Chevrolet Orlando company car road test

The Chevrolet Orlando is the firm's first seven-seat MPV to go on sale in the UK. It may look a bit boxy but there are plenty of plus points – competitive prices, a spacious interior and a five-year/100,000 mile warranty.

As a company car the Orlando is up against tried and tested competition including the Ford Grand C-Max, Renault’s Grand Scenic and Citroen’s Grand Picasso. However, the figures make interesting reading if you can get over the cuboid looks.

Practicality is important when choosing a seven-seater, so how does the Orlando fare?

One of the most noticeable aspects of the car's design is the excellent head- and leg-room that is available to all passengers, whether they are up front or in the rear. In seven-seat mode the Orlando has a loadspace of 89 litres. However, fold the rearmost seats down and you’ll have 458 litres of space available and 856 litres with the two rear rows down. You could go even further if you need to and fill the car up to the roof, which expands the available load room to 1,499 and makes the Orlando the biggest and most practical people-carrier in its class.

On the road the seven-seat Chevrolet is impressive. The 160bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox and has enough low-down pulling power for the majority of situations, while also feeling assured at motorway speeds. It’s probably best to avoid the optional 18-inch alloys as these may make the ride jittery. Road, wind and tyre noise are quite well insulated, although the diesel engine can be a little clattery on start-up. Performance figures are relative for this type of car – it can reach 62mph in 10.0 seconds and has a top speed of 121mph.

Does this version of the Orlando make sense as a company car?

The P11d value for the Chevrolet Orlando 2.0-litre VDCI is £20,085. This means company car drivers in the 20% tax bracket will pay £84 per month while 40% taxpayers will be charged £167.

The Orlando we tested was the range-topping LTZ model. It’s packed with kit including 17-inch alloys, automatic cruise control, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers, blue ambient panel lighting, power-folding door mirrors, a rear cargo net and chrome-effect body detailing. You can also opt for an Executive Pack, priced at £2,000. This adds full leather upholstery, heated front seats, sat-nav and 18-inch alloy wheels.

As a company car option the Chevrolet Orlando may be slightly left of the centre, but the standard kit, competitive price and long-life warranty make it very appealing for the fleet driver who needs a bit of extra space.

Also consider

Renault Grand Scenic

The Grand Scenic comes with seven seats as standard, while the practical interior is spacious and full of family-friendly features, including plenty of storage space.

Ford Grand C-Max

Quality interior and a good mix of engines make the Grand C-Max one of the best people-carriers you can buy. It comes with seven-seats but is also good fun to drive.

Citroen C4 Grand Picasso

Citroen's Grand Picasso gets easy fold-flat seats in the back, has a huge windscreen for good visibility, lots of clever storage areas and even a boot light that doubles as a torch.