[Boom Shiva]

I'm a bit surprised at the price too. Wonder what the justification is for making it more expensive than the Optra Elite VGIS, which looks like a much better deal.

[navin]

I am wondering who they intend to sell the SRV to at the present price:

1. The Vtec would attract anyone who wants a fast car under 10L
2. The Palio 1.6 GTX would attract boy racers at 4L less
3. The Aveo and Optra 1.8 would attract anyone who is interested in luxury interiors
4. The Fiesta attracts those who value driveability

For what it costs the SRV is not luxurious, fast, nor offers great driveability. What bugs me is that GM had the tools to make it a winner. Just add the 1.8 engine and the Optra 1.8LT interiors (incl ACC etc...) and you'd have a luxury racer costing 5L less than the RS OR drop the price of the VGIS to 6L (under 8L On the road Mumbai) to fly under the Vtec's radar.

[GTO]

I am wondering who they intend to sell the SRV to at the present price:

The Posers.

Just add the 1.8 engine and the Optra 1.8LT interiors (incl ACC etc...) and you'd have a luxury racer costing 5L less than the RS

No ways would the 1.8 also make it a racer. The difference in acceleration is probably just a second between the 1.8 and the 1.6. And the 1.6 is far more refined and smoother to drive. Forget teh RS, even a stock Corolla will leave the 1.8 SRV for dead.

[navin]

Originally Posted by GTO

No ways would the 1.8 also make it a racer. The difference in acceleration is probably just a second between the 1.8 and the 1.6. And the 1.6 is far more refined and smoother to drive. Forget teh RS, even a stock Corolla will leave the 1.8 SRV for dead.

I guess my RS has spoiled me and it is stock. If I MMed (Mad Monkeyed) it I'd probably never go to work!

Yes, the VGIS engine is more refined than the 1.8 but when I drove it it had this kinda reluctance to rev beyond 3K or so the Vtec or RS are more rev happy. Ofcourse one could push it but it did not make happy sounds above 3K. If the 1.8 engine is less refined GM needs a new engine. I was hoping the 1.8 would give it that added push to make the SRV move. With the 1.6 VGIS it is lethargic esp on the highway.

It's interiors are about as good as the Vtec, Optra Elite, and Palio but the Vtec offers better *** and engine, the Optra a boot and the Palio is much cheaper. The Fiesta is not in this league. GM's own Aveo's interiors are better and the Aveo is cheaper.

Both dealers (National Garage and Bharti) offered me OTR prices close to 10L (company) which makes it more than Vtec, CVT, and the VGIS elite (and even the luxury Elantra for acedemics). The Palio was offered to me at about 65L (company tax).

[Jay]

Neither driven nor seen the interiors of the SRV, but have seen it on the road, that too only from behind... looked very nice... saw one with broad tyres, looked neat...

[navin]

Mumbaiites always get the short end of the stick. In Delhi you pay fewer taxes. Ofcourse we could all leave Mumbai. :-)

[Shan2nu]

The SRV was tested in this months Overdrive.

0-60 - 5.13
0-100 - 11.83
1/4 mile - 18.13@123.8
Std. Km - 33.5@152.6
Top Speed - 171

FE
City - 10.5
Highway - 14.8

Shan2nu

[diven_b]

Originally Posted by Shan2nu

The SRV was tested in this months Overdrive.

0-60 - 5.13
0-100 - 11.83
1/4 mile - 18.13@123.8
Std. Km - 33.5@152.6
Top Speed - 171

FE
City - 10.5
Highway - 14.8

Shan2nu

according to autocar
0-100 13.14
1/4 mile 22.17
why the huge difference in accleration??but fe and top speed almost same

[Shan2nu]

0-100 13.14
1/4 mile 22.17
why the huge difference in accleration??but fe and top speed almost same

Could have been the conditions and more importantly, the driver.

22 sec for the 1/4 mile is something you might expect from entry level cars like the Alto and M800. 18 secs sound more realistic.

Shan2nu

[vikrantw1]

Just took a test drive on the SRV - in the reviews in Autocar etc they said the gearing is bad - well it is certainly better than Optra - and it certainly has a rumm ( if not rumble) to it - good stability as well
The biggest issue is no tilt steering - and the clutch pedals are pretty far in- so getting in is a chore - even with the seat pushed fully back
The rear seats are pretty low slung as well but spacious
The wow factor is the appearance - really good styling at the back
Interiors are ok - go with the positioning of being sporty

[Shan2nu]

in the reviews in Autocar etc they said the gearing is bad

Are you refering to shift quality or gear ratios?

I think the gear ratios are brilliant.

1st - 45kmph@redline
2nd - 80kmph@redline
3rd - 116kmph@redline
4th - 154kmph@redline
5th - 171kmph@5850rpm (aerodynamically limited top speed)

Good for racing but not so good for FE. At 100kmph, this car would be doing around 3400-3500rpm in 5th and it shows in it's highway FE.

OHC Vtec does 2830@100 in 5th.

Shan2nu

[GTO]

Havent they added the 1.8's gear ratios? The new closer matched ones?

[navin]

agreed the gear shift is a better than the aveo but the aveo is not a class leader in that area.

Shantanu, did yuo redline the SRV yourself or are those company quoated figures. When I drove the SRV it did not seem to happy being revved up to those RPMs.

[BUSA]

Here are some Pics of the SRV. The dealer had put some stupid spoiler on it and jazzed it up but it wont make any difference to a buyer i am so sure.





The poor roads as usual with poor or no drainage system



Report to follow soon. Enjoy the high quality pics.

[BUSA]

Finally got hold of a test drive SRV since the car was had not arrived when i last went to check it out.

Looks - The Car does look good from the back but from the front nothing eyecatching thanks to the high GC of 185mm which makes it look less sporty. Otherwise the car is quite a looker, only if the GC was less would have been better. The Test Drive Vehicle was equipped with the optional pack + dealer fitted rear spoiler in a akward Civic Type R position.

Interiors - Sports Car = Black Interiors is some sought of a theme going around with the manufacturers and surely does not work with the SRV. The Interiors look cheap and plasticky. There is good interior room like the Optra and seats are comfortable. On switching the fron wipers the rears operate in sync. The Steering Wheel looks inspired from Lamborghinis( the three spoke ones)

Ride - Is similar to the Optras nothing different, is quite good absorbs most of the stuff that is thrown by our poor roads.

Handling - Again is very good just like the Optra however a Optra with low profile 15inchers will handle better as the profile on the SRV is 60, which does help in ride but not much in handling.

Braking - I wasn't expecting much, but was pleasantly suprised to see the brakes were very good indeed without ABS and the credit goes to the Goodyear Eagle NCT5s which were present on the car which help a lot in stop quickly. However lack of ABS is felt as on poor dusty, muddy, waterry roads the car does tend to lock up and slide like most non-ABS cars do. I really dont understand when Palio 1.6, Getz, Swift and SRVs greatest competitor Fusion have ABS as standard or optional why doesnot the SRV have it??

FE - Expected to be around 11, but 10.4 will be more realistic that is somewhat in Swift territory.

Stability - The car like its sibling tends to become more stable as speeds increase thanx to chassy tuning by Lotus Enginering U.K

Performance - A big dissapointment. After flooring the car i was reminded 4 times by the ECU to shift up. I was waiting for the car to give me a push in my back to indicate its moving fast but sadly after 3000RPM it lets loose gasping to catch its breath. The engine is not adequate for the job in hand. Tried handbrake turns in the rain and you can see why the car is parked in the manner in the pics after drifiting, LOL.

Shift Quality - Did not find much difference between the Optra and the SRV.

Value for money - Certainly not. At 8-9L it should have come with Recaro look alike seats, 1.8engine, ABS, Side Airbag and better interiors to click well with the VFM obssesed indian car janta.

Verdict - At the price the SRV is offered i would definately prefer to buy a NHC ZX VTEC because it has better interiors(slightly), a boot, excellent engine, and by just upsizing the tyres i can make the braking be better then what it is currently. Also if the SRV has the features mentioned above in VFM then i would go for the SRV, otherwise as a Sports car the Vtec fits the bill to the tee (with whats on offer as of today not considering the king of sports cars in India, Palio 1.6 Sport) otherwise in the current avtaar the SRV stands for Stupidly Ruined Vehicle
__________________________________________________ ____________________________
Simple Drag Race between Competitors - If we put a Swift, Palio 1.6 and the SRV in a drag, The Palio 1.6 will just kiss both of them good buy and it will be a real close call between the Swift and the SRV and i guess SRV might just come 2nd to the Palio 1.6

If Honda offers a Civic Type R at around 12L i am sure it will be a instant hit and it deserves to be.

Guys dont worry Chevy will surely launch a 1.8 version of the Optra SRV sooner or later with ABS.

Hope you are right, because in the current avtaar the SRV is real underpowered for the tag of a sports car.

The difference in acceleration is probably just a second between the 1.8 and the 1.6.

No its more then 2 seconds with the new VGIS system the engine has become really slow comapared to the original 1.6 however better mileage is something good.

faster than optra and aveo

No way a Optra and a AVEO both will leave the SRV behind in a simple quarter mile drag.

DEFINITELY "HOTTER" and "RICHER" THAN PALIO @ less than the 4l difference

I think Palio is the hottest hatch available today.

Better interiors (as far as I am concerned) than Fiesta and Vtec,

I find the Vtec interiors to be much better then the SRV.

Miles of extra legspace, and cabin space than any of these cars

There is no doubt about that but at the price its not worth it IMHO and also at the features offered, i am not impressed.

srv you get that along with a much peppier drive.

I really didnot find anything of that sort. Read my review above.

what they put in Aveo doesnt necessarily go with the SRV

Somethings are meant to go with every car like ABS, Side Airbags.

the VGIS engine is more refined than the 1.8 but when I drove it it had this kinda reluctance to rev beyond 3K or so the Vtec or RS are more rev happy. Ofcourse one could push it but it did not make happy sounds above 3K. If the 1.8 engine is less refined GM needs a new engine. I was hoping the 1.8 would give it that added push to make the SRV move. With the 1.6 VGIS it is lethargic esp on the highway

Trust me the 1.8 is far more refined then the VGIS 1.6, also the 1.8 in a right set of tune has enough punch to keep up with the tagline of the SRV.