We review the Chevrolet Orlando from price to economy and all its features
THE Chevy Orlando sounds like an American holiday villa.
It does offer accommodation for seven people but this Orlando caters for people on the move.
And Chevrolet have learned that motorists in the UK and Europe are more subtle when it comes to size than US motorists.
The Orlando is a compact seven-seater that manages to look more like a sleek estate car than a boxy people carrier.
Fortunately, it does come with a dose of bold American design, particularly at the front, with the prominent Chevy bow-tie badge on a macho grille.
Chevy seem to have grasped what family buyers are looking for in a people carrier – maximum practicality without being bland. There’s nothing fiddly about the car’s seven-seat package. The second and third row of seats fold flat at the flick of a lever, boosting load carrying space from 564litres with five adults to 1,300litres with just the driver and front seat passenger.
There are top marks for some handy touches for the busy mum and dad, like the extra rear mirror in the centre console above the dash, allowing the driver to see what kids are up to in the back.
The interior quality may not match a Ford Galaxy or VW Sharan but it is good enough for a vehicle that will have to cope with the daily wear and tear of kids.
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Undoubtedly the biggest revelation is how well the Orlando handles. It corners with saloon-like assurance and it is a comfortable long distance motorway cruiser with a sweet six-speed auto box.
It also has an excellent 2litre turbo diesel, which is both refined and lively, plus fuel economy is between 36 and 47mpg, with CO2 between 159 and 183g/km.
Even the Orlando’s price grabs your attention, starting at £16,395 for the 1.8litre petrol. The top of the range 2litre turbo diesel is a competitive £21,145.
Those prices undercut the majority of the opposition and make the Orlando a new destination lots of British motorists will be attracted to.
What to look out for when buying a used Chevrolet Orlando (2011-)
The Orlando is fairly old tech and not overly complex, while most of its components are pinched from other cars across the global GM range.
Owners have reported problems with the automatic gearbox; with one needing a replacement at just 7,000 miles, only for the original fault returned on the replacement box 2,000 miles later. So best to get that looked over before you buy.
Some have also complained of power loss from the higher-power diesel engine (possibly related to the turbocharger), a clogged-up exhaust particulate filter (in diesels used mainly for short-distance urban driving) and jerky braking, as well as glitches in the sat nav.
However, most owners do seem very happy with their lot.