Chevy Optra affordable and luxurious
Nitza Arbi and Zatni Arbi, Contributors/Jakarta
A stripped-down Maybach, it is definitely not. There has never been such a thing, and there never will be. What about "a poor man's limousine"? Let's see.
When we got our first look at General Motors' Chevrolet Optra during its launch last year, we thought the car was a bit uninspiring.
But recently, when General Motors Indonesia (GMI) offered an opportunity to test drive the top-of-the-line version of the model, the Optra LT with a four-speed automatic transmission, we said to each other, "What the heck. Why not give it a try?"
Boy, aren't we glad we did! The car was packed with pleasant surprises that we would have missed had we not driven it for a few days.
Unfortunately, due to our hectic schedules, we did not get a chance to take the car on a longer trip to Puncak Pass -- as we did with the new Chevy Blazer DOHC.
All we could do was let this car pamper us as we took turns driving it around town to tend to our everyday errands.
Well-appointed amenities
Without doubt, the design group at the famous Italian Pinifarina put a great amount of thought into the Optra's exterior and interior details. This car is ranked somewhere between the Toyota Corolla Altis and Toyota Vios, or the Honda Civic and Honda City, but we were impressed by the amenities that it had to offer.
Our Rp 225 million test-drive unit had the level of luxury that surely no other car in this segment matches.
The leather seats felt a little too firm at first, but soon we found them quite comfortable and they provide ample support for long trips. The driver's seat, ergonomically designed with lumbar support, is height-adjustable.
The more senior among us also noted that getting in and out was not a struggle, making this mid-sized sedan a great choice for the elderly.
Other convenient features include a shoe tray underneath the shotgun seat, a cooler in the glove compartment and reading lamps for both driver and co-driver, in addition to the center dome light.
The cooler is patched into the air conditioner, and can be turned off. The air-conditioning itself is powerful enough to keep rear passengers cool and oblivious to Jakarta's hot and stuffy weather.
There is a hidden cellular phone holder in each rear door, right behind the front seats so the driver and front passenger can reach them easily -- a handy feature in case you find yourself stuck in areas frequented by the notorious Kampak Merah, or red axe, cell-phone snatcher gang.
There is ample space, although a bit more headroom for rear passengers would be nice. The rear seats are outfitted with three three-point seat belts, and there are cupholders for everyone.
In case you are also a fan of Linkin Park, the double-DIN audio system will make you happy: It features a six-CD changer and a remote control on the steering wheel, and it produces a powerful sound through its six speakers.
The overall exterior design is characterized by straight lines and a raised rear. The remote control also pops open the trunk, the floor of which can be lifted and hooked onto the top edge of the trunk well, making it east to retrieve the spare tire stored underneath.
A friend who rode with us on our first test drive noticed that steering was a slightly heavy compared to Japanese cars. To be honest, we liked it that way.
The power steering is calibrated to set speeds, and is clearly not meant to turn the Optra into a sports car. The good thing is that it forces people to exercise more discipline while driving: Although the car can be steered with one hand, at least drivers would not try it while sending SMSs at the same time.
By the way, in case you think no driver would be insane enough to do such a thing, we can testify that we once saw one performing exactly this frightening maneuver while driving his SUV along the Jagorawi toll road. We know, as we were passengers in that very same SUV.
The Optra's suspension is not overly soft, and feels just right for the rough roads we have everywhere. Its body integrity is nothing short of excellent, and the car glides over potholes without annoying shakes or rattles. Although it is not a Lexus LS430, Chevy's oft-touted Total Noise Reduction system does a truly great job in sound-proofing the cabin.
What about safety? There are dual air bags for the front seats -- they are not available in the Optra LS. By the way, as the air bag fills the hub of the steering wheel, becoming familiar with the location of the horn buttons takes some time.
The ABS-equipped brake system is adequately potent, although we never really tried an emergency stop to test its capabilities.
When the gear was in D, we could feel the surge of the smooth, yet powerful, 119 horsepower engine. It rolled at a moderate speed without even pressing on the accelerator, and the engine roars after 3,500 RPM. Chevrolet uses hydraulic engine mounting system in its Optra, so we did not feel any engine vibration while driving.
The engine is neatly covered under the hood, and a highly accessible layout makes routine checks of the brake fluid, power- steering fluid, the radiator water and others easy.
General Motors rates the Optra's fuel consumption between 8 and 10 km per liter, and we can use Premium gasoline. Keep in mind that cars with automatic transmission will consume more gas than a manual version.
Confidence-building
Also called the Daewoo Nubira in several markets, the Optras sold in Indonesia are built at GM's Thailand facility. Despite the Daewoo origins of this car, there is nothing flaky about it. In fact, it has already received several awards, the latest was the Car of the Year -- Best Sedan 1,800 cc award, given during the recent Bangkok International Motor Show.
It looks like GM, the largest carmaker in the world, has been successful in winning customer confidence everywhere.
The Optra has also been receiving rave reviews in North America. One reviewer from India even believed that it could pose a serious threat to the Corolla Altis. During our test drive, we could not find any serious faults with it.
Awards and accolades aside, after enjoying the comfort and performance of this car for four days, we decided we would rather call it "an affordable luxury" rather than "a poor man's limousine".
It is a pity that Indonesian car buyers are, in general, so preoccupied with the brand image and high resale value of Toyota and Honda models that the Optras are not yet selling as well as their Japanese competitors.
If you are looking for a reasonably priced car that provides a lot of comfort and convenience for city and inter-city driving, and are not in the habit of replacing a car after driving it for a year or two, you should definitely take a serious look at the Optra.
As a final plus, we liked the Thai Gold Metallic color, which was an effective camouflage for some of the dirt we picked up during the test drive.