A lot of us like fun things. A lot of us like fun cars, too. That said, it’s amazing how many vehicle manufacturers seem unaware of this. The arrival of the Chevrolet Groove in the Middle East, though, is an indicator that this particular company might have seen the light.
This newbie is a small SUV (or subcompact, as those in the know like to refer to them) with a reasonable engine that seems to want whoever is driving it to experience one emotion: amusement. And that isn’t an insult.
Chevrolet is clear on who it hopes will buy the Groove, with the marketing people talking about offering younger drivers “an affordable SUV with no compromise on technology, design or performance”.
The car was first unveiled at the New York International Auto Show way back in 2007, as a concept. But that particular vehicle and the latest version have little in common.
For 2022, the Groove comes in two trim lines, the LT and Premier, and you won’t need to be Einstein to work out which is the superior version.
At first glance, the prominent, three-line grille (adorned with what is known as the Chevrolet bowtie) gives the vehicle a distinctly sporty look. This is further emphasised by the black side mirrors and roof rails that come as standard.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
These days, design similarities among cars produced by the same manufacturer are sometimes referred to as corporate styling templates and, to this end, the front of the Groove fits right in with its Chevrolet siblings. This is no bad thing, and many would agree it trumps a few of its competitors in the prettiness regard.
The Groove is a little underpowered for a car of its size, and you can’t help thinking a turbocharger would have been a welcome addition for those times when you need a little extra oomph. The performance shouldn’t be a problem if you’re happy cruising, but it won’t serve you well if going full throttle at a track is your thing.
However, when you get behind the wheel, the car pleasingly shows itself to be nimble enough around city roads. The soundproofing is impressive in a vehicle without the monster-truck proportions of all those bigger SUVs tearing up and down the motorways, so you don’t feel any sense of panic as you nip around the aforementioned bulkier vehicles. A word you might use to describe it is nifty.
That corporate styling thing we mentioned earlier is also evident when you get inside the cabin for the first time, with much of the interior matching Chevrolet’s other offerings. The Groove is roomy enough for five people, and the red stitching, panoramic sunroof and leather steering wheel (complete with the usual gizmos) all give the impression of an above-average-quality vehicle.
The eight-inch touchscreen is standard on both the LT and Premier models and comes with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The manufacturer’s infotainment system is rather simpler to use than those provided by some other carmakers, and the four (LT) or six (Premier) speakers that make up the sound system are decent enough.
The Groove will serve as a very respectable vehicle for those after a budget SUV that won’t give credit cards a hammering at petrol stations, it’s well worth the attention of those seeking a stylish and inexpensive ride with a good range of technology.
We said it aims to amuse, and there will be more than a few out there who are likely to agree.
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
What is Genes in Space?
Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.
It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration.
Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Kevin Hart
3/5 stars
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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Company profile
Date started: December 24, 2018
Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer
Based: Dubai Media City
Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)
Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech
Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year
Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs: Macan Turbo
Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October
The specs
BMW M8 Competition Coupe
Engine 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8
Power 625hp at 6,000rpm
Torque 750Nm from 1,800-5,800rpm
Gearbox Eight-speed paddleshift auto
Acceleration 0-100kph in 3.2 sec
Top speed 305kph
Fuel economy, combined 10.6L / 100km
Price from Dh700,000 (estimate)
On sale Jan/Feb 2020
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
