2006 Chevrolet Optra GT 2.0 4 cylinder from North America

Summary:

Do not buy

Faults:

For a small, supposedly efficient car, it uses far more gas than advertised. It should get 11 litres/100 km and it uses 14 (in the city) with very little improvement on the highway. It has 4 cylinders and the gas usage is equivalent to an SUV.

General Comments:

Has had 2 recalls already and have had to have the entire steering rack replaced (this was the 2nd repair to the steering)

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 20th February, 2008

28th Mar 2010, 20:57

Whoa! My Buick uses about 14L/100 under hard acceleration! It uses only about 8.5L/100 on the highway! That's a real gas guzzler right there.

4th Oct 2011, 16:27

Had the same gas guzzling problem. Got rid of it as GM kept telling me it was the way I drive. I used around 14 litres per 100 km too. Took it for a longer, highway trip and got almost the same mileage. Will never buy another GM product as they were condescending (I am a female) and kept saying it would be better at 5,000 km. When I hit that mark, it became 10,000 km.

2006 Chevrolet Optra 5 2.0L from North America

Summary:

Nice looking car with lots of room

Faults:

The speakers on the passenger side door have a buzz in it when the music is played over a certain noise level. We took it in and it was fixed under the warranty, which was good. But, the door was shut too hard one day and the buzz came back.

General Comments:

I learned how to drive a manual transmission with this car. The transmission is very forgiving for a beginner. Instead of stalling straight out, the engine grumbles a little bit as a warning to give it some more gas.

It has good pick up for in-city driving. You can get going a good clip in a short period of time. It is also good for highway driving and passes neatly and quickly on both 2-lane and 4-lane highways.

The car handles well around corners.

The car is quite roomy compared to what you see from the outside. Everyone is very surprised how big it actually is when the sit inside it. It can also accommodate a tall person in all seats without the person feeling cramped.

The fold-down seats and the hatch allow easy loading of large things. You can fit a lot of stuff in it.

The interior is very nice. I enjoy the look of the seats and the air vents. The seats are very comfy, even in the back. I could definitely (and have) fall asleep being a passenger on long trips.

I love the way the car looks from the outside. It is sleek and compact. The spoiler gives it a nice sporty feel.

The car is very easy to park due to its size.

Not many people seem to own an Optra 5 where I live. It is a breath of fresh air amid all the Mazda 3s, Corollas, Elantras, and Civics you see. And the price is very reasonable compared to these cars as well. It ended up being the best value and fit well into my budget.

I am very pleased with my purchase of the Optra 5. I feel like I got the best bang for my buck.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 22nd August, 2006

22nd Aug 2006, 12:41

An addendum to my review: I read the running costs a bit wrong and thought that a lower rating was better. It should actually read 8 or 9 out of 10.

The car is very good on gas compared to my previous vehicle. For our driving habits (getting groceries etc) we usually fill the tank once a week or week and a half. Filling it up does not break the bank, even at gas prices around $1.15/L-$1.20/L.

The car has only been serviced once other than the speaker problem and that was for an oil change and was not expensive.

We have yet to top up any fluids.

Therefore, my general opinion is that the running costs are very low.

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