Chevrolet Beat Detailed Road Test Drive

[Zinam]

• Car Tested: Chevrolet Beat
• Variant: LT
• Engine: 1.2 Liter
• Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
• Fuel Type: Petrol
• Indian Price: Rs.3,94,990 (Ex. Showroom Delhi)
• Official Website: Click Here!
  

About Chevrolet Beat


After the launch of Chevrolet Cruze sedan in country, Beat is yet another latest offering by General Motors India and we suspect that the car maker has a lot more suspense wrapped up for future. General Motors revealed the Beat Hatchback (Codename: M300) to the world, way back in 2007 at New York International Auto Show in the form of a concept car and later in 2009 the production model was unveiled to satisfy the curiosity of automobile enthusiasts. Recently, just a day before 10th Auto Expo, on 4th January 2010 Beat made the official debut in India at a glittering ceremony. The car is basically a new generation “Spark” Model but However, In India, Both the models will be sold along-side where the beat is positioned above. Also, currently ours is the only market where this car is called by the name which was allotted to its original concept counterpart.

How It Looks?


If you hear the name “Beat” for first time, don’t get puzzled for it being something related to fight scenes et all. The name “Beat” here actually refers to the heart beats where GM intends to create some thrilling beats in hearts young generation, where the car is mainly targeted.

With the three “F” – Fresh, Futuristic and Funky appeal, Chevrolet Beat makes to be an attractive sight on roads also the bright and attractive colors on offer helps make it possible. We’ve earlier seen car models like A-Star which are breathtaking as a concept but production version turns out to be poles apart, though the case with Beat is different. The Production version beat has been just tuned to make much practical so that it can run on roads but the attractive cues from concept still remains, The car has sharp curves and edges all around to give sportier feel and the Cruze like dual split mesh grill with chrome surrounds, through which a body colored bold strip passes sitting a golden “Plus” Logo of Chevrolet gives striking touch. Twin Barreled headlights have polycarbonate lenses and the design of headlamps is sharp and edgy. Beat has a short bonnet like many other cars in similar segment, which has bold lines passing through and the bumper is flat as well as neatly integrated onto the body.



Stepping towards the side, it’ll make some fall into confusion of beat being a 3 door hatchback, But reality is different! Chevy has found a new place to position the rear door handles. They sit on just parallel to rear window and easily camouflages but the elder person and kids may find it difficult to use. Few hatches look odd with roof rails but beat is an exception, silver painted roof rails and the lining of the side profile add the remaining funkiness. Outside Rear View Mirrors are big enough and color combination on their shell absolutely matches with that of exterior but button like 14” wheels looks tad small especially when seen from side angle. Rear part of this Chevy is subjective and the styling resembles somewhat to the Maruti Suzuki’s Ritz. The clear lens tail lamp’s design is eye catching and we saw it second on an Indian sold car after Mitsubishi Cedia. Rear spoiler of beat is integrated in such a manner that it appears to be a complete part of body and the space on hatch door looks limited as it’s already occupied by the large tail lamps and huge registration number plate area.

 

[Zinam]

What's Inside?





At first sight, you may not get impressed with the dark and dull looking black interiors of beat but soon after sitting into it for sometime, You eventually realize that the interiors are much more functional and futuristic, The dashboard illuminates blue at night giving a cool and calm feel and the most unique equipment inside is a revolutionary instrument cluster. The ultra-modern dashboard is mounted high and so is the steering wheel, Windshield covers a large area but dashboard reflects on it during sunny days, affecting the visibility of road. The cabin is roomy and the overall plastic quality used inside is nice but on few bits like doors, speakers & handle is average. Three spoke steering wheel is comfortable to hold and maneuvers well. Instrument console is covered with double din music system and HVAC controls which are easy to reach, there is a lot of storage space in beat, Twin cup holders in front can hold regular size bottles and glove box is deep enough to swallow couple of gadgets. Also, there is a huge area under the AC controls which could hold anything from CD's to I-pod and the dash accommodates mobile holders on either sides.



Rear is quite comfortable and seating two adults with a small kid wouldn’t prove to be much congested, Thanks to enough of leg and shoulder room but the rear door pockets are missed. Since, the outside door handles are placed on the rear quarter of windows, outside view of the rear passengers is affected and you may feel like sitting in a cave , which will not be easily acceptable by kids who usually prefer peep out of the windows.

 

[Zinam]

How It Moves?


Beat is powered by 1199cc four cylinder 16Valve DOHC engine which is refined, well tuned and silent in sub 2500rpms. It delivers 80.5bhp @ 6200rpm & a decent torque of 108Nm @ 4400rpm, Beat is more powerful compared to i10 by 0.5bhp but 4.5bhp lesser than Ritz.

The new S-Tec II engine is tuned well for Indian roads, take it on to highway or in bumper to bumper traffic, its revs smoothly, and its specially tuned for greater fuel efficiency. Crank the engine and with minimal vibrations, Beat starts & is set to rock.

We took the beat on NH45 & NH4 bypass and found it to be quite stable under 100kmph, The steering feedback was really good. Moving more than 120+kph you feel bit annoyed because of the engine’s noise.

Touching speed of 153kmph in the speedo is quite risky, though its powerful than i10 by 0.5bhp we expected it to be lot more quicker in out-run, but for our surprise beat did 0-100kmph in 14.9 Sec mark which is a turn down compared to the rivals, where as i10 does incredible figures of 12.9 & Maruti Ritz at 12.6 seconds respectively.

How It Performs?


The gear slotted in properly without a miss in our long drive, 1st gear pulls in clean 40kmph moving further to a steep 90kmph in 2nd gear & 130kmph in 3rd gear. The 4th gear touches roaring speed of 153kmph where as the top gear continues to maintain the momentum. It has a decent ground clearance of 165mm which could probably take most roads in the city. Just to bank on fuel efficiency, Chevy has brought down the tire size to 155mm which makes it under-tired and reflects the symptoms at high speed handling. The car almost slides when we taking a turn at 130kmph & the rear wheels slip off the track, 155/70 R14 doesn’t perform the job well, Take it on to corners with high speed, you notice a great body roll which is inevitable due to hose puny tires. Upgrading them to 175mm is must if your visits are more on highways. The acceleration figures in seconds are not up to the mark compared to rivals but with taller gear ratios you handle the city as well as highway drive easily without frequent down shifting. Under the body, Beat has McPherson struts with anti-roll bar at the front and Compound Link Type suspension at rear which results a pretty decent ride quality.

 

[Zinam]

How safe is it?


You'll feel safe while sitting inside the Beat, General Motors has offered most of the basic safety features in this compact hatchback which a person buying it for family use would expect, Such as Anti-Blockier System, Dual Airbags etc and 60% of car is made up of high strength steel. Also, Not to mention, It scores 4-star Euro-NCAP safety rating.


How Much It Returns?


Heavy tuned for mileage figures with puny tires & taller gearing ratios, The Beat achieves the highest ARAI figures of 18.6kmpl for this segment. However, With spirited driving in city & blazing speed at highways we managed an overall decent figure of 14kmpl. In city one can expect it to return around 11-13 kmp/l depending on driving style. Considering the 35 liter tank, Beat will end up cleaning it in 450 kms.

 

[Zinam]

What We Liked In Chevy Beat?

• Funky & Sporty Looks (love it or hate it)
• Refined Engine
• Attractive Pricing
• Futuristic Interiors
• Decent ride quality

What We Dis-Liked In Chevy Beat?

• Lack of rear door pockets & Dead pedal
• Low quality Speakers spoiler the sound staging
• Comparatively less Boot space
• Black interiors not so attractive
• Rear seating not much airy

The Automotive India Star Ratings

Design - (4/5)
Quality - (3.5/5)
Comfort Levels - (3.5/5)
Performance - (4/5)
Ride Quality - (4/5)
Handling - (3.5/5)
Fuel Efficiency -(4/5)
Safety - (3.5/5)
After Sales Service - (4/5)
Value For Money - (4.5/5)

The Automotive India's Verdict


General Motors has hit that pot on spot! With very futuristic styling and funky looks, Beat can not miss young generation to attract towards itself. Not only young generation but Beat can also prove to be a nice small family car if you're bored of i10 and don't prefer the looks of Maruti Ritz.

Chevy Beat being a direct rival to i10 & Ritz, scores more in few factors such as refinement, space (legroom) and styling but what it misses is the sophistication and handling which GM should have keenly concentrated on. In the end, To sum it up, Chevrolet Beat is a perfect buy if you are planning to purchase your first car under budget of 4 Lakhs or plan to gift one to your children. Also, GM's 3 Year Warranty Scheme helps make the deal sweeter.

 

[Zinam]

Which Models Does Chevy Beat Competes In India?

Maruti Suzuki Ritz



Model: VXi
Price: Rs.4,22,076
Engine: 1.2 liter K-12
Transmission: 5 Speed Manual
Displacement: 1197cc
Power: 84BHP
Torque: 113NM
Dimensions:

• Height: 1620mm
• Length: 3715mm
• Width: 1680mm
• Wheel Base: 2360mm
• Boot Space: 205 Liters
• Fuel Tank: 43 Liters

Hyundai i10


Model: Magna (Kappa)
Price: Rs.3,92,981
Engine: 1.2 liter
Transmission: 5 Speed Manual
Displacement: 1197cc
Power: 79BHP
Torque: 112NM
Dimensions:

• Height: 1550mm
• Length: 3565mm
• Width: 1595mm
• Wheel Base: 2380mm
• Boot Space: 225 Liters
• Fuel Tank: 35 Liters

 

[Zinam]

Variants & Pricing

• 1.2 PS > Rs.3,34,990
• 1.2 LS > Rs.3,54,000
• 1.2 LT > Rs.3,94,990

Colors Option:

• Linen Beige
• Green Cocktail
• Super Red
• Caviar Black
• Misty Lake
• Moroccan Blue
• Olympic White

Detailed Specification

Engine :
- 1.2

No. Of Cylinders:
- 4, DOHC

Displacement:
- 1199cc

Power:
- 79BHP

Torque:
- 108NM

Transmission :
- 5 Speed Manual

Brakes :

Front
- Ventilated Discs

Rear
- Drums

Suspension :

Front
McPherson Struts with Anti-Roll Bars

Rear
Compound Link-Type

Wheels & Tires:
155/70 R14" Steel Wheels

Dimensions :

• Length - 3640mm
• Width - 1595mm
• Height - 1520mm
• Wheel Base - 2375mm
• Kerb Weight - 965Kgs
• Fuel Tank Capacity - 35 Liters

 

[Zinam]

From Where To Bring Home a Chevrolet Beat?

Impressed with our Report and Chevy Beat? TAI would help you to Locate the Dealers.

New Delhi:

Name: Metro Motors (A Unit of Sharnam motors services Pvt Ltd)
Address: A - 2/6, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi 110029
Contact No.: 011 41650000 / 9711115454

Mumbai:

Name: Ashtavinayak Auto Pvt Ltd
Address: Poonam Heights, Opp.MTNL Exchange, Near Goregaon Flyover, S V Road, Goregaon ( West) Mumbai 400062
Contact No.: 022 67088888

Kolkata:

Name: India Automobiles Ltd.
Address: 12, Government Place East, Kolkatta 700069
Contact No.: 033 22105839, 22131100

Chennai:

Name: Sundaram Motors
Address: 180, Annasalai. Chennai 600006
Contact No.: 044 28579202-9/9940079613

Living in some other location? Contact Us and our team will help you to locate a dealer in your area or take advice to choose a right car for yourself. Also, When inquiring from a dealer, Please mention "www. The Automotive India .com" and help us to spread the word.

Once you've bought the car, We're still here for your service, Post your auto-related queries in forums to get the correct answers.

Report Credits:
Road Test & Photography : Adam Aniz (Zinam)
Text & Format: Vibhor Tyagi (350Z)

Note: Article/Pictures can not be reproduced in any form without written permission of The Automotive India's authority. (2008-2010)

 

[350Z]

Report Added.
Here's yet another detailed Road Test Report by The Automotive India.

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[Akash]

Excallent report guys. I was expecting report of Beat.

 

[Auto Hub India]

Simply Superb report, Zinam and Vibhor, detailed snaps Zinam

 

[Zinam]

Thanks Akash & AHI.

I have more detailed snaps too, stay tuned & will post more!

 

[type-r]

good report Zinam.
Beat looks good and promising!
an all-rounder!

 

[Auto Hub India]

Thanks Akash & AHI.

I have more detailed snaps too, stay tuned & will post more!

pour in your pics, I loved this car from the day I saw the pics of its debut show in 2007,and your pics are increasing it.

 

[Akash]

The Beat achieves the highest ARAI figures of 18.6kmpl for this segment.

As far as i remember Maruti Suzuki Ritz claimed a FE of 19.6kmpl. That wasnt ARAI figure right?