Test drive : Optra Magnum tcdi diesel

vibhore · 15th June 2007, 18:03

Hi,
Test drove the magnum today - was considering buying a skoda earlier this week. The car sure picks up real quick from zero. Was able to hit about 90 in the 2nd gear itself, but for the crossing ahead. The drive in the 5th was real smooth - due to the good low rpm torque. Rightly said - need for downshift seemed minimal - seems like a good buy rather than the octavia,which now seems overpriced !
I dunno the build quality and the sturdiness of the optra but it sure looked and felt stronger and heavier than the verna , fiest.
Apparently the diesel power train has been build in collab with fiat.

Jaggu · 15th June 2007, 22:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by vibhore

I dunno the build quality and the sturdiness of the optra but it sure looked and felt stronger and heavier than the verna , fiest.
Apparently the diesel power train has been build in collab with fiat.

dont even bother to compare the build of optra with verna, fiesta and aveos, it is a whole different world altogether in optra and trust me it wont let you down that easily

one will be surprised after experiencing and start comparing with quite a few more expensive cars in the market in 18 lakh bracket

.anshuman · 16th June 2007, 01:09

@ JAGGU i agree the car is a segment above fiesta and verna,even i compared the car to verna but only for its performance otherwise the interiors are far more richer from the other cars in lower segment,the build quality ,sturdiness and the stablity is a far far better.Optra feels far more composed compared to verna which tends to pitch and the steering has a lot more feel compared to verna's steering which is overassisted.

BUSA · 16th June 2007, 12:10

Chevrolet's Optra Magnum diesel at Straight Frm The Heart

Vid6639 · 16th June 2007, 12:14

Went and checked out the car yesterday and had a nice TD as well.

Exterior looks are subjective and some people prefer the front old gen2 look but i kinda like this one a little more than the older one.

Interiors again look a little more fresh and the quality of the interiors is very good. I was impressed by the soft feel of the dash and attention to detail. the side coin box had cushion and velvet inside so the coins dont rattle. the seats have all the adjustment like lumbar adjust, dual seat height and steering wheel height adjust as well. With the seats full back I loved the driving position. the gear lever is of a different shape and it's the regular layout i.e. reverse below 5th and not next to 1st. The indicators on the wrong side remain. there is no climate control on the LT. It has a 2DIN alpine HU similar to the NHC VTEC.

Engine: start her up and she doesnt start with the shake of a diesel. The idle is barely audible even when you rev her the sound isnt intrusive. Slip the well weighted clutch and she lunges forward instantly. The turbo kicks in at 1800rpm or slightly higher and once that happens the road in front of you turns into a blur. The torque literally pins you down to the seat and before you realise you need to slam on the brakes so you dont rear end the car in front. Addictive to say the least. At slow speeds through traffic it's tough as when you back off the gas the car still accelerated so you have to brake and if you lift off the brake she again starts lunging in front. the turbo lag is there but when you accelerate you dont feel the jerk of the turbo kicking in like the verna. It's not switch like at 1800rpm 0 or 1, it's more linear and I like it. The gear shift quality is much better than the petrol a little more precise.

Braking was very good with all round discs and ABS and you need it. ABS only on the top end LT.

Ride and handling: well what can i say. I loved the ride quality and the composed handling of rudra's car and this is equally good. The ride is fantastic you dont feel anything and the suspension takes care of the bad roads and pot holes, best part is the suspension is barely audible. the NVH is again excellent. The handling also is very composed took a very very sharp turn 3rd gear nearly 80kmph and the tyres dint even squeal and there was no drama other than the sales guy who suddenly landed to the left side when he was sitting behind me on the right before.

features: The LT has all the goodies, airbags, ABS, leather, 2DIN alpine, chrome package on side strip, rear garnish. The LS loses all the above but still has the 15" alloys, all round disc brakes, fog lamps, remote locking.

Price: 11.66L for the LT and 10.52L for the LS onroad bangalore.

babhishek · 16th June 2007, 13:33

great review. thanks.
what was interesting was you mentioned that there was hardly any diesel clatter, whereas others mentioned the engine was not very refined.. and noises were audible inside the cabin.
should this be attributed to the test drive cars that were driven?

Vid6639 · 16th June 2007, 13:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by babhishek

great review. thanks.
what was interesting was you mentioned that there was hardly any diesel clatter, whereas others mentioned the engine was not very refined.. and noises were audible inside the cabin.
should this be attributed to the test drive cars that were driven?

Just to give an idea that I have driven the Verna pretty often and found the idle in that a little noisy. Also my uncle owns the fiesta TDCi and that is very very quiet although it gets a little noisy at higher rpm.

anandpadhye · 16th June 2007, 14:55

So compared to Fiesta TDCi, do you find Optra diesel quieter and smoother? Or is it the other way round?

Also, i found Swift diesel very quiet and smooth. Is Optra diesel better than that?

I am purely talking about the engine experience here.

Vid6639 · 16th June 2007, 15:01

I would say the Fiesta TDCi is quieter and a smoother. But the optra has better NVH. The engine may not be quiet but the low NVH of the car helps in keeping it quiet and close to the fiesta. On highways the optra will be better as the road noise will be lesser.

Ricky_63 · 16th June 2007, 15:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by BUSA

drpullkuran - I really dont understand what you are cribbing about, no where is the Optra sold with a 150bhp engine, if you want it spend extra on Petes Digital Tuning Box and get it, nothint to make fuss about as GM is giving us the car in a higher set of tune then anywhere else. And the Captiva is quite heavy and has a bigger Turbo for 150bhp.

Have been following your posts for a bit on the OPTRA - can't help but ask

- do you work for GM ? You surely are a die hard GM fan. The only suggestion I would like to make is - don't pull down SKODA to prove GM's OPTRA is better. Prove your point (you have every right to) without kicking SKODA's backside

I do believe the Magnum is going to give OCTAVIA some very sleepless nights......

Cheers

Ricky_63 · 16th June 2007, 15:18

It would be nice if someone who has driven BOTH the Octavia 1.9 TDi & the OPTRA Magnum - gives a comparison. That would be useful to us all.

Cheers

Proxima · 16th June 2007, 16:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricky_63

It would be nice if someone who has driven BOTH the Octavia 1.9 TDi & the OPTRA Magnum - gives a comparison. That would be useful to us all.

Cheers

Ricky - you cant compare the Octy with the Magnum. One look at the specs sheets of both the cars will tell you why.

abhijit 2284 · 16th June 2007, 19:24

from all the reviews it looks like the if magnum has what it takes to deliver .
if it can give decent to good mileage figures , then the octavia surely has something to be really worried about.
the octavia has been going great guns on two simple attributes about mileage and build .
from whatever experience I have about optras they maybe not as solidly built as skodas but surely are built pretty well enough to give trouble-free service.
all in all the octavia seems to have a big problem on its hands .

Vid6639 · 16th June 2007, 19:30

Just for comparison here are the bangalore on road prices:

Skoda Octavia 1.9TDi Rider: 13.44L
Skoda Octavia 1.9TDi Elegance: 15.16L

Chevrolet Optra Magnum 2.0 LS: 10.52L
Chevrolet Optra Magnum 2.0 LT: 11.66L

I drove the octy long back on a short TD so really cant comment but based on what i remember the performance was nowhere close compared to the optra but the I dont remember the octy having a big turbolag.

aseem · 17th June 2007, 00:24

Well I am just a lil sad that they didnt come with VGT which even the Indigo Dicor offers... that would have made a superb deal. In addition the 9 Lakh Ex showroom middle model comes with no Airbags and ABS but leather interiors and alloys. Wrong choice GM, its about time you value the life of Indians and follow the footsteps of MUL.

15th June 2007, 18:03	#61
vibhore Newbie Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: delhi Posts: 1 Thanked: 0 Times	Hi, Test drove the magnum today - was considering buying a skoda earlier this week. The car sure picks up real quick from zero. Was able to hit about 90 in the 2nd gear itself, but for the crossing ahead. The drive in the 5th was real smooth - due to the good low rpm torque. Rightly said - need for downshift seemed minimal - seems like a good buy rather than the octavia,which now seems overpriced ! I dunno the build quality and the sturdiness of the optra but it sure looked and felt stronger and heavier than the verna , fiest. Apparently the diesel power train has been build in collab with fiat.
	() Thanks

16th June 2007, 01:09	#63
.anshuman Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Good-Gaon Posts: 7,763 Thanked: 11,064 Times View My Garage	@ JAGGU i agree the car is a segment above fiesta and verna,even i compared the car to verna but only for its performance otherwise the interiors are far more richer from the other cars in lower segment,the build quality ,sturdiness and the stablity is a far far better.Optra feels far more composed compared to verna which tends to pitch and the steering has a lot more feel compared to verna's steering which is overassisted.
	() Thanks

16th June 2007, 12:10	#64
BUSA Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bombay Posts: 5,130 Thanked: 20 Times View My Garage	Chevrolet's Optra Magnum diesel at Straight Frm The Heart
	() Thanks

16th June 2007, 12:14	#65
Vid6639 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,727 Thanked: 43,456 Times View My Garage	Went and checked out the car yesterday and had a nice TD as well. Exterior looks are subjective and some people prefer the front old gen2 look but i kinda like this one a little more than the older one. Interiors again look a little more fresh and the quality of the interiors is very good. I was impressed by the soft feel of the dash and attention to detail. the side coin box had cushion and velvet inside so the coins dont rattle. the seats have all the adjustment like lumbar adjust, dual seat height and steering wheel height adjust as well. With the seats full back I loved the driving position. the gear lever is of a different shape and it's the regular layout i.e. reverse below 5th and not next to 1st. The indicators on the wrong side remain. there is no climate control on the LT. It has a 2DIN alpine HU similar to the NHC VTEC. Engine: start her up and she doesnt start with the shake of a diesel. The idle is barely audible even when you rev her the sound isnt intrusive. Slip the well weighted clutch and she lunges forward instantly. The turbo kicks in at 1800rpm or slightly higher and once that happens the road in front of you turns into a blur. The torque literally pins you down to the seat and before you realise you need to slam on the brakes so you dont rear end the car in front. Addictive to say the least. At slow speeds through traffic it's tough as when you back off the gas the car still accelerated so you have to brake and if you lift off the brake she again starts lunging in front. the turbo lag is there but when you accelerate you dont feel the jerk of the turbo kicking in like the verna. It's not switch like at 1800rpm 0 or 1, it's more linear and I like it. The gear shift quality is much better than the petrol a little more precise. Braking was very good with all round discs and ABS and you need it. ABS only on the top end LT. Ride and handling: well what can i say. I loved the ride quality and the composed handling of rudra's car and this is equally good. The ride is fantastic you dont feel anything and the suspension takes care of the bad roads and pot holes, best part is the suspension is barely audible. the NVH is again excellent. The handling also is very composed took a very very sharp turn 3rd gear nearly 80kmph and the tyres dint even squeal and there was no drama other than the sales guy who suddenly landed to the left side when he was sitting behind me on the right before. features: The LT has all the goodies, airbags, ABS, leather, 2DIN alpine, chrome package on side strip, rear garnish. The LS loses all the above but still has the 15" alloys, all round disc brakes, fog lamps, remote locking. Price: 11.66L for the LT and 10.52L for the LS onroad bangalore. Last edited by Vid6639 : 16th June 2007 at 12:20.
	() Thanks

16th June 2007, 13:33	#66
babhishek BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: KOLKATA Posts: 328 Thanked: 35 Times View My Garage	great review. thanks. what was interesting was you mentioned that there was hardly any diesel clatter, whereas others mentioned the engine was not very refined.. and noises were audible inside the cabin. should this be attributed to the test drive cars that were driven?
	() Thanks

16th June 2007, 14:55	#68
anandpadhye Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 3,054 Thanked: 3,309 Times	So compared to Fiesta TDCi, do you find Optra diesel quieter and smoother? Or is it the other way round? Also, i found Swift diesel very quiet and smooth. Is Optra diesel better than that? I am purely talking about the engine experience here.
	() Thanks

16th June 2007, 15:01	#69
Vid6639 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,727 Thanked: 43,456 Times View My Garage	I would say the Fiesta TDCi is quieter and a smoother. But the optra has better NVH. The engine may not be quiet but the low NVH of the car helps in keeping it quiet and close to the fiesta. On highways the optra will be better as the road noise will be lesser.
	() Thanks

16th June 2007, 15:18	#71
Ricky_63 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,885 Thanked: 518 Times View My Garage	It would be nice if someone who has driven BOTH the Octavia 1.9 TDi & the OPTRA Magnum - gives a comparison. That would be useful to us all. Cheers
	() Thanks

16th June 2007, 19:24	#73
abhijit 2284 BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Aurangabad Posts: 206 Thanked: 113 Times View My Garage	from all the reviews it looks like the if magnum has what it takes to deliver . if it can give decent to good mileage figures , then the octavia surely has something to be really worried about. the octavia has been going great guns on two simple attributes about mileage and build . from whatever experience I have about optras they maybe not as solidly built as skodas but surely are built pretty well enough to give trouble-free service. all in all the octavia seems to have a big problem on its hands .
	() Thanks

16th June 2007, 19:30	#74
Vid6639 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,727 Thanked: 43,456 Times View My Garage	Just for comparison here are the bangalore on road prices: Skoda Octavia 1.9TDi Rider: 13.44L Skoda Octavia 1.9TDi Elegance: 15.16L Chevrolet Optra Magnum 2.0 LS: 10.52L Chevrolet Optra Magnum 2.0 LT: 11.66L I drove the octy long back on a short TD so really cant comment but based on what i remember the performance was nowhere close compared to the optra but the I dont remember the octy having a big turbolag.
	() Thanks

17th June 2007, 00:24	#75
aseem Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Delhi Posts: 1,730 Thanked: 441 Times	Well I am just a lil sad that they didnt come with VGT which even the Indigo Dicor offers... that would have made a superb deal. In addition the 9 Lakh Ex showroom middle model comes with no Airbags and ABS but leather interiors and alloys. Wrong choice GM, its about time you value the life of Indians and follow the footsteps of MUL.
	() Thanks