Performance and handling
Photo: The Chevy Beat has a spacious interior
The Beat is has a 1200 cc petrol engine under the bonnet. It is very silent at idle. In fact someone may crank the already running engine thinking the engine is off – it is that silent. This S-Tec engine was developed especially for the Beat. It churns out 80 bhp and has 108 Nm of torque.
At low revs, the Beat is incredibly refined. Throttle response is perky, which is useful in stop-and-go traffic. It’s not a particularly effortless motor – but if you accelerate a bit and make sure you keep the rpm high, it delivers respectable performance.
We reached 100 kph quickly enough, and it can reach 140 kmph given the road. The gear ratios are short, which aids in city driving and also helps during overtaking. Gear changes are smooth, this is one of the best gearboxes in this segment.
The ride of the Beat is tuned more for comfort, and the suspension setup absorbs the bumps and potholes very well. The car feels like a bigger car at high speeds and jerks and rattles are absent.
Handling is predictable, and the hydraulic power steering is properly weighted. The Beat we road-tested ran on 155/70 R14 tyres. Handling would further improve if broader tyres were used. The brakes are good with the right amount of feedback and the Chevrolet Beat LT variant is equipped with ABS, which ensured the car stayed on track even under hard braking.
Photo: Rear door handle on the Chevy Beat
Looks, fit and finish
Photo: Chevrolet Beat has abundant curves and bulges
Exterior
From the front, the Beat looks disproportionately larger than the rest of the car, thanks to the massive split Chevy grille, huge headlights, high bonnet and deep chin. From the sides, the Chevy Beat looks very bold with a sharply raised waistline and rear door handles that are uniquely placed where the quarter-glass usually is. Odd, definitely – but it keeps the doors looking clean. The massive, sharply cut wheel arches are nearly as big as some SUVs. They are balanced out by the 14-inch wheels. The tyres could be slightly broader though.
The rear of the Chevrolet Beat is one of the best-looking of any hatch available in India, with retro-looking twin round tail lamps and a two-piece bumper. All in all it’s quite a head turner.
Interior
The attractive design continues inside the cabin as well, and along with impressive interior quality, makes the Beat quite a special place to be in. The switches and buttons offer a meaty feel, and the nicely textured plastics are among the best we have seen in a small car.
Slip into the driver’s seat and you are hugged by the generous and soft cushioning. Lower back support is terrific, but we missed a seat height adjuster for the driver’s seat. The grey-black interiors although make the car look a little cramped, especially in the rear.
About Chevrolet Beat
Summary
The Chevrolet Beat, launched in 2009, received its first facelift in 2014 with minor exterior and interior changes. The Beat is one of the most popular Chevrolet cars in India, which is known as the Spark in international markets. The new model looks similar to its predecessor, though, it gets dual port chrome grille, modified bumpers, new headlamps, fog lamps with chrome lined contrasting black surround and few more changes. The interior, too, doesn’t receive any significant updates, except for dashboard with silver inserts, steering mounted audio controls and manually adjustable air conditioning. There is no mechanical update as well. The hatchback is powered with the same 79.3bhp, 1.2-litre petrol and 57.6bhp, 1.0-litre diesel engines, paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. The diesel engine is quite peppy at low revs. It’s one of the easiest-to-drive and most fuel efficient Chevrolet cars in India.
Further to this, read Chevrolet Beat Road Test details by our expert.
Exterior
Though the hatchback received minimal exterior updates in 2014, it looks sportier and more outgoing than its predecessor. At the front end, it features dual port chrome grille, modified bumpers, new headlamps and fog lamps with chrome lined contrasting black surround. However, the side profile remains unchanged. The rear profile gets new dual-tone rear bumper with black faux diffuser integrating reflectors and revised tail lamps with red inserts.
Interior
The interior of the hatchback looks similar to the old model. It gets dashboard with silver inserts, steering mounted audio controls and manually adjustable air conditioning, while rest of the interior design and equipment remain unchanged. Just like most Chevrolet car models, the hatchback comes equipped with several comfort-enhancing features such as audio system with Aux-in, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, multiple storage compartments etc.
Engine and Transmission
No mechanical changes have been made to the hatchback. It is available with the same 1.2-litre petrol and 1.0-litre diesel engine options. The 1.2-litre, 1199cc, 16V SMARTECH petrol engine delivers a maximum power of 79.3bhp at 6200rpm with 108Nm of torque at 4400rpm. The diesel trims are propelled by a 1.0-litre, 936cc, 12V SMARTECH diesel engine, which is good for 57.6bhp and 150Nm. Both the engines are linked to a 5-speed manual gearbox.
Performance and Handling
Despite having small size engines, the hatch delivers punchy performance. It’s one of the most fun-to-drive city Ford car models in India. Compact dimensions and short turning radius make it a perfect urban car. Handling is predictable, and the ride quality is good. It accelerates 0-100kmph in 15.5 seconds with a top speed of 145kmph.
Braking System
The front disc brakes and rear drum brakes are well calibrated. The effective ABS (anti-lock braking system) and a good pedal bite further enhance its braking capabilities.
Mileage
The 936 cc Diesel — powered variant delivers a fuel economy of 23 kmpl in city and 25 kmpl on highways, while the Petrol variant offers a mileage of 17 kmpl on urban roads and 19 kmpl on freeways, respectively.
Safety Features
The hatchback is equipped with several passive and active safety features such as day & night inside rear view mirror, front fog lamp, central locking, driver seat belt reminder and height adjust front headrest. While dual airbags, ABS (anti-lock braking system) and front seat belt load limiter are available only on top-end model.
Verdict
The Beat facelift is a good value for money car. However, it received minimal exterior and interior updates. It’s one of the most frugal and fun-to-drive Chevrolet cars in India.
Competition
Ford Figo Vs Chevrolet Beat
Both the cars look stylish and sporty. Chevrolet’s Beat offers a well-equipped interior, and frugal and peppy engines. The Ford Figo, on the other hand, is more spacious and comfortable than its rival. In terms of handling and drivability, too, the Figo scores higher than the Chevrolet’s hatchback.
Pros
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Sporty styling
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Engine performance
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Fuel economy
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Handling
Cons
Limited boot space
Awards
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Compact car of the Year — 2013 — Bloomberg TV Autocar Awards
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Hatchback of the Year — 2013 — Car India & Bike India Awards
Comfort and features
Chevrolet Beat rear photo
The speedometer unit on the Beat is column mounted, with a rectangular digital panel next to it which displays the RPM, fuel level, time and other tell tales.
The centre console of the Chevy Beat is very well designed and functional, very nicely lit up at night with a soft blue back light. Integrated CD/MP3 player with AUX and USB does its duty well and the climate control on the top-end version cools the cabin quickly. The 3 spoke steering with silver spokes is appropriately sized and is tilt adjustable. The speedometer console also moves with the tilt-adjustment.
The gear knob is a bit oddly-shaped. The dash is a bit high and that’s why we missed the height adjuster on the driver’s seat. Nevertheless a 10/10 for the seats and their support upfront, rear seats are again good offering ample back and thigh support.
GM designers have used practically all the cabin corners in the Beat to carve out small cubby holes and pockets to place your mobile, coins etc. Doors have a nice thud to them when closed and feel heavy. Door pockets are neat, and bottle holders hold a 1 litre mineral water bottle well.
The boot holds 170 litres of luggage – a bit of the boot space is sacrificed to increase the legroom. Adjustable headrests offer ample support to the rear passengers, and there is sufficient space for three normal-sized persons – it won’t be very comfortable, but it can be done.
Quick Facts about Chevrolet Beat
Chevrolet Beat price in India goes from ₹ 3.96 — 6.04 Lakh in India. Beat being a Hatchback comes in 8 variants.The base model of Chevrolet Beat — PS Petrol starts at ₹ 3.96 Lakh in Delhi and the top model of Chevrolet Beat — LTZ Diesel is priced at ₹ 6.04 Lakh in Delhi. If you are looking for a 5 seater car then you should consider Beat.
Beat car comes in 4 petrol variants and 4 diesel variants. The Beat petrol variant comes with a 1199cc engine capacity and Manual transmission modes. It generates 79 bhp @ 6200 rpm. The Beat diesel variant comes with a 936cc engine capacity and Manual transmission modes. It generates 57 bhp @ 4000 rpm.
Beat comes in 7 colors which include Caviar Black, Cocktail Green, Pull Me Over Red, Satin Steel Grey, Sandrift Grey, Switch Blade Silver, and Summit White.
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