Five reasons to love and hate Chevrolet Orlando
He looks like a crossover, capacious and, with the exception of a pair of generic diseases, reliable. But at the same time, he categorically “does not go” either on asphalt or on a primer, is doubtfully trimmed inside, no less doubtfully painted on the outside … What about owners’ attitude to Chevrolet Orlando more than hatred or love? Let’s try to figure it out.
A bit of history
The first concepts of a seven-seater multifunctional car built on the basis of the Chevrolet Cruze and the GM Delta II platform were shown at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, and a little later, at the beginning of 2009, at the NAIAS in Detroit. In August of the same 2009, pre-production samples appeared, and it was announced that the new model would be called Orlando, and its production would be located in the USA. But in 2010, the concern’s management changed its plans: it was decided to collect the car in the South Korean Kunsan, and sell it not so much in the USA as in Europe, Asia and Canada. European and Russian sales really started in 2011, and soon the assembly of this car was organized at the Avtotor plant in Kaliningrad.
We Orlando was offered only with two four-cylinder engines: the gasoline Ecotec 2H0 with a volume of 1.8 liters and a power of 141 hp. (which the car “donash” for Opel Astra generation H) and two-liter turbo diesel Z20D1 with a capacity of 163 hp, which could be combined six-speed mechanics and six-speed same machine Hydra-Matic 6T40 (also known as GF6).
The model was sold until 2015, when the concern announced that it was leaving the Russian market along with all its brands (with the exception of several models) and ceasing the work of assembly plants. However, during sales, the model managed to earn a certain popularity and find both its fans (regretting only the impossibility of changing the car to exactly the same, but new) and haters.
In the secondary market, for a car they are asked from 450-550 thousand rubles (for cars of 2011-2012 year of release) up to 900,000 (for relatively fresh cars of 2014 in top trim levels).
What is family? These are children and dogs, strollers and skis, Christmas trees and bags of groceries … And all this happens to be in one or another frequency in the cabin of a family car. So the plastic in the Orlando saloon is not the fact that it is hard and loud (no one expects from a sufficiently large, but still a budget model, a trim level worthy of premium marks). Piano lacquer, aluminum and plastic inserts a la VAZ-2106 – these are the keys to the heart of the Russian car owner! Although, of course, the plastic trim on the hub of the steering wheel goes to the full extent – they say, ringing and generally terrible …
The fact that this plastic is too gentle and is very easily scratched causes the most dissatisfaction, as a result of which the interior of the car takes on a rather untidy look. In particular, owners of used cars often complain about this fact. And if the clashes with the harsh family reality could not stand only plastic!
No less number of complaints was awarded and fabric upholstery. For some reason, mainly in Russia, versions with a light fabric interior were offered, on which stains left by dog paws and childish pranks are literally striking. So the owners write: “The previous owner (two children + a shepherd) didn’t follow the car very much, the cabin and especially the trunk were completely filthy,” “In the cabin, in principle, everything suits, except for the material that is given to children instantly. For this reason, it was decided to buy covers from eco-leather “,” I decided to carpet the trunk lining (after the previous owner there are a lot of scratches). I did everything with my own hands ”,“ Salon is light, fabric. I have children … Fatty stains can be clearly seen. ”
As you know, SUVs and crossovers are valued not only and not so much for the ability to drive off the roads, as for the impressive appearance. Orlando successfully mimics an SUV: it has pronounced two-volume outlines and attracts with its chopped forms.
At one time, autojournalists were raging incessantly debating about which class the novelty belonged to. Employees of the car washes did not argue for a long time, but quickly came to a common opinion and began to evaluate their services at a crossover rate.
Only here Orlando – never an SUV. And if in a shallow loose snow or on a relatively flat primer, he may well prove himself not in the worst way, then with a geometric cross in this model is a complete disaster. Almost every second review can be read complaints about the insufficient amount of ground clearance and too low located the skirt of the front bumper.
