Chevrolet Beat Diesel LT

Beat Diesel LT Review

Chevrolet India, the subsidiary of the General Motors has officially launched the refurbished version of its bestselling hatch model Chevrolet Beat. In a bid to arrest decline in sales, the company has made some modifications to its exteriors of this hatch and added some new features inside. This hatch is available in four trim levels among which, Chevrolet Beat Diesel LT is one of the top end variant. This trim is powered by a 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder diesel motor that is coupled to a 5-speed manual gearbox and returns a mileage of about 25.44 Kmpl. The company introduced this modified version with improved cosmetics such as a chrome plated dual port front grille, stylishly designed headlight cluster, jewel effect tail lamps, a two tone rear bumper and so on. Inside this hatch, it comes with a multi-functional steering wheel, which will enhance the convenience for the driver. The company has blessed this top end trim with number of features including AC unit, music system, advanced instrument cluster and so on. Currently the manufacturer is selling this hatch in a total of eight attractive body paint options including Cocktail Green, Caviar Black, Super Red, Summit White, Misty Lake, Sandrift Grey, Switch Blade Silver and Linen beige.

Exteriors:

The facelifted version of Chevrolet Beat comes with improved cosmetics on its front, side and rear profiles. On its frontage, it gets an all new headlight cluster with black finish inside and comes incorporated with halogen lamps. This cluster surrounds a dual port front radiator grille with a chrome surround and with the gold plated company logo in the center. The company has retained the design of the bumper and incorporated it with an air dam and with a pair of fog lights . The side profile of this hatch too remains to be the same with body colored door handles and external mirror caps. The wheel arches are expressively designed and they are fitted with 14-inch steel wheels with full wheel covers. The silver satin roof rails gives a stylish appeal to the side profile. The rear profile of this facelifted version gets an all new jewel effect taillight cluster and it is accompanied by stylishly design rear windscreen and boot lid. It also comes with body colored roof rails and dual toned bumper, which brings a rugged look to the rear.

Interiors:

The interiors of this refurbished hatch looks quite contemporary. The company has used good quality plastic inside the cabin, which gives it a refreshing look. The dashboard has a unique design with high gloss black finish and it comes with a stylish central console. The company has given the silver lining on the door panels, IP tray, instrument pod and on the steering wheel that accentuates the cabin. The seats are covered with semi-fabric upholstery that comes with stylish design inserts. The rear cabin is fitted with 60:40 split seats, which helps in increasing the boot space. The company has incorporated an AC unit, air vents, music system and other control switches that adds to the convenience of the occupants. Apart from these, you can also find features such as front door map pockets, cup holders, coat hook and other important aspects. There is an advanced instrument panel fitted inside that features a digital tachometer, trip-meter, door ajar warning, low fuel warning , digital clock and several other sophisticated features.

Engine and Performance:

The company has equipped this diesel trim with a 3-cylinder in-line TCIC engine that comes with 936cc displacement capacity . The company engineered this power plant with DOHC valve configuration, which allows it to churn out 57.6Bhp of peak power while generating a maximum torque output of 150Nm at just 1750rpm. This torque output is transmitted to the front wheels via a 5-speed manual transmission gearbox. The company claims that the vehicle can give away a peak mileage of about 25.44 Kmpl, which is quite good. On the other hand, this hatch can cross the 100 Kmph speed mark in about 15 to 16 seconds and it can reach up to a maximum speed of about 145 Kmph, which is rather good.

Braking and Handling:

The suspension system is one of the most important aspect of any vehicle in the automobile segment. The facelifted version of Chevrolet Beat Diesel LT comes with a highly robust suspension mechanism with its front axle fitted with McPherson Strut type of system, while its rear axle comes equipped with Compound Crank type of mechanism. On the other hand, it comes with a power assisted steering system that responds very proficiently. The braking system of this hatch is highly proficient as its front wheels comes fitted with disc brakes and its rear wheels comes equipped with drum brakes.

Comfort Features:

This Chevrolet Beat Diesel LT is one of the top end trim available in its series and it comes equipped with a decent set of features. The company has incorporated a number of comfort features including a power steering system with tilt column, a proficient AC unit with manual operation, internally adjustable external rear view mirrors, battery saver, front and rear power windows, rear defogger and so on. Apart from these, the manufacturer has also installed utility features such as 60:40 split folding rear seats, day/night interior rear view mirror, passenger vanity mirror, rear parcel shelf, cup holders, coat hook and many other such features. This top end trim also comes with an integrated audio system with AM/FM player, CD/MP3 player, 4-speakers, and connectivity for AUX-In and USB devices . For the convenience of the driver, the manufacturer has given the audio control buttons on the three spoke steering wheel.

Safety Features:

This top end variant comes with very limited set of protective features. Its insides are blessed with height adjustable front headrest along with driver seat belt reminder, that improves the cabin safety. The company has incorporated the fog lamps to the front bumpers that enhances the visibility ahead in foggy conditions. On the other hand, this low cost hatch comes with tubeless tyres that can deal with rugged roads, while providing better grip on slippery roads.

Pros: Affordable price tag, decent fuel efficiency.

Cons: Interior space is less, safety aspects needs to improve.