New Chevrolet Tavera

The Chevrolet Tavera is Chevy's top-of-the-line Multi-Utility Vehicle. It is based on South East Asia's Isuzu Panther. A versatile vehicle, it delivers an excellent performance and offers great comfort and endurance.

General Motors India is well pleased with the Tavera's sales graph this far. Tavera sports the distinctive Chevy single-bar grille with the large gold Chevy bow-tie emblem. It has a well-planted and reassuring feel to it, courtesy of muscled up roof pillars and strong thickset sheetmetal in the areas around the roof and windows. Its large size ensures that doors open wider, facilitating easy entry and exit.

A versatile interior design accommodates passengers and cargo with panache. Tavera's 2.5L engine mates well with the manual gear box and delivers satisfactory, if not refined power. Fuel Economy is adequate too. Suspension is geared more towards comfort than all-out performance. It cruises well on the highway. Steering is smooth and effortless at low speeds, so turning corners is a breeze.

The Tavera is available in three main variants; Base, Neo, and Neo-2. It is equipped with a 2.5L Direct Injection turbo-diesel that puts out 80 bhp of power and forks out 186 Nm of torque. It mates with a 5-speed manual transmission that offers up seamless shifts.

The rugged exterior is in direct contrast to its smooth and pleasant driving experience. Its light weight makes it easy to maneuver in tight spots. The engine serves up ample power. An advanced suspension with anti-roll bar makes for a balanced and smooth ride-quality. An agile steering keeps the Tavera swift and responsive, and makes for some easy maneuvering.

A stiff frame along with a supremely well-insulated cabin ensures that this vehicle delivers a relatively quiet ride. Its sturdy quality renders it capable of handling the most unfavourable of weather conditions. Courtesy of its mellow turbo, acceleration and handling quality are unmatched in comparison with other vehicles in its segment.

Comfort level in the rear seats has plenty of scope for improvement. It is a convenient vehicle for daily cruising nonetheless.

The Tavera has a resolute and reassuring aura. Despite an imposing size, it is nimble on the road. It has a striking presence, courtesy of its sloping hood. Built to take on rugged terrain, it is a dynamic blend of sharp angles, vertical lines and track devouring muscle. The humungous front fascia is adorned by Chevy's single-bar grille with the large gold Chevy bow-tie emblem and horizontal headlights.

The interiors are immensely comfortable with great ergonomics for the driver and a spacious stowage area. The cabin layout is thoughtful; simplicity and refinement are the underlying themes here. The neat and functional décor merges with new-fangled technology such as a tachometer and an electronic trip meter. Unique triple-row air-conditioning has three rows of vents (one for each passenger row).

The Tavera is pretty roomy with supportive front seats; there is excellent head room in the front and rear compartments. The quality of materials on the inside could be improved though.