Chevy Shows Off Rear End Styling of New Orlando Concept

Orlando Photos

A nice looking rear end, the Orlando looks ready for business too. (Photo: GM)

This tough looking little crossover would do well in North America. (Photo: GM)

The interior appears upscale and capable of fighting off the imports. (Photo: GM)

As part of a roll out designed to interest potential buyers, General Motors has released images of the Chevy Orlando’s backside to go along with photos released earlier.

The traditional SUV-shaped crossover, due to debut at the Paris motor show next month, is the type of compact seven-passenger family hauler that does well in Europe, and the kind of CUV that’s starting to become popular here in North America too, thanks to our high fuel prices.

With the shape of an SUV and the versatility of a mini-minivan, GM will go head-to-head with the Mazda5 and Kia Rondo, models we know here, as well as a bevy of MPVs (as they’re called in Europe) not offered here. In the Orlando’s favor is a 108.7 inch wheelbase, the longest in the class, allowing for optimized interior room and better ride quality.

Spawned from the Cruze platform architecture, the compact model ready to replace Chevy’s Cobalt and bolster the brand’s European offering, the little crossover sports a turbocharged four-cylinder engine good for 150-horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque.

By tapering the rear quarter body panel upwards and the blackened roofline downwards, Chevy has created an interesting optical illusion that makes the Orlando look like its rear end is raked more aggressively than it actually is, giving it a sportier appearance while still allowing for sufficient rear headroom, for kids at least.

The Orlando seems to pull design cues from all over the automotive spectrum, with some commenting on its similarity to Audi’s old A2 and others saying that it has some Volvo inspiration. So why not throw in some Land Rover influence and Toyota FJ Cruiser, when it comes to the rear lights. Up front it’s all modern Chevrolet, with a tough, sturdy looking stance and the new-look bisected grille.

The Orlando’s rendered interior looks superb too, with a little Equinox in the center console design, but what look like improvements in materials quality and switchgear.

In the end it’s a good looking crossover that will be priced lower than any of these premium brand offerings, and therefore should sell extremely well.