General Motors is huge in China, so successful that Cadillac sells more sedans and SUVs there than in the United States. The People’s Republic is also where the biggest of the Big Three sells the Baojun 510 through a joint venture with SAIC and Wuling, and this gets us to the Chevrolet Groove for the 2021 model year.
Named after a concept from more than a decade ago, the subcompact crossover is nothing more than a badge-engineered Baojun 510. “A sporty and fun SUV with eye-catching appeal” according to the golden bowtie, the newcomer is made in the People’s Republic for 40 emerging markets.
Revealed in Chile of all places, the Groove also happens to be ridiculously affordable at 9,690,000 Chilean pesos. That figure translates to $12,155 at current exchange rates, which is pretty good if you go through the list of standard equipment.
LT is how the entry-level trim is called, and right off the bat, Chevy offers an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a rearview camera, air conditioning, electronic stability control and traction control, four airbags, and 16-inch wheels. The Premier grade levels up to a sunroof, push-button start, automatic climate control, leather on the seats and steering wheel, a sunroof, and LED exterior lights.
The drivetrain is the more disappointing part of the Groove, consisting of a six-speed manual transmission driving the front wheels with the suck-squeeze-bang-blow from a 1.5-liter engine. The free-breathing motor cranks out 110 horsepower and 108 pound-feet (146 Nm) of torque, uninspiring figures for such a good-looking crossover. Chevrolet hasn’t confirmed any optional transmission such as the steel-belt CVT that comes standard in the Baojun 510 over in China.
Positioned below the Tracker, the all-new Groove is offered in five colors at launch. These are Red, Gray, White, Blue, and Orange. South American markets that will get the subcompact crossover include Chile, Bolivia, Uruguay, Peru, and Colombia. For some reason or another, Argentina and Brazil have been left out.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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