Earlier this month we reviewed the Volkswagen Ameo, a sedan->ke142 version of the Polo->ke322 specifically developed for the Indian market. Less than four meters long, the Ameo was developed as an affordable subcompact sedan to compete with the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, Honda Amaze, and Ford Figo Aspire. At the 2016 New Delhi Auto Expo, Chevrolet->ke199 unveiled its own competitor for this niche. Dubbed Essentia, it is just a concept->ke169 for now, but one that looks ready to hit the assembly line without any modifications whatsoever.

Based on the new Beat,->ke3228 which was just launched in the country as an India-spec version of the fourth-generation Chevy Spark, the Essentia will slot under the Sail (built on the same Gamma II platform as the Spark,->ke3267 Sonic,->ke3744 and Trax)->ke4367 in the company's lineup and will become the smallest bowtie-badged sedan in production.

There's no word as to when the Essentia will hit the market as a production model, but Chevrolet did confirm that it will announce "specific market plans" at a later date. Given that Volkswagen->ke94 and Ford->ke31 have already joined this growing niche, Chevrolet will most likely roll out the Essentia within a year. Until that happens, let's have a closer look at the upcoming sedan version of the tiny Spark.

Continue reading to learn more about the Chevrolet Essentia Concept.

Exterior

Not surprisingly, the Essentia concept looks very similar to the new-generation Spark (Beat) up front. The hood, headlamps, and upper grille are identical except for the extra chrome strip of the latter. It's the bumper that sets the Essentia apart. The Spark's large grille was split in two distinct units, a larger upper section that's only slightly smaller than the hatchback's, and a thin lower intake. The foglamp bezels are also smaller and lack the chrome seen on higher trimmed Sparks.

On the side, similarities continue toward the B-pillar, but from there on, the Essentia is a brand-new car. Unfortunately, like most sub-four-meter sedans developed for the Indian market, the tall beltline, the small wheels, the oversized arches and the way the rear comes to an abrupt end makes it look rather disproportionate. Just like its future competitors, the Essentia is more of a notchback than a conventional sedan, sporting a short deck lid.

From the rear, the concept reminds of the Sonic sedan, but the latter was quite gorgeous compared to the Essentia. The license plate recess seems too big for the fascia and the vertically oriented taillights make the car seem narrower than it really is. And narrow is not good at all, given Chevrolet is aiming for a premium, "richly appointed" appearance. Is it that hard to design a planted and sporty looking rear end for a budget car?

Interior

Chevrolet provided no information about the Essentia's interior, but the photos show a spartan cabin, the kind you'd expect from a vehicle competing in the subcompact segment. However, the concept sports a fancy two-tone color scheme combing a pale shade of gold and a creamy, light gray and overall good fit and finish. The center stack is clean and simple, but looks neat and offers plenty of storage room in the lower section. It is also equipped with an infotainment touchscreen, which isn't exactly the norm in this niche.

The instrument cluster features a big speedometer and an additional display for all the vital information. There are a few premium-like features as well. The A/C vents have chrome frames, the door panels have gold inserts with white stitching, while the seats feature white stitching and piping. Also, the gray floor mats have gold edges. Sure, many of these niceties might not make it to the production model, but this concept car looks better than most of its Indian competitors on the inside.

Drivetrain

There's no word as to what engine lurks under the hood, but I wouldn't get my hopes up for anything bigger than a 1.2-liter. When it goes into production, the Essentia will most likely receive the same drivetrains as the hatchback model, including a 1.2-liter four-cylinder gasoline unit and a 1.0-liter three-pot diesel. The former cranks out 77 horsepower and 107 Nm (79 pound-feet) of torque in the Beat hatch, while the latter generates 56 horses and 142.5 Nm (105 pound-feet)of twist.

Conclusion

A massive improvement over its predecessor in terms of styling, the fourth-generation Spark is quite a pretty hatch. And, before I saw the Essentia concept, I honestly believed that anything based on the new Spark would be nearly as pretty. Now I'm ready to admit I was wrong, but I can't really blame Chevrolet for putting that hideous rear end on the nice-looking Spark. After all, its Indian division needed a compact vehicle that would offer more luggage room than the petite hatch and sometimes compromises have to be made in order to obtain a practical, yet still affordable car. We also have to keep in mind than India has expensive tax and insurance policies when it comes to cars that measure over four meters in length, which explains why this market is packed with awkward models such as the Ford Figo Aspire and Honda Amaze. The Essentia may be ugly and disproportionate, but its production sibling will satisfy a large number of customers looking for an affordable, compact sedan. And, in case you haven't figured it out yet, that's the only reason why Chevy made this compromise. All GM needs now is a strong production model that will be able to give the brand-new Volkswagen Ameo a run for its money.