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The Chevrolet Aveo has been some time coming. Those who have lived in Bangalore must be all too familiar with the chess board style grey small car that was being tested everywhere; wellthe smaller version didn’t make it here. The saloon though, did DESign and sTYling.. but make no mistake they aren’t really the same cars. This one has undergone major treatments at the hands of ace stylist Giorgietto Giugiaro, and the statement it makes is quite a big one. It shows off like much bigger cars. The fiesta included. The lines are big, the chrome deep set grille, the big V on the bonnet, flared wheel arches and 14″ tyres, all make for a nice statement. you will also notice that this car has no antenna, well it has one but it is a sticker printed onto the rear windshield! Looks like GM wants to pull a clever one on Honda! The most impressive thing about current GM cars seem to be the profile, like the Optra, the Vectra and so on; the Aveo is no exception, the profile is amongst the most pleasing I have come across thanks to the sloping roof and a well integrated C pillar. The Genes seem lost in translation. We are unable to see how it even remotely matches with that small car we saw in Bangalore some time ago. Finding a nice driving position on this Chevrolet is no sweat, but the car is not for the sportingly inclined driver; a point I will be driving home in some more time. The Air conditioning on this car is top notch and one thing is especially noticed was the noise insulation; it almost cuts out the rest of the world as soon as you push all those windows up. The mirrors fold both ways, could come in handy if you are bit poor at reversing perhaps, I really couldn’t find a better use for it. Internal electric adjust is available in the top end model; but electric retract still isn’t.

We came away very impressed from the display area, pleased to no end about the looks and feel of what we had seen. Then after being led to the test car, we slowly led our way out of the showroom. There is much spoken about the all encompassing VGIS system, how it makes the engine that much cleverer and so on. Before I comment, this is a 1399cc 16 valve 4 cylinder in-line engine, with mpfi; that pumps 94ps of power and 128Nm of torque, I knew that before I drove it and I know very well 90 horses when I see them. So, I floored it; the revs never built up, so I switched off the air conditioner and there was some respite. The engine took a while before it decided to go fast, but finally it did. I really wished it hadn’t; the engine feels too coarse when revved, it seems more than happy to keep purring in the range of 2000 and 3000rpm, not beyond. Don’t mistake me, this isn’t a bad engine; it actually is a very good number but it isn’t meant to be revved, it likes to cruise just the way most American cars do. The VGIS system which stands for Variable Geometry Intake System makes clever variations to the intake manifold length and geometry to make sure that the engine has optimum intake and exhaust back-pressure, this makes the Aveo torquey, very torquey. It is able to garner revs very easily thanks to the oodles of torque available low down.

The gearbox is a 5 speed manual, with one reverse gear. The gearbox we found was of slightly long throw, but the gear ratios have been designed to give ease of drivability both during city runs and on the highway. Unfortunately, carsinindia.com currently doesn’t hold enough prominence to borrow the cars for high speed testing but the engine seems capable to reaching up to 180kph without much fuss. The major flaw of this gearbox though is in the way it shifts, sometimes the changes are rather notchy, something GM could really work on to make this car that much more desirable.

The chevy is a very comfortable car as I have mentioned before and don’t let that engine and transmission bother you if you happen to consider having a chauffer to ferry you around town. This is a car not to drive, but one to be driven in I suppose; perhaps that’s what GM intends to make out of this car, because the ride is excellent. Thanks mainly to the raised suspension that has good amount of travel to absorb most of the bumps that the Indian roads throw at the car. The suspension doesn’t lose its composure most of the time, except at very low speeds which should be considered very acceptable. I happen to think that the ride of the Aveo is best in its class, one very comfortable sedan for the punishing Indian roads. The handling is once again the lower end of the sinusoidal wave perhaps, or perhaps the repercussion of the very comfortable ride. The Aveo steering is very light and steering at high speeds could be a nervous experience at best. The high ground clearance also plays truant when it comes to absorbing bumps at high speeds, but on an open stretch of road, you will love flooring this car, thanks mainly to the comfort it offers.

The Captiva comes with 2.0 litre VCDI (Variable Common Diesel Injection) Engine that churns out 150 Bhp and around 320 Nm of earth moving torque, this is basically the same engine that comes in Optra magnum minus the Variable Geometry Turbo.

Start the engine in the morning and you will realize it I am sitting inches away an Diesel engine. But as it settles after some time, and by the time you have clocked the first few kilometers, it turns ultra-refined and silent. The engine has already won accolades amongst power junkies for its sheer torque and performance in manual guise. The engine manages fairly well with everyday driving and expressway drives. Considering its almost 2 tonnes which makes it almost as heavy as Endeavour, this 4-cylinder unit does a decent job propelling the Captiva forward with utmost ease.

When I first drove the manual cousin of this Chevy I had to say this “like all the Chevy products in India, this Gearbox lives up to its family image of spoiling the party” but in this avatar the tranny has actually turned the cards in favor of Captiva. The drivability has improved by miles and the drive feels far more relaxing and enjoyable. There’s a tiptronic which can make you drive in manual mode too to satisfy Schummi inside you. The Auto box has got some limitations also it’s not very quick to shift as compared to the CR-V but the low end torque from the motor and taller gear ratios can make it on par with petrol competition.

This macho machine rides on 17” wheels which offer it one of the best ride qualities you can find in any SUV at this price point. The Captiva feels home on any tarmac and ride is supple and comforting. Though when I received the vehicle I found it to be bit bouncy but soon found out the culprit to be the over-pressured tyresand  after re- pressuring the tyres to the correct level, the Captiva was ready to make the rides enjoyable.

The steering offers decent feedback and always responds to your ask, though it gets bit vague as it builds speed because of the bit softer suspension setup.

The Handling has also improved from its manual cousin because of the AWD, though you still can’t expect it to be in the leagues of CR-V which drives like a sedan. AWD system in Captiva majorly works as a front wheel drive but it detects and offers traction to the rear wheels as and when required, thus inspiring more confidence while cornering. Because of its size and higher ground clearance it has a bit of body roll but all in acceptable limits and it never rises to your alarming senses.

During its stay the major drive was done in urban and sub-urban conditions with one long drive to expressway, despite some spirited drives and being hard footed on the pedal it continuously delivered between 10.5 – 11.5 Kmpl which is exceptionally well for a 2 ton Auto SUV.

Brakes offer decent bite and help halt this 2 ton Vehicle with ease. Captiva comes with ABS – EBD as standard which you expect from vehicle of this category, all these gadgets do their job properly to ensure your safety and inspire confidence. During its stay twice I had to use the brakes to their limits and they responded amazingly well.

During its stay for 4 days this vehicle showed almost negligible signs of rattles, except for some rats from Ovrm’s and driver side window, which is acceptable as it’s a test mule which has already clocked around 14000 km’s.

The Chevrolet Beat’s face is inspired from a Cheetah’s. Not sure if the designer was viewing Wild Discovery while drafting this car, but the entire design from bumper to bumper is packed with cuts, curves and bends. The design is inspired from a moving cheetah, I’d say. A cheetah moving in for the kill.

Though the Cheetah face isn’t very evident, what is is its close resemblance to the concept car. GM’s design team did not go beyond the first draft while freezing the production model’s design. They stuck to the pull back headlamps, rising window line and muscular wheel arches.

For once I can say loudly that not all car manufacturers bring imaginary cars to auto shows. The real world now has a foreigner arriving from that location.

How does it stand apart in the most crowded segment in the country, where almost 70% of cars sold are hatchbacks?

The country in which the hatchbacks grow at the rate of growth in economy and population, it has to be really different and radical to stand apart from the crowd and that’s what this Chevy does well. It’s sexy, loud and radical, the design stands apart from the conventional looking hatchbacks and it would be more appealing to your wife or girlfriend than say your father or uncle.

The huge head lamps which is as long as the bonnet itself looks like sharp raised eye brow starring with some raunchiness.Chrome inserts added on fog lamps & rear lamps looks like an aftermarket job but works well with design.

The Chevrolet Beat was unveiled at the 2007 New York International Auto Show alongside two other concept vehicles, the Trax and the Groove, GM conducted a poll testing the popularity of the Beat, Trax and Groove concepts on a Chevrolet website, with the Beat receiving nearly 50% of the vote, which ultimately determined the car making it into production.

The Beat’s design is very unique and if I was to choose the most appealing design among the existing bunch of hatches in this price range, I’d single out the Beat over the Suzuki A-Star and Ford Figo. Despite being a replacement for the immensely popular Chevrolet Spark in other countries, look at the level of departure in terms of design and styling. Sure, the Spark originally is rebadged Daewoo Matiz with bits and pieces changed, but even then Chevrolet took the Beat to an all new level, leaving nothing untouched. This isn’t exactly the case with other car makers who stick to the existing model for a start in the design studio. Suzuki and Tata come to mind as examples while I write this story.

While I was speaking to Ed Welburn earlier this year on the Beat’s design, he said he moved the rear door handle closer to the C-Pillar as that worked for them. It helps the car move smoother through the air and the entire rear portion could be compressed by 50-60mm without affecting rear passenger space. The only let down is when the kids want to get in, they’ll have to reach for it.

Ed Welburn, GM’s Global Design Chief also spoke about the importance of design in today’s world. He said a brand needs to stand for something and that is represented by design. Customers today appreciate contemporary and spirited design and that’s what we have done to Beat. All the pain taken by the GM has resulted in a striking car and that answers our first question, this car actually stands apart.

It is hard to remember when was the last time the auto freaks got a glimpse of the 2012 Chevy Camaro after its latest set of images have surfaced with the top down. These images have been shared by the blog forum Camaro5.com and as per the forum; it was back in 2008 that a 2012 Camaro was spotted in a GM revealed teaser.

It was last year that GM announced the delay of the 2012 model arrival but later it was mentioned that the Camarao will be released in 2010 as a 2012 model. These latest images were clicked by an enthusiast who spotted the Camaro when it was being tested in Madison Heights.

Michigan which is about 13 miles north of the GM headquarters in Detroit. The car’s test driver also mentioned that the 2012 model must be available in the market by April 2011.

The 2010 Chevrolet Corvette lineup gains a new model, the Grand Sport. Chevy’s performance car comes as a coupe and convertible. Both body styles are available in Base and Grand Sport trim levels. Grand Sport replaces the Z51 option package and includes specific styling cues, suspension tuning, brakes, and transmission gearing.

These models have a 430-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 engine. An optional “dual-mode” exhaust system increases horsepower to 436. Transmission choices include a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic. Chevy offers other high-performance Corvette models, the Z06 and ZR1, both available only as coupes. Z06 has a 505-horsepower 7.0-liter V8, 6-speed manual transmission, specific suspension tuning, tires, and brakes. ZR1 has a supercharged 638-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 engine and 6-speed manual transmission. ZR1 differs from other Corvettes by its unique suspension tuning and use of lightweight carbon fiber on the hood, roof panel, roof bow, front-fascia splitter, and rocker moldings.

All manual-transmission Corvette models incorporate GM’s new Launch Control, which modulates engine speed in order to maximize grip during full-throttle launches. The ZR1 adds a “Performance Traction Management” system, which automatically adjusts the traction control and suspension to suit high-performance driving. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, and side airbags. Among the available features are a head-up display, navigation system, and wireless cell phone link.

The 2011 Chevrolet Volt makes its debut as General Motors’ first plug-in gas/electric vehicle. It is slated to see limited production, with launches in California and Michigan in late 2010. Full availability is slated for calendar 2011.

GM calls this four-passenger, 4-door hatchback an “extended-range electric vehicle” in that it does not work like most hybrids. With many hybrids, their gasoline engines and battery-powered electric motors can provide power to the drive wheels. With Volt, the wheels are always driven by electricity, provided either by an onboard battery or a gasoline engine. The car plugs in to a household outlet and charges overnight. Chevy claims a range of 40 miles solely on a fully charged battery and more than 600 miles when the gasoline engine is used.

At this point, it is not known what the gas motor will be, but expect it to be a 1.4-liter 4-cylinder engine that will also be capable of running on E85 ethanol-blended fuel. Available safety features likely will include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain side airbags, and front side airbags. Among the available features include a remote-charging and vehicle-control program that owners can download and run from Blackberry and Apple iPhone cell phones. Other features likely will include a wireless cell-phone link and a navigation system. We have not yet tested the 2011 Chevrolet Volt.

The 2010 Chevrolet Malibu lineup is revised, with the gas/electric Hybrid model no longer available for retail sale. This is the smaller of Chevy’s two midsize sedans. It shares its basic design with the Saab 9-3. LS, LT, and LTZ trim levels are largely unchanged. LS and LT have a 169-hp 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, which is now capable of running on E85 ethanol-blended fuel. LS versions have a 4-speed automatic transmission while the LT and LTZ use a 6-speed automatic. LT and LTZ have an optional 252-hp 3.6-liter V6 that teams with the 6-speed automatic.

The 2010 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid is no longer available for retail sale, but it can be ordered for fleet deliveries. Available safety features on all Malibus include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain side airbags, and front side airbags. A wireless cell phone link, leather upholstery, and heated front seats are available.

Consumer Guide Automotive places each vehicle into one of 18 classes based on size, price, and market position. Midsize Cars represent the heart of the U.S. car market. Most are price-sensitive, conservatively designed, family-oriented sedans and wagons. Our Best Buys include the Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Mazda 6, Mercury Milan, and Toyota Prius. Our Recommended picks are the Kia Rondo, Subaru Legacy, Subaru Outback, and Toyota Camry.