Chevrolet Orlando in the endurance test – How To Cars

Real: This Orlando is the last! The last model from Chevrolet in the AUTO BILD endurance test, because the brand is withdrawing from Europe by 2016 and making way for GM subsidiary Opel. But no one knows that when Orlando 2011 comes to the editorial office to promote hasty newspaper editors. He sees almost every corner of Germany, whirrs along Dutch autobahns and rumbles over Romanian pothole roads. At first glance, he can eat up the kilometers quite well, the Korean with the Ami logo on the bow. Most colleagues feel comfortable in the Orlando on long journeys, attesting to the seven-seater’s comfortable seats, plenty of space and the subtle working noise of its 163 hp diesel. But as soon as the track gets rougher, they get annoyed about an ugly weakness of the space car.

The van shows its rough side

The Chevrolet Orlando is produced in Gunsan, South Korea.

“Polterfahrwerk”, the word runs like a red thread through the logbook. “The constant dancing, shaking, rumbling, rumbling is annoying,” summarizes editor Joachim State. And he’s not alone, because many Chevy users are bothered by the rough sides of the Korean van. It starts with the start of the traffic light and the Chevrolet’s weakness when starting off: First it doesn’t really get out of the back, then it storms forward like nothing good, scraping helplessly with the front wheels – even at a moderate pace – and tugging at the steering wheel. It’s no fun, especially on wet roads. And at the editorial office in Hamburg, the streets are rarely dry. If it’s still cold outside, another weakness of the long-distance runner becomes apparent: it doesn’t get really warm inside. “It never gets cold in Korea?” asks editor Lars Busemann in the logbook, and colleague Matthias Moetsch doubts whether the car even has a heater.

Same technology as the Opel Zafira Tourer

At some point, a member of the test department measured: The Orlando’s air conditioning had to heat up at full blast in order to ensure a room temperature of 21 degrees. According to current case law, every student digs must be warmer. But as it is, editor Frank B. Meyer constantly wipes the fogged-up windows clean on a 300-kilometre tour and notes annoyed that “the air recirculation button really wasn’t pressed.” But even through clear glass, Meyer wouldn’t be able to see too much, because the headlights are weak, like the air conditioning. “Striped illumination, dark spots, a lot of scattered light,” says tester Manfred Klangwald – and thus joins the ranks of editors to whom the Orlando seems old-fashioned. The GM space cruiser shares the technical basis with the current Opel Zafira Tourer – it also runs in the AUTO BILD endurance test, but does not show any of the Chevy weaknesses. Sure, it’s about money again. Chevrolet is said to be flirting with price-sensitive customers in this country who cannot or do not want to afford the more expensive Opel. In fact, the Orlando offers a lot of car for the money for 26,530 euros: the automatic transmission, a trailer hitch and metallic paint are already included. But what is missing is what many long-distance drivers long for: Navi, heated seats and cruise control. At the start of the test in autumn 2011, the speed controller was only available for an extra charge of 1500 euros in the highest LTZ configuration. So much for savings. Wait, one more thing: the loss in value of the space giant is also lavish at over 15,000 euros. So the Korea-Ami could at least be an insider tip among the used ones – if it were rock-solid. But it isn’t, which is why it ends up in 70th place in our long-term test ranking. A torn drive shaft sleeve has to be replaced after around 50,000 kilometers. And when the milage is 71,000, the tailgate no longer opens because the pressure switch fails. Worse: the final disassembly shows that the six-speed automatic has suffered greatly. There is a lot of abrasion on the magnet in the gearbox and this explains why the colleagues first complained about the juddering of the switch box at 40,000 kilometers. The symptom doesn’t get any better, just before the end of the test, the workshop tries fresh gear oil for 354 euros. Vain. Chevrolet seems to be aware of the problem and recommends changing the transmission oil at 75,000 instead of 150,000 kilometers for heavily used vehicles. Whether the visibly battered clutch plates would hold out for so long? Questionable. In any case, the Chevy is spared the shame of the gearbox damage. This last farewell greeting would really be the last.

You can see all the pictures from the test and further details about the final inspection of the Orlando in the picture gallery. The complete article with all data and tables is available in the online article archive as PDF-Download.