The bow tie brand now has an impressive new hatch. And we’ve driven it.
It all began some two years ago when three concept cars, the Beat, Trax and Groove were first shown at the 2007 New York International Auto Show. The concepts were displayed to the audience and their interest was gauged, with the idea that the one concept that attracted the maximum oohs and aahs would positively find its way into production. As it turned out, the lime green Beat seemed to sway more crowds in its direction than the other two and within no time, GM were already running test mules around the world.
What GM tried with its global small car plan was rather unique. To let the average Joe have his or her say in deciding what worked best probably has never been tried before. And let me put it simply — the average Joe certainly seems to have a keen sense of style and design, because the very first impression of the Chevrolet Beat is that it’s a bold design. The strong raised bonnet not only gives the car more integrity, but also combines well with the bold head lamps and the large grille.
The sharply raked shoulder line and the manner in which the double creases around the rear door and the wheel arch hide the lack of a traditional rear door handle is commendable. Yes, you read it right, but don’t worry, this isn’t a three–door car. The door handle is now neatly placed in some sort of a plastic cladding and it takes some getting used to at first. The rear tail lamps are the only bit that feel a little aftermarket, with their use of lenses and lamps.
Step inside and the Beat’s funky theme is perfectly carried over from the outside. The instrument cluster is what we’ve come to see on most modern day bikes, with the only difference being that the speedo is in place of the odo and vice-versa. The speedo is nice and large, with the rev-counter designed as a step–bar curve on the LCD display, which also houses the fuel gauge. Since it is attached to the rake-adjustable steering, there are no obstructions to hinder its view, though keeping your eye on both at the same time takes some getting used to. Another interesting design study involves the centre console. The V-shaped dashboard has a nice feel to it, with good use of materials. From the digital display for the air-con to the manner in which the buttons for the stereo are arranged, everything is pleasing to the eye and the hand. The piano black wood strip that runs across the dashboard gives it a rich feel too, though it can be a fingerprint magnet if you ask us.
The best bit about the Beat is its overall comfort levels. The front seats, for instance, provide good support and it’s quite easy to find a comfortable driving position. But move to the rear and you will be gobsmacked by the amount of space you can enjoy. Pull the front seat right to the back and there’s enough knee room and balance legroom for someone measuring 5 ft 10 inches — it’s that good! The flat floor also means it’s easier to place your feet, while shoulder room for even three is pretty decent. Despite the black cladding on the C-pillar for the door handle, you don’t feel like you are stuck in a cave, unlike the Suzuki Swift.
Powering the 3.5-metre long Chevy Beat is an all-new engine. Called the S-Tec II, this second generation small capacity 1.2-litre engine features a dual overhead camshaft and a variable geometry intake. This and other bits have helped the engine develop 79.5 bhp@6200 rpm and an equally impressive 11 kgm of peak torque. It may be a bit behind the likes of the Suzuki Ritz in terms of power and torque, but the lower kerb weight helps the Beat claw back some of its lost ground. The engine is rev happy and buzzy, something we’ve seen rather commonly on Japanese engines. Even with three people and luggage on-board the car accelerated quite well up to 120 kph and from there on slowly moved up to around 160 kph (all indicated). Not only have GM worked hard on the engine, but also on the transmission, which slots into place very well and isn't as clunky as the one on its bigger sibling, the Aveo U-VA. GMI claim a class leading 18.6 kpl as the ARAI figures for this car.
Ever since GMI has been building cars in India, ride quality has been one of their strengths. The same holds true even for the Beat, where the combination of McPherson struts at the front and a compound setup at the rear have been worked upon. It rides with the kind of authority one has come to expect in larger sedans and that also means its high speed stability is unaffected. Bad bumps and potholes are dealt with without much trouble or the transmission of undulations to the occupants. Handling is what one would term ‘safe’, with a more understeery setup to counter the relatively high amount of body roll. The steering transmits just the right amount of feedback , without feeling over-assisted.
GMI are tight-lipped about how they would like to price the car, but with competition from Hyundai’s i10 and Suzuki’s Ritz, expect the price to start around Rs 3.8 lakh for the base variant, going up to about Rs 4.5-4.8 lakh for the top-end variant that sports ABS and airbags as standard. Given GM’s ever-improving after-sales setup, the peace-of-mind factor can only be stated as positive. A three-cylinder diesel engine is expected in late-2010, but for us, we can’t help but wait and see when GM will begin its next exercise of asking people to choose a design. The next-gen Aveo, perhaps?