U-VA vs. Vista [test drive]. Review on Chevrolet UVA

I think this is one of the best cars under Rs. 5 Lakhs on road in Mumbai. This is a comparision with the Vista since I'm trying to decide between the two. I am only interested in back seat comfort as I won't be driving myself - performance & high speed [I don't let my driver go over 70-80 km/h] handling are thus irrelevant to me. Ride comfort & legroom are much more important.

1. Price

The Vista wins the important criteria by being about 10% cheaper than the U-VA.

Score: Vista = 1 ; UVA = 0

1. Looks

I think its fair to say that while the Vista is a considerable improvement [from 'fugly' to plain is a big jump by any standard], the UVA at least does not look like a taxi or cool cab. The Vista still looks similar from behind to the earlier Indica. While my fav colour is silver, I can't get a Vista in that since it would be indistinguishable from a tourist car but a silver UVA still looks respectable. The same colour problem is with my best car from the back seat - the 7 seater Innova.

Score: Vista = 1 ; UVA = 1

1. Rear Legroom

Surprisingly the Vista has almost an inch more than the UVA where every extra cm matters in cramped rear seats. Since I'm 6'1" I usually have the front seat tilted all the way forward to create a comfortable space at the back and also have the front head reat removed for better visibility and cooling from the AC ducts. This means that no one can sit in front.

It was surprisingly difficult to find photos from Google Images for 3 seater cars but I found 2 interior shots above. One is a 45 year old Datsun convertible with a sideways rear seat to maximise legroom so we know that its not a new idea. The other is a concept Peugeot with the driver in the centre which could be applied to most hatchbacks here as well.

The ideal hatch for tall back seaters would be one with a removable front seat like they have in Europe for flexible configurations. This would still take a driver and 2 passengers comfortably as a 3-seater.

Score: Vista =2 ; UVA = 1

1. Ground Clearance

The UVA has the highest for any car below 5 L so there is no contest here when going over broken roads. Unless the specifications are wrong its as much as the SX4 that would make it the highest under Rs.8 L for ANY car [only SUVs like Safari have more].

Score: Vista =2 ; UVA = 2

1. Dealer Network

Tata beats Chevy since its #2 behind Maruti in terms of coverage nationwide.

Score: Vista =3 ; UVA = 2

1. Rear Suspension

The UVA has an excellent ride for back seaters and even better than Logan or Accent which are more expensive.

Score: Vista =3 ; UVA = 3

1. Manufacturer Warranty

Chevy has among the best warranties around for maximum peace of mind so it edges ahead 4-3 against the Vista.

Score: Vista =3 ; UVA = 4

I only wish the base model also had a central armrest which greatly reduces fatigue on longer drives. One would hate to pay Rs. 30 k more just for the rear folding armrest. About Rs. 5-10 k extra is a reasonable charge for this comfort option.

Extra rear legroom would have been fantastic also or at least as much as the Vista.

I think the Vista might beat the UVA in mileage but the difference does not matter if I'm not driving so I'm leaving it out. In any case one can only judge that over weeks and not during a test drive.

Maybe a 1 year old UVA would be ideal since Chevy has started selling certified used cars also.

Then you could get the top end 'LT' for the price of the base model or almost Rs. 1 Lakh less.