Chevrolet Sail Hatchback 1.2 LT ABS

The facelifted version of Chevrolet Sail has entered the Indian automobile market with some minor updates to its interiors as well as exteriors. It is available in a few trims among which, Chevrolet Sail 1.2 LT ABS is a top end petrol variant. This vehicle is presently offered in six exciting body paint options for the customers to choose from. These include Linen Beige, Caviar Black, Summit White, Sandrift Grey, Switch Blade Silver and Super Red metallic finish as well. It has an eye catching outer appearance and includes some new aspects like chrome highlighted fog lamps, hawk wing style headlamps and a set of 6-spoke, 14 inch alloy wheels. The interiors look appealing in a dual tone color scheme. The stylish instrument cluster has icy blue illumination, while the steering wheel gets leather wrapping. Other new features in this trim include back-lit power window switches and luxurious leatherette upholstery for well cushioned seats. It is powered by a 1.2-litre SMARTECH petrol engine that can generate a power of 82.4bhp along wit torque output of 108.5Nm. It is paired with a 5-speed manual transmission gear box and returns a mileage of about 18.2 Kmpl. It is offered with a standard warranty of three years or 1,00,000 Kilometers whichever is earlier. This period can be further extended at an additional cost. It faces competition from Tata Zest, Toyota Etios, Ford Classic and a few others in this segment.

Exteriors:

This sedan is designed with an overall length of 4249mm along with a width of 1690mm and a decent height of 1503mm. It has a minimum ground clearance of 174mm, while the wheelbase of 2465mm is quite good, which indicates to a spacious cabin inside. It is blessed with an aerodynamic body structure that is fitted with a number of striking aspects. Starting with the front facade, it has a bold radiator grille that is treated with chrome and engraved with a golden company's logo in its center. It is surrounded by a new hawk wing styled headlight cluster that features high intensity headlamps as well as turn indicators. The windscreen is large and integrated with a pair of intermittent wipers. The body colored bumper is equipped with an air intake section and a couple of fog lamps that have chrome surround. The side profile looks attractive with body colored door handles and outside rear view mirrors. Its wheel arches are equipped with an elegant set of 6-spoke, 14 inch alloy wheels that are covered with tubeless radial tyres of size 175/70 R14. It also has a full size spare wheel that is affixed in the boot compartment with necessary tools required for changing a flat tyre. The rear end is designed with a radiant tail lamp cluster, body colored bumper and a boot lid that is embossed with company's emblem. It also has a large windscreen that is fitted with a centrally located high mount stop lamp.

Interiors:

This high end trim has a roomy internal cabin that can accommodate five people with ease and offers them with sufficient leg room. It is decorated with a two tone black and beige color scheme that gives a pleasant feel to its passengers. It has well cushioned seats that are covered with a new leatherette upholstery . The dashboard is neatly designed and includes a three spoke steering wheel, glove box and an instrument cluster with icy blue illumination. There are also some utility based aspects like front door map pockets, cup holders in front console, front seat back pockets, sun visors and a few others. It also has a spacious boot compartment of 370 litres, which can be increased by folding its rear seat. The door handles and parking lever tip are garnished with chrome which further gives a classy look to its interiors.

Engine and Performance:

Under the hood, this Chevrolet Sail 1.2 LT ABS trim is fitted with a 1199cc SMARTEC petrol engine. It is integrated with 4-cylinders and 16-valves using DOHC based valve configuration. This power plant is incorporated with a multi point fuel injection supply system, which allows the sedan to deliver 18.2 Kmpl of maximum mileage. It has the ability to generate a power output of 82.4bhp at 6000rpm along with a peak torque amount of 108.5Nm at 5000rpm. With the help of a five speed manual transmission gear box, it can achieve a maximum speed in the range of 145 to 150 Kmph. At the same time, it can accelerate from 0-100 Kmph in about 12.9 seconds.

Braking and Handling:

It is blessed with a responsive power steering system, which makes it easy to handle even in peak traffic conditions. This steering wheel supports a minimum turning radius of 5.15 meters. Its braking mechanism is further augmented by ABS along with electronic brake force distribution . The front and rear wheels are fitted with a set of disc and drum brakes respectively. On the other hand, its front axle is assembled with a McPherson struts, while rear one has been fitted with torsion beam axle type of mechanism. Both these axles are assisted by passive twin-tube gas filled shock absorbers, which helps in keeping the vehicle well balanced.

Comfort Features:

The list of features include all four power windows with driver side auto down function, an efficient air conditioning unit, power adjustable ORVMs, interior courtesy lamp, driver sun visors with ticket holder (driver side), a day and night internal rear view mirror, adjustable headrests for front seats and 60:40 split folding rear seat. It has an improved music system featuring a digital display with blue back light. It supports CD/MP3 player along with USB interface and Aux-in port. It also has Bluetooth connectivity for music streaming and handsfree operation. The leather wrapped multifunctional steering wheel is mounted with audio and call control buttons. It also has a 12V power socket in center console for charging mobiles and other electronic devices. Apart from these, it is also bestowed with remote keyless entry, cigarette lighter, rear defogger, luggage compartment light and an ashtray.

Safety Features:

This Chevrolet Sail 1.2 LT ABS trim is bestowed with quite a few protective aspects, which includes airbags for driver and front co-passenger, ABS along with EBD, a high mounted stop lamp, dual horn, key-in reminder, rear doors with child safety lock, speed sensitive auto door locks, rear defogger, fog lamps and a centrally located fuel tank. It has an advanced engine immobilizer that safeguards the vehicle from theft . It has a rigid body construction along with crumple zones and side impact beams for better protection. It also has 3-point ELR seat belts for front passenger along with pretensioner and load limiter.

Pros:

1. Elegant exterior design with a few modified features.
2. Good engine performance.

Cons:

1. Quality of interior plastic can be better.
2. Ground clearance needs to improve.