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Chevy Seeker 1.5T Engine Boasts Class-Leading Output

In addition to debuting Chevrolet’s latest design evolution and introducing new features for the brand, General Motors has announced that the all-new Chevy Seeker features the most powerful turbocharged 1.5L engine in its class.

SAIC-GM confirmed that the all-new Chevy Seeker is powered by GM’s new eighth-generation turbocharged 1.5L Ecotec engine, officially revealing full powertrain details for Chevrolet‘s new global model for the first time. This new four-cylinder engine debuted last year with the launch of the Buick Verano Pro and makes the Seeker the most powerful crossover in the C-segment.

New 1.5L turbocharged engine

As such, the Chevy Seeker’s turbocharged 1.5L engine generates a class-leading 135 kW or 181 horsepower, along with 250 Nm or 184 pound-feet of torque available from 1,500 to 5,000 rpm. This represents a seven percent higher output than the 1.5L LYX I4 engine used in the current Chevy Equinox and the GMC Terrain, peaking at 170 horsepower, although it does generate more torque at 203 pound-feet.

GM claims that this configuration of the 1.5T engine allows the Chevy Seeker to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7.9 seconds, making it a fun-to-drive, responsive crossover. At the same time, the latest-generation mill is more efficient than its predecessors, and in the Seeker, it offers a combined city/highway fuel consumption rating of 6.5 L/100 km or 36.2 U.S. mpg under the strictest WLTC test procedures.

Additionally, the Chevy Seeker’s powertrain is complemented by a state-of-the-art continuously variable automatic transmission, the only gearbox announced so far. According to the manufacturer, this new “Smart CVT” is the first steel-chain frame, front-wheel-drive transverse transmission in its class, with a speed ratio range of up to 7.01, making it significantly more efficient than a traditional steel-belt-driven CVT.

The all-new Chevy Seeker, which is built on the GM VSS-F vehicle set, will be shown to the public for the first time this week at the 2022 Chengdu Motor Show, ahead of its imminent official launch in the Chinese market. The Seeker will be manufactured in China, but is expected to be announced in other international markets during the second half of this year as well. As GM Authority exclusively reported, the Seeker could be the compact crossover that GM will build in South Korea starting in 2023.

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Deivis is an engineer with a passion for cars and the global auto business. He is constantly investigating about GM's future products.

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Comments

  1. AWD?

    Reply
    1. No. From the article:

      …this new “Smart CVT” is the first steel-chain frame, front-wheel-drive transverse transmission in its class,…

      Additionally, the picture of the platform shows no AWD components. No rear diff, transfer case, or drive shaft to the rear.

      This vehicle is essentially a lifted front-wheel-drive hatchback.

      Reply
      1. GM/Chevy is putting out vans and calling them cuv’s or crossovers. Makes sense since they are all still soccer moms that buy them.

        No AWD and now switched from rwd to fwd is the broken straw.

        Reply
  2. A CUV with a CVT…? My excitement for this vehicle, which also seems destined for the North American market, just dropped.

    Reply
  3. Is it just me or does the Seeker look just like the 22’ Buick Envision ST?

    Reply
    1. The instrument panel certainly does.

      Reply
    2. Old women gotta drive too *shrug*

      Reply
      1. LOL, agreed, but how many different CUV’s do they need? How many models of these things have flooded the market by now? And they all look the same!

        Reply
    3. Very much so!

      Reply
  4. Bring this to the domestic market. It fits the market between the Tracker and the Equinox . It looks better than the Asian imports, but it is a U.S. brand vehicle, so profits from its sales stay in the U.S.

    Reply
    1. “but it is a U.S. brand vehicle, so profits from its sales stay in the U.S.”

      That’s really not how that works. After GM pays the suppliers and workers in the other country to build them, there isn’t much profit left for the US. Those employees in the other countries use their pay from GM to buy goods in their own countries, so we don’t get any of that benefit either.

      Nowhere near the same as when a vehicle is built in the United States, by United States workers. Those workers then take their GM pay and feed it back in to the United States economy.

      So, yes a US headquartered company is getting some profit but none of that profit from that vehicle is benefitting United States workers or having any meaningful impact on our economy.

      Reply
      1. There is tons that goes in to it. The added revenue and design sharing allows for more jobs in the US that might not have been and the big thing is how the reporting and taxes work. GM gets taxed by the US Government on all reported sales, so even those from foreign countries funnel up to GM’s books, they then pay taxes and fees on that total combined amount and then it is redistributed (allocated in business terms) to supporting Business units that roll up to corporate. So while everything staying in the US is ideal, it isn’t a reality and the combined overseas businesses help create more jobs and growth in the US that might not otherwise be there because of the cost in the US versus other overseas countries.

        Reply
        1. While I agree with many of your points above, the assembly labor and the supplier components (I would assume) that go into these China-sourced vehicles would likely benefit the Chinese economy far more than if the vehicle was built in the U.S. In addition, I believe the business venture with the Chinese partner is just 50% owned by the U.S. GM, so only 50% of the profits “come back” to the U.S.

          Reply
  5. 0-60 in 7.9s is not exciting to drive. Fuel efficient yes. Boring yes.

    Reply
    1. I’ts the zero to 40/50 mph that does it for me when it comes to these non performance vehicles, and 7.9s ain’t too bad in my opinion.

      Reply
    2. 0-60 in 7.9 is quite good for this type vehicle. Nobody would seriously take it to the track anyway…get real.

      Reply
  6. Very interesting. I hope that CVT is responsive and reliable. I see the engine cover gets some well needed badge definition, the lack of which is something that I find annoying with GM’s non V8 engine covers. I am sure the Seeker coming to NA, and GM need to push the heck out of it along with the new Equinox EV and swarm the compact crossover segment.

    Reply
    1. Yes bring this to the states I will buy one! This would perfect to replace my 2010 Chevy equinox that’s paid off. Let’s see where GM goes with this. I just hope they don’t name it Tracks in the US. And while it may be boring ti some people other folks want just what this is and is missing in this country cheap basic transportation!

      Reply
    2. This would be a 2nd car for me until a Trax sized BEV came out, that will be an ‘around town vehicle’, and then the Seeker would be my long range highway vehicle for traveling. But it must have AWD, -somehow or another.

      Reply
  7. The Verano had an option for a 2.0T, 250HP and 260 ft lbs. No issues with this engine and not sure why gm dropped this engine to support these new CUV’s and dump the CVT.

    Easy to retune for 25 more hp and torque.

    The Cruze cousin got left behind and never got the upgrade.

    Reply
    1. Race57 they dropped it and came out with a better 2.0 in the Envision… The verano was junk just a rebadged Chevy… That’s what got GM in trouble in the first place. I would like to see more sedans but make them on par with the crossover styling inside and out if GM put much effort in a sedan they would sell like hotcakes at IHOP on a Saturday morning!

      Reply
  8. CVTs and little turbos, take a pass on it.

    Reply
    1. Sadly, the little turbo will destroy the little CVT in about 50K to 80K miles.

      Reply
  9. Big mistake putting a CVT in there

    Reply
  10. Does it use regular gas?

    Reply
  11. No man, with those specs it’s clearly going to need 93 octane.

    Reply
    1. Thanks I’ll never buy a car that needs premium gas. Or even recommends premium.

      Reply

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