Chevrolet Sail

Expert Review by Maxabout

Main

Chevrolet India has launched the much-awaited sedan version of Sail U-VA, it will sold as 'Sail'. It is available in both petrol and diesel and prices start form INR 4.99 lakhs for the base model of petrol and INR 6.29 lakhs for the base model of diesel. Chevrolet Sail is available in eight variants and seven shades. A stylish sedan with a streamlined exterior and luxurious interior, Chevrolet's latest offering in India, the Chevrolet Sail, is sure to turn heads wherever it goes. But that's not the only reason you should take a good look at this car. With a starting price of just under INR 500000 (approx., may vary)for the base model, the car is highly affordable without sacrificing the luxury, comfort, speed, safety and smooth driving experience expected of a Chevrolet sedan.

Exterior

The first thing you will notice about Chevrolet Sail is its bold front-end design which is the embodiment of Chevrolet's Dynamic Structure Design concept. Chevrolet has paid a lot of attention to the designing of new Sail. It’s quite clear when you look at it for the first time. The car may not be as stylish as Swift DZire or VW Vento but certainly looks much better and modern than other rivals like Ford Fiesta and Toyota Etios. The car looks best when seen from its front. The face of this car is very simple yet stylish. Chevrolet has done a commendable job as this car truly feels a generation ahead of Aveo. Its angular headlights and split front grille makes it an attention seeker. The bonnet also complements the front styling and gives it a mature and stable look. The front bumper has nice edgy lines on it which makes it look aerodynamic. This bumper houses two round shaped fog lights and a simple air dam in it. Move to the side of this car and you can easily notice the high ground clearance of this car. Body coloured outside mirrors are mounted on the front gates. The car has noticeable wheel arches and along with 14 inch alloy wheels it does look sporty. The rear look of this car is very subjective. This type of styling is out-dated and only Chevrolet can answer why did they opt for such design. The simplicity at the back may not work in the favour of this car.The car is not extraordinary in terms of designing but can easily be remembered.

Interior

You will find the interior of the Sail equally impressive. The first thing you'll notice when you enter the car is how spacious it is. Of course, there are sedans that have a more spacious interior, but they don't come in the Sail's price range. Both the front and back seats have ample leg room that allows you to stretch out and recline in comfortable position. The stylish armrest in the rear seat can be folded to create more space if the need arises. The car uses dual tone interiors and looks completely different from its predecessor. The cabin has taken a big leap forward but if you compare its quality with others, there is still room for improvement. The plastic quality specially is a matter of concern which should have been better. Other than this everything looks perfectly placed. It’s a very airy cabin with stylish door pads and triangular inside door handles. The V-shaped three spoke steering wheel and gear knob is wrapped in leather and enhances the aura inside. You will be amazed by the legroom and shoulder room inside. The front sitting is quite comfortable and offers ample amount of headroom but tall people at the back may complain about the headroom. It’s very spacious for five people.

Comfort and Convenience

There are many features stuffed in this car for your comfort and convenience. The front seats of this car are very comfortable and offer you maximum comfort as there is adequate amount of back and under thigh support. However, its driver seat is not height adjustable. The rear seat is also comfortable and feels optimum for seating of three adults but don’t offer you the comfort which you get in Swift DZire or Vento. The car features power steering, AC with heater and all four power windows with buttons placed ahead of gear knob. It has electrically adjustable outside mirrors, tilt steering and digital tachometer. Other features include remote key less entry, rear defogger and digital clock.

Dashboard and Storage

Dashboard also uses dual tone colors on it and comes fitted with an aggressive V-shaped central console which makes it look attractive. The shape of central AC vents and the area above it looks extremely dynamic and with silver finishing on this central console, things just get better. The design and texture of this dashboard is completely different from every other Chevrolet car. This dashboard feels better than its competitors like Toyota Etios but it can’t match the standards of Swift DZire and especially VW Vento. The plastic quality of the buttons used on its central console could have been better as these things matter in this department. The car also has cup holders in front console, bottle holder, front door pockets and back pockets on its front seats.

Music System

The central console comes with an integrated audio system. It’s a radio, CD and MP3 player with four speakers. It has in built AUX-IN and USB ports for direct connectivity of music gadgets. The car also features Bluetooth connectivity with vital features like Mobile music streaming, hand free, phone pairing and make or reject a call. There is also a 12V accessory socket at its front. However you will miss the steering mounted audio and Bluetooth controls which should have given in the top variant.

Engine and Gearbox

Chevrolet Sail is available with one engine each of petrol and diesel. The petrol motor is 1.2L Smartech DOHC engine which churns out a maximum power output of 85 bhp at 6000 rpm with utmost torque output of 113 Nm at 5000 rpm. The unavailability of a diesel engine in Aveo has been a major reason for its failure .To get rid of that problem, Chevrolet has equipped a diesel engine in Sail. This unit generates a maximum power output of 76 bhp at 4000 rpm with a torque output of 205 Nm available at 1750 rpm. Both petrol and diesel engines are mated to five-speed manual transmission.

Safety Features

Those looking for a safe-to-drive car will appreciate the pain that the manufacturer has taken to equip the Chevrolet Sail with advanced safety features. It’s safe-case design with inbuilt crumple zones and side impact beams protects the occupants during an impact. The high strength steel body structure and the cross-structured centrally located fuel tank provide protection from side impacts. The car is equipped with the standard anti-lock braking system (ABS) and electronic brake force distribution (EBD) that prevents wheel locking and provide a better steering control. The dual airbags in the front protect the driver and front-seat passenger during high speed frontal impact. The top variant comes with front dual air bags, key in reminder and security alarm system. Other safety features include speed sensitive auto lock, engine immobilizer and child door locks.

Suspension and Brakes

The gas filled shock absorbers of Sail makes it an extremely comfortable car. You won’t need to slow down the car on every speed breaker as most of the bumps are taken very easily by this car. Even with full seating of five, the car doesn't complain much. The braking system in this car involves disk brakes at its front with drum brakes at its back. The top variant also features ABS with EBD for safe driving.

Variants

Chevrolet Sail is available in eight variants: four of petrol and four of diesel. The variants are Petrol Base, Petrol LS, Petrol LS ABS, Petrol LT, Diesel Base, Diesel LS, Diesel LS ABS and Diesel LT.

Shades Available

Chevrolet Sail is available in seven exciting shades: Summit White, Linen Beige, Caviar Black, Misty Lake, Velvet Red, Sandrift Grey and Swift Blade Silver.

Warranty

Similar to other Chevrolet cars, Sail also comes with a warranty of 3 years/100000 kilometres.

Reasons to Buy

Luxury, comfort, safety and style - all of these features come at a very affordable price range starting from INR 499000 (approx., may vary). Although there are faster and more powerful cars in this class, the Chevrolet Sail beats most of them in fuel economy. The bold and stylish exterior gives this sedan the impression of being a rich man's car. If these are not good enough reasons to buy a car, then what is?

Verdict

The Chevrolet Sail is the car to buy if you are looking for style, comfort and fuel-economy at an affordable price. The car has a good power and speed and is built for driving both in the city and on the highway. However, it is not built for rough terrains and, therefore, not recommended for those who live in or have to drive to countryside on a regular basis. But for those who live in the city, this stylish sedan is value for money and a better buy that other sedans of its class.