By Steph Willems, EMC - Following last year's aggressive re-entry into the resurgent compact car market with its Chevrolet Cruze sedan, General Motors is again looking to satisfy downsized tastes in the age of pricey gasoline.October marks the launch of both the subcompact Chevy Sonic sedan and hatchback, designed (in America) to replace the slow-selling Aveo, and a new Cruze-based family vehicle called the Orlando that defies easy categorization.
The EMC got its hands on a 2012 Orlando from Jim Tubman Chevrolet last week to put the new age grocery getter through its paces.
So, what exactly is the Orlando?
From the outside, its looks seem to fit somewhere between an SUV, crossover, wagon and minivan. Peering inside the vehicle (and its accompanying sales literature), the Orlando's intent is clear -- to hold as many kids as a minivan -- or as much stuff -- but without looking, driving or sucking fuel like a minivan.
Underneath the seven-passenger Orlando -- billed as the most space-efficient and fuel-efficient seven-seater on the market -- lies the architecture of the Chevy Cruze, namely its GM Delta II platform.
That same global platform is utilized in both the Cruze and the new Chevy Volt, as well as the upcoming Buick Verano compact sedan. Having tested the Cruze during last year's launch, the Orlando exhibits the same structural stiffness and planted handling characteristics as its sedan stable mate, only with much, much more cargo room.
Driving through the city over the course of a couple of days confirmed the Orlando can be a compromise for people who need the room of a van, but don't want to erase driving fun from their lives. Nor do they want to spend lots of time and money at the pumps to achieve this feat.
The only engine offered in the Orlando is the 2.4-litre, direct-injection four cylinder found in the Verano, the larger Chevy Equinox and in 'mild hybrid' eAssist form in the Buick LaCrosse, Regal and the future Chevy Malibu Eco. With 174 horsepower and 171 pounds-feet of torque, the engine is easily up to the task of hauling around the Orlando's 3,500-3,600 pound curb weight.
In fact, it feels downright sporty, as a comparison, the Cruze's topline engine is a 138-horsepower 1.4-litre turbo unit, and that vehicle only undercuts the weight of the Orlando by 400 pounds.
Our mid-level LT tester came equipped with an optional six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode, also available (and the only choice on the base LS) is a six-speed manual gearbox that sounds like a lot of fun. Nothing on the road today will give you the option of hauling seven people while rowing your own gears.
The automatic does a good job of making use of the Orlando's on-tap power. The vehicle launches with authority, upshifts are subtle and there is little hesitation before downshifting when the Orlando is pressed harder. While most automatics want to hold the highest gear possible for as long as possible (usually leading to a delayed, abrupt two-gear kickdown), the six-speed in the Orlando has a tendency to position itself for the bursts of acceleration needed in city driving, quickly dropping a gear a few seconds after the driver lifts off the throttle to bleed off some speed.
A savvy passenger noticed this and actually commented on it. The driver of an automatic Orlando certainly isn't driving a penalty box.
The LT and base LS come with 16-inch aluminum wheels, 60-series tires and four-wheel disc brakes -- all found on the Cruze -- while the top-level LTZ model brings 18-inch wheels and 45-series low-profile tires, no doubt improving performance even more -- presumably for times when the kids aren't along for the ride.
For anyone used to driving a regular commuter car, the volume-seller LT model is sporty enough, and will probably feel like a performance upgrade.
Because of the Orlando's higher seating position, visibility out the front of the vehicle is good, aided by a low dash and door sills. A big plus is that the seating position isn't so high the driver feels acrophobic, like in a towering van or SUV -- it's more like being behind the wheel of a tall sedan with a low centre of gravity.
Driving along, the Orlando feels and handles like a largish car, which is essentially what it is. Only when shoulder checking does one realize how much utilitarian vehicle there is behind you.
Both rows of rear seats can be folded flat in seconds, making for a lengthy, 56.3 cubic foot cargo floor, folding the rearmost row makes for the conventional five-seats-plus-cargo-bay setup most crossover and wagon drivers are used to. The three middle row headrests do compound rearward visibility, so the quick-fold function is a useful one.
GM lists the Orlando as having a fuel consumption of 6.7L/100 km on the highway, which translates into 42 mpg -- a figure not achievable in a seven seat van or SUV. The Orlando's base price of $19,995 also undercuts the price of most alternatives.
The ubiquitous Dodge Grand Caravan is listed at the same price, but gets 36 mpg highway, is larger and is very much a van.
The interior of our whit test vehicle came with black cloth seats, and an attractive black dash that alternated between matte and shiny surfaces. The seats were firm but comfortable, and could slide back far enough to accommodate the tallest basketball player.
The tilting/telescopic steering wheel -- straight out of the Cruze parts bin -- completed the requirements for a comfortable driving position. On the wheel were controls for the Sirius XM Satellite Radio (available on all models) as well as the cruise control.
If you plan on having the Orlando serve double duty as an office space, the 2LT model comes with Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity and a USB port -- something bored kids could make use of if the scenery just doesn't cut it anymore.
While the Orlando isn't a gizmo-laden luxury hauler or a rock-crawling go-anywhere 'ute (it is a front-wheel drive only), it does excel in the role it was created for -- being efficient in terms of space, value, ride and comfort.
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