The explosion of the small sedan segment in the Philippines, fueled in particular by ride-sharing apps like Uber and Grab, meant that carmakers are all scrambling for a piece of that lucrative pie. Normally content on delivering more of lifestyle-oriented vehicles, Chevrolet has gotten right smack into the fray with the Sail. Replacing the slow-selling Sonic sedan (the hatchback is still around), the Sail, is for all intents and purposes, a car you get when accountants take charge. It’s simple, straightforward, and priced to sell. It should be a winner by anyone’s book; that is, until you actually drive it.

Now, before getting to the subject of driving, it’s best to reserve a few words to describe the Sail’s styling: it’s…what car is this again?




But, better tempter those dreams about running in Talladega Nights because this Chevy’s not going to give you enough shake-and-bake muscle. Aside from being irritatingly difficult not to whiplash the passengers into submission each time the gas pedal’s squeezed, it loses steam early on. The Sail already feels close to maxed out as it reaches 100 km/h and a glance at the speedometer all but confirms this: it’s already running at 2,100 rpm on fourth gear at 80 km/h.




Another glaring problem with the Sail is its handling. When it’s left to just sail or if you prefer, cruise, it’s alright. Apart from the heavy hydraulic power steering, it’s a Point A to Point B car. It’ll do everything you ask of it; nothing more, nothing less. The problems start coming out when you decide to provoke it even a little. Give it a poke through a series of bends and it’ll respond with understeer and body roll. It also feels low on mechanical grip. It has a tendency to break traction whenever the throttle’s loaded and the steering wheel’s a bit off-center. The brakes too feel like an on/off switch.




Speaking about the cabin, it’s a pleasant enough space to be in. Fit and finish are largely at par with other cars of this class although there are some bits, particularly the stalks, which are inexcusably cheap. Still, it’s got space for 5 adults so that’s something. Apart from getting their own 3-point seatbelts and adjustable headrests, the seats are cushy enough for the daily commute even if they look thin. The driver’s seat, in particular, must be commended for offering 6 ways, albeit manual, of adjustment. The rest of the ergonomics package, like the steering wheel, gauges, and shifter all work together to deliver a solid driving position. Interestingly enough, designers have carefully rearranged the controls, reducing the door trim’s footprint to a minimum to get back some precious millimeters of room. As a result, the window switches have migrated to the center console, just ahead of the shifter. It takes some getting used to, but it becomes second nature after a while.




Although the lower variants may make more sense for those considering the Sail as an Uber or Grab vehicle (the range starts at P 713,888), the Sail 1.5 LTZ’s positioning is much more problematic. What started as a car supposedly designed by the numbers, designed to slot into a particular segment like a pair of skinny jeans, ends up being priced off market. For once, Chevrolet shouldn’t try to be the brand for everyone. They should rein in their accountants and let the product people go back to doing lifestyle-oriented vehicles.