Chevrolet Sail Cars India

Chevy takes second shot at entry-sedan market. Gives competition something to worry about

The entry-level sedan market has been an interesting space. The Maruti DZire has been the unmatched leader from the day it was launched. Chevrolet tried hard to make a dent with the Aveo, but didn’t see much success primarily because of the Aveo’s uninspiring styling and a price tag that wasn’t sweet enough.

The Sail looks nicely proportioned and the boot blends well with the rest of the structure

Now, to address that, the American giant has launched an all-new entry-sedan, the Sail essentially a booted version of the Sail U-VA that hit showrooms recently. But unlike other hatchback with a-boot-cars like the Indigo CS and the new Swift DZire – the Sail looks nicely proportioned and the boot blends well with the rest of the structure.

At 4.2m, it doesn’t look too compact for a sedan and it’s more than 200mm longer than the DZire and the Indigo CS. The not-too-big yet not-too-small dimensions make the Sail the perfect size for city commuting. The 370 liter boot is large enough to carry enough luggage for a weekend trip.

Up front, it gets a double grille and lines running on its hood, much like its hatchback cousin. But the design in front looks a bit dated. At the back, the boot gets clean lines running through and triangular tail-lamps that look neat.

Inside though, it’s the same story as the hatchback. The abundance of beige and grey doesn’t help the car look upmarket in any way. Fit and finish is not exactly class leading. In the top-end LT variant, you get front airbags, all-four power windows, ABS with EBD, electric mirrors, audio system with USB and AUX.  Steering-mounted audio controls would’ve been a nice touch. The front seats are wide enough even for the large of build, but the rear seats don’t offer great under-thigh support, and fitting three adults there will be tight. Still, you do get lots of cubbyholes and bottles holders all around.

You get two engines to choose from a 1.2 petrol and a 1.3 diesel, both of which do duty in the hatchback version of the Sail. The petrol, good for 85bhp and 113Nm, is not one of the most free-revving units around, and as we reported earlier for the Sail U-VA, you need to work the throttle quite hard to get the juice going. You start feeling the 85 horses only past 4000rpm, but it takes a long time before you climb up the rev band.

The diesel block – the same MultiJet that powers half the nation’s hatchbacks and small sedans has decent low-end grunt and doesn’t produce that sudden surge of power as you start piling on the revs. The diesel is tuned to put out 77bhp and 205Nm, which is a slight increase over what it makes in the other cars. The oil-burner is noisy but the vibrations are not bad enough to be an issue.

Both engines are mated to a slick five-speed tranny. The shifts are smooth and precise and you don’t need to fight the lever to slot it in place. The ratios are on the taller side, which should help squeeze out a few more kilometers to the liter. Expect highway figures in the 15-17kpl range and city consumption of 11-13kpl.

Light steering helps in city but lacks feedback

The Sail’s ride is probably best in class – it excels at disconnecting the road from your backside. The light steering helps maneuver the car in tight spaces but feels disconnected as speeds rise. In the handling department too, the Sail is no champ given the light steering and noticeable body roll. The fresh tires on the 14inch wheels have impressive bite and will bring the car to a standstill in a short distance.

The Sail petrol ranges from $9,980 to $12,820; the diesel starts at $12,580 and the top-end is pegged at $15,020 (all ex-showroom, Delhi). You get basics like AC and power steering even in the lowest spec Sail. The prices are almost the same as the Maruti DZire, but the Sail has a bigger boot and some extras such as Bluetooth connectivity and electric outside mirrors. With this aggressive pricing, the Sail ticks the right boxes. Here’s a decent-looking sedan that won’t be too heavy on your pocket.