The Chevrolet Optra – Estate Version
The Chevrolet Optra – Estate Version
Nowadays, if someone says, “I own an estate” make sure you get the full details, because he or she might be referring not to a huge rubber or oil palm estate, but to the Optra Estate. And the good news is, you can be an estate owner too, when Hicomobil Sdn Bhd, the importers of the Chevrolet brand, start to bring them in by early next quarter. The other piece of good news is that you don’t have to be a rich person to own one. The Chevrolet Optra Estate is a very affordable station wagon version of the already very popular Chevrolet Optra.
Hicomobil invited some key members of the motoring media to Rayong, Thailand, to visit the manufacturing plant where the Optras are built, and also to attend an Asean media ride and drive session into the hinterland to check out the product on a first hand basis.
The idea of a station wagon or an estate, as these cars are often called is not new. In America and Europe they are very popular with families who have children or people who want to go for outings with their pets. There have been other makers who have introduced station wagons and the consumer reaction can at best be classified as ‘mixed’. Whilst many like the additional versatility a station wagon or estate offers, others do not like the additional tail section.
With the evolution of the market to include MPVs and SUVs, consumers now have more alternatives if they need that extra space or carrying capacity. MPVs are usually 7-seater vehicles that can take on more passengers. The downside of these vehicles is that one ends up paying not only more for an MPV, but also paying more for the fuel to lug the normally much heavier vehicles around.
The Chevrolet Optra Estate, on the other hand, offers a slightly better compromise. You get a little more storage space at the rear, and the weight increase is only marginal. The handling of the Estate is also very car-like; after all it is a car with a tailgate added on to it. If you were to drive the Optra, and not look back at the rear of the vehicle, you would not even realise you are not driving a regular Optra sedan. When you have to gas up your car, you will find that the fuel consumption is only marginally higher. The additional weight is like having an additional large passenger in the car with you.
The Optra Estate comes with a DOHC 1.6 litre fuel injected engine, and in Malaysia, it is expected that the automatic transmission would be standard equipment. When asked if the 1.8 litre engine, currently an option in the Optra sedan would be available, a General Motors spokesman said that there are no plans for it at the moment, further stating that their own sales figures indicate a preference for the 1.6 litre engine in all their markets, possibly for the lower fuel consumption.
In our test drive, I personally found the Optra power to be a little on the conservative side; however this is not a minus point, because based on the target market, the people who are likely to buy this vehicle would be mainstream family people who are not speed freaks. Driven sedately, the Optra will deliver what it promises. You can still hit a top speed of around 180 kilometres per hour, although it takes a tad longer to get there. The overall good handling that is inherent in the Optra 1.6 is retained, and drivers can still get satisfaction out of the estate.
The Optra Estate would be the ideal vehicle for people who are not looking for performance, but rather a car that has the versatility of a station wagon, yet drive and handle like a car. Prices are expected to be below RM120k, which, if confirmed, will make the Optra Estate a very attractive package worth considering. If you put your money down right now, you will be among the first buyers to get the keys to the car when it comes in February 2006.
