After officially arriving at the Chinese market in 2010, the hatchback version of Chevrolet Sail this time went to India, in order to repeat the success of this car category among the emergent markets, but with some features focused at the Eastern customers. While the brand has recently released Onix in Brazil, comparing it with Sail is a very good way of understanding a little more about the differences between those countries’ tastes when it comes to small cars. That’s a part of what you will read at this article.
One of the most known idiosyncrasies of those markets is the practice of extending the cheaper cars’ lifecycle until it becomes financially convenient to change it, and that can be done with small to medium face-lifts, market repositioning or even to only keep selling that car, ignoring the passage of time while the sales remain satisfactory. The Chinese GM sold the first-generation Chevrolet Corsa sedan and station wagon as Buick Sail, and after some years gave them a small restyling which later went to the Brazilian car. However, the Brazilian customers are very fond of sporty designs even though the car isn’t intended to obtain high performances. This explains why Celta has always offered a big line of style acessories, for instance. But another fact is their increasing interest in technology, and this one will be attended with Chevrolet Corsa’s successor: recently released, Onix not only was projected at the modern Gamma II platform as boasts a coupe-like rear design and brings items such as the MyLink entertainment system, composing an emotional package which attracts specially the younger customers. This car came to replace the Brazilian Corsa, but it is highly expected that the next years will see the new car’s cheaper versions taking Celta’s room, too.
When we travel the other side of the world, it’s easy to see that Sail’s concerns are very different. They start with the simple external design, without too labored shapes and reliefs in order to avoid high costs. It effectively achieves lower prices because cutting-edge construction is also not a priority. This car focus at delivering a comfortable and spacious interior for the average families, with trim levels which bring all the necessary and avoid the luxuries. Besides that, the design is clearly another example of how different those cars are: Sail’s roof is much more horizontal and ends with a abrupt fall, such as most minivans. And like with them, this design comes to both raise the cabin’s height and the trunk, optimizing the internal space. In India, Sail will compete with cars like Ford Figo and Maruti Swift, who use the exact same “recipe”. In other words, the Eastern conception of an entry level car, with the appropriate exceptions, is much more rational than the Western one. This article won’t try to define which one is better or worse, and no one should try to really do it, because they are just different. And as so, they only need to be respected. That’s why Sail will never arrive at Onix’s market and vice-versa. This Indian hatchback will use an 1.2 with 86 hp using gasoline, or an 1.3 with 78 hp using diesel, always with manual transmission.
