The Covenant Car Company Inc launched the much awaited ALV (Active Life Vehicle), the Chevrolet Orlando, in the Philippines during the Chevy Motorama at SM Mall of Asia. Why the Chevrolet Orlando is called an ACTIVE LIFE VEHICLE? Simple, it combines the ruggedness of the SUV, minivan spacing, and sedan riding comfort. It was named after a popular family destination in Florida.
Fun fact is that this is the first Chevrolet introduced in South Korea as an initiative to phase out the poorly criticized Daewoo brand in favor of the Chevrolet brand and also the company name change from GM Daewoo Auto and Technology to GM Korea Company. You'll be glad that this Active Life Vehicle is made in Kunsan, South Korea.
2012 Chevrolet Orlando interior
This is a first in the Philippines to offer the new "EZ-TECH" that uses a switch to fold the seats automatically. We think that EZ-TECH can be proven useful if you want access at the back seats. Also first is the "Secret Cube" that can be accessed by flipping up the front faceplate of the audio system. Essential to hide something and it even has an USB port on that SECRET CUBE!
Available engine is the 1.8L petrol engine and its mated with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Prices start at 1,188,888 Philippine Pesos.
GM Korea's Chevrolet Orlando was the Active Life Vehicle designed and engineered in South Korea and it was the first out of the eight new Chevrolet models to hit South Korea as part of renaming GM Daewoo Auto and Technology into GM Korea Company. Since it made a preview at the 2011 Manila International Auto Show last April, along with the Traverse, we're still waiting when will TCCCI bring the Chevrolet Orlando to the Philippines soon (before the end of 2011 perhaps?) and if it does, it will pose a huge threat to the Toyota Avanza, Mitsubishi Fuzion (known in Taiwan as the Zinger), and the Nissan Grand Livina.
Now, the Chevrolet Orlando is added with the new variant called Orlando LPGi. The Chevrolet Orlando LPGi is powered with the ECOTEC 2.0 LPGi (Liquefied Petroleum Gasoline injection) engine. This is the world's first from General Motors because the ECOTEC LPGi engine is the first from the company and the Chevrolet Orlando was the first to have one. It packs with features like FICM (Fuel Injection Control Module), DIS (Direct Ignition System), and D-CVCP (Dual-Continuous Variable Cam Phaser).
The ECOTEC 2.0 LPGi engine has a power output of 140PS/6000rpm, torque output of 18.8kg-m/4600rpm, and the fuel economy of 8.7km/L. It is mated with a six-speed automatic transmission.
Not quite fuel efficient than the diesel-fed Chevrolet Orlando but whatever.
Well, two crossover wagons can play that game. Both GM Korea's Chevrolet Orlando and Mitsubishi's Fuzion (known in Chinese-speaking countries as the Zinger) truly have in common; SUV ruggedness, minivan space, and sedan driving comfort. Just imagine, if The Covenant Car Company Inc. decided to bring the new Chevrolet Orlando (made in Korea by GM Korea) to the Philippines soon, what would the Mitsubishi Fuzion react?
First things first; in terms of height, the Mitsubishi Fuzion has the height of 1800/1805mm while the Chevrolet Orlando has 1635mm. I guess the GM Korea Chevrolet Orlando is about 20% shorter than the Fuzion, but if you check both of these MPVs' wheelbases, the Orlando wins. The Orlando's wheelbase is about 2760mm while the Fuzion's wheelbase is 2720mm. That's enough wheelbase and legroom for other people to fit inside the Korean-American Active Life Vehicle.
Both the Orlando and the Fuzion can seat up to seven people but thanks to its long wheelbase, I believe that the Orlando is best to fit inside. Accessing the third row seat is made simple by folding the seats from the 2nd row. Both the Orlando and the Fuzion truly have in common.
In terms of performance; the Orlando stacks up against the Fuzion. Why? Because the Orlando's 2.0L Turbo Diesel engine packs a punching 165 PS while the Fuzion's 2.4L 16-Valve Petrol engine packs just about 136 PS. With the Fuzion offered in just 4-speed AT, the Orlando has an additional two gears, making a total for the 6-speed Automatic transmission. The Orlando's also offered in the manual transmission, making it a fun-to-drive MPV like no other.
I strongly believed that the Chevrolet Orlando is the best pick against the Mitsubishi Fuzion despite both of these shared the same experiences; having the ruggedness of an SUV, spaciousness of a minivan, and sedan riding comfort. I guess the Mitsubishi Fuzion will wave the white flag, surrendering to the Chevrolet Orlando.
Let's hope that TCCCI will bring the Korean-made Orlando soon if they have that chance.
When GM Daewoo is still in the process of renaming it into GM Korea Company, the Korean division of General Motors launched the first of the eight Chevrolet vehicles to the South Korean market. Six of them will be made from Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, while the two Chevrolet models are imported from the North American market. The first Korean-made Chevrolet that will mark the beginning of Chevrolet and the countdown of renaming "GM Daewoo Auto and Technology" into "GM Korea Company" is the Active Live Vehicle known as the Chevrolet Orlando (쉐보레 올란도).
Made for the global market except the United States and Japan, the Chevrolet Orlando is the first Korean Chevrolet that will help revolutionize the Korean division of General Motors and to bring out the best for Korean families. With the concept of "Active Life Vehicle", the Orlando marks the new category because of its ruggedness of an SUV, sedan riding comfort, and spaciousness of a minivan. Think of it as the Korean-American take on Mitsubishi Fuzion/Zinger MPV.
GM Korea's Chevrolet Orlando is powered with the 2.0L DOHC Turbo Diesel engine, capable of releasing a fresh power output of 163hp and the torque output of 36.7kg-m. The 2.0L 6-Speed Automatic variant has a fuel economy of 14.0km/L while the 2.0L 6-Speed Manual variant has a fuel economy of 17.4km/L. In other terms, driving a manual variant of the Orlando takes you further if you are planning a trip from Manila to Cabanatuan.
My thoughts about the Chevrolet Orlando:
The Chevrolet Orlando marks the first of the eight Chevrolet vehicles to be launched in the Korean market. As always told from GM Daewoo CEO, now GM Korea Company CEO, Mike Arcamone said that six Chevrolet models are domestic while two are North American imports. As it gets near, the GM Daewoo Lacetti Premiere and the Matiz Creative will be branded as Chevrolet Cruze and Spark, planned to rename existing models while retaining the GM Daewoo brand on vehicles such as Damas, Labo, and the Alpheon premium sedan.
The Orlando is intended for the global market and it's not coming to the United States and Japan. If The Covenant Car Company Inc. plans to launch the Korean-made Orlando to the Philippines soon, the Mitsubishi Fuzion, Toyota Avanza and Innova, and the Nissan Grand Livina might be shocked to see such a worthy Korean-American contender stepping on the competition. Also, if someone plans a Philippine commercial for the Orlando, leave it to Ryan Agoncillo because he's the brand ambassador for Chevrolet Philippines. If Ryan Agoncillo's going for a joyride in Orlando, he'll bring the whole family for an entire trip around the country with the new Orlando, Chevrolet's Active Life Vehicle created from GM Korea (formerly GM Daewoo). Sales for the Orlando starts at March 2011 in South Korea and soon worldwide except USA and Japan.
