too. Overall, I'd say that Italdesign (of Turin, Italy) have done some excellent work with the SRV, and that stylewise, the SRV is something of a benchmark for Indian cars. Good for you GM!

Step into the lively-looking cabin and little touches all around put a smile across your face. Door trim is mock carbonfibre patterned fabric that looks quite cool. The interior is predominantly black, with touches of silver, chrome and grey to liven things up a bit. It works. The dash is neatly laid out, with a silver band splitting it horizontally. The aluminium rimmed speedo and tacho are clearly visible through the leather wrapped steering wheel, which features metal-effect inserts. Knick-knacks abound in the form of numerous storage spaces, cubby holes, cup holders, driver's side sunglass holder and my personal favourite - an air conditioned glove box. Our test car was fitted with an optional Alpine-branded MP3 audio system, with tweeters on all four doors. Sound quality was loud and clear and we quite liked the system. Seats are plush, with lots of thigh and back support. The driver's seat is adjustable for both fore and aft movement, as well as height. This means that even shorter drivers (I'm 5'6'') will not find it difficult to reach the pedals. The presence of a well placed dead pedal was much appreciated, though the steering wheel is not adjustable for rake or reach - GM may want to do a rethink on that.

Source: Car India August 2006.