Test Drive Chevrolet Viva 2004 - 2008 Sedan

VIVA, MADE IN RUSSIA

The model range of Russian Chevrolet has been replenished with a sedan
 
Strange still this feeling - you go on the sedan Opel Astra of the last generation, and before the eyes on the steering wheel - the emblem of Chevrolet. Not only the overseas machines are now autolorated, globalization, and the Chevrolet cross, but also those that are going to Korea, in Russia, and in many other countries. The question is good or bad if the model has been released on the Russian conveyor, giving way to a more advanced car on the German conveyor, it seems idle. Because only the market will answer it correctly. One thing can be said with all certainty: our consumer received far from outdated, proven many times and a safe car for quite acceptable money.
 
With Viva completely just go to you. I got inside, adjusted a very comfortable chair under myself, took the steering wheel, moved from the spot and after 5 minutes it seems that you have been riding this car for a long time. In fact, it is in my case - my colleague has its own Opel Astra, on which we made a hundred times a voyage in Moscow and the region, replacing each other by the wheel. So what is the difference between the new Chevrolet from the deserved Astra?
 
Strange sets
 
Practically nothing. Yes, the nameplates changed, but everything else remained unchanged. But the levels of equipped with others. And this is the most interesting topic. Judge for yourself, basic Viva performed by L costs 333,333 rubles (this fun amount was $ 12,016 at the rate at the end of February of this year). For the money from the point of view of the presence of equipment that provides comfort, the consumer receives a machine that can be called not that empty - in the cabin the wind walks. Instead of the radio - no covenant niche, there is no air conditioning, electric drives of glasses and mirrors are absent, like the rear headrest, airbags and adjusting the steering wheel.
 
What then is there? There is a 1.8-liter engine and ABS, sad-gray upholstery chairs and to the tone of the plastic center console, disc brakes on all wheels, central locking with remote control, isothermal glasses, anti-theft system. Not thick, we must admit, especially if you recall the prices and equipment of cars of the same class from some competitors.
 
Next follows the average LS execution. For 359,877 rubles ($ 12,970), you will be offered a car, which differs from the previous on only with cast wheelbases, front bumper with integrated fog lights from the Astra Coupe model and a mysterious package cold weather. Mysterious - because I did not find heating the seats and mirrors (the car visited on our test in the middle configuration), and the heating of the rear window, in my mind, the thing is so cheap and simple that should be included in the basic version.
 
Finally, 432 100 rubles ($ 15,580) is offered Viva in the GLS configuration. Here, there are already familiar benefits, heating, airbags, head restraints, adjustable steering column, appear here. There are even some excesses. For example, a wide red plank-dial on the trunk lid, a light front panel, a sports finish for aluminum, the sports and a two-spoke steering wheel, blue upholstery of seats and door panels, which are also decorated with panels under light oak
 
But, sorry, and it is worth this car at all in Russian - it is only a thousand-to-one and a half cheaper well-equipped German Astra past generation, which still come across in some salons. I really want to believe that in the future, with further localization of production, Viva will become more competitive for the price.
 
In the course of the test, I had another question - who still came up with the configuration for this Chevrolet? It seems that the filling of the cabin with additional equipment was developed by the Germans, and the remaining details are already on the conscience of domestic marketers. What else to explain the frank poverty of the car in relation to the care of comfort, and the maximum possible pathos, which is achieved by the use of parts from the luxurious Astra Coupe created in the famous Italian Atelier Bertone? It is no secret that our compatriots, like most buyers all over the world, want more than a car for less money, as Opel's motto sounded. But at the same time, the same Germans are ready to easily abandon electrical drives in the cabin, and we are with difficulty.
 
It is not quite logical things and security. The ABS is present in all the equipment, and airbags (and at once two) and headlight washers - only in the flagship version. The anti-test system, which is installed in German Astra, colleagues, is not at all. In general, everything is strange. Therefore, let me express hope that soon the levels of configuration and, most importantly, their filling will change. After all, the car itself is very good. And appearance, and quality of assembly, and behavior on the road.
 
The same Astra
 
Returning the first Viva in Moscow in Moscow, I was pleasantly surprised by interest, which was shown to my impressions from the company's employees. The first question was the quality of the assembly: did I notice the flaws? Acknowledge, nothing that issues the Togliatti origin of the car, I did not find. The same gaps between all body details, a quiet that does not have a single outsider interior, completely high-quality finishing materials equal to each other. In general, it seemed to me that the quality of Viva is no different from the German.
 
The suspension of the machine remained completely original, so Chevrolet on the road behaves in the same way as Opel. In other words, it is securely followed by a specified course, steady at high speeds, the turns like turns. True, the bubbles the body is quite noticeable. It is the fault of enough soft shock absorbers who help to swallow most of the asphalt irregularities. For the same reason, VIVA slightly swings in the longitudinal direction on the gentle waves of asphalt.
 
I really liked the motor. True, the logic of using on Viva only one 1,8-liter power unit is not entirely understood. Once again I remind you that the car is expensive with him. As told me in the cabin, this engine was chosen due to high reliability. (It is no secret that the Opolevsky 1,6-liter engine likes to enjoy oil). 125 hp Loho accelerate Chevrolet to 100 km / h in just 9.5 s., And the maximum speed of the car is 200 km / h. At the same time, you can not complain about the lack of traction. Jesuit exercise - acceleration from 30 km / h on the fifth gear - Viva flew to a firm four. One score I was taken away for small vibrations, tangible at the very beginning of acceleration. Most likely, their reason was hidden in the gas tank, where the 92nd gasoline flooded in the showroom. It turns out that this car saves at the cost of fuel, but if he is my own, I would feed it more dietary AI-95.
 
Made on SP!
 
Summarizing his impressions of the test, I want to first retell the dialogue between the seller and potential customers, which, apparently, did not understand the car at first, to retell the dialogue between the seller and potential customers. On a funny question, a well-dressed lady - what differs from each other standing in the showroom of the car (by the way, the entire range of Chevrolet of the Russian and Korean assembly was presented there - the manager became meticulously explained what. This is Aveo, a small city car, and this is Lacetti, it is more, Evanda is very big, and this is Viva - she is going on a vase. And not a word about JV with General Motors, about modern technologies and equipment, about training personnel, finally why he said the latter - I can not say, but in response I immediately heard: Well, we already tied up with a vase. In other words, the manager of his words simply killed the car. Is it really not clear that people who have decided to forget the domestic autoprom in the hall of chevrolet?
 
And what would I say, without any lecture on the joint venture with GM? And very simple - that Chevrolet Viva is essentially Opel Astra - fast, reliable and comfortable (especially in a certain configuration) car. And it does not matter where he is going if the legendary brand bears on himself.
 
Text: Sergey Ilinsky
 

A source: "Car Izvestia"