Wuling Cortez Shows That GM Still Sells Minivans (In Indonesia)

General Motors used to make minivans hand over fist. Those have largely been replaced by crossovers in the United States, where the only real minivan it offers anymore is the Chevy City Express. (And that’s made by Nissan.) But it still sells minivans in other markets.

Like in Indonesia, for example: the largest new car market in Southeast Asia, where minivans account for over 40 percent of the passenger vehicle market. By our count, the minivan market in Indonesia accounted for nearly 400,000 vehicles last year. That’s almost as many as the 490,000 or so minivans sold throughout 2017 in the United States (a much larger market overall).

Based on those numbers, it’s no wonder that GM has rolled out the new Wuling Cortez specifically for the Indonesian market. Stemming from GM’s joint venture with Chinese automaker SAIC, the Cortez is described as a mid-size minivan, but it’s about the same size as the old Chevy Venture or Pontiac Montana. That’s smaller, in modern terms, than a big American minivan like the Chrysler Pacifica, but bigger than an Opel Zafira (which Europeans consider to be a large MPV).

Powering the new Wuling Cortez is a modest 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine. It sends just 129 horsepower and 128 lb-ft (174 Nm) of torque to the front wheels through either a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission. Don’t expect it to move at any great hurry, then. But Wuling has packed the Cortez with a long list of features, from LED headlamps and an electric sunroof to a 7-inch infotainment display and hill-hold assist.

“The Cortez embodies the spirit of ‘driving for a better life,’” said Wuling sales chief Cindy Cai. “We want to provide our customers an extraordinary experience.” Following its debut in Jakarta, Wuling is offering the Cortez in Indonesia in two trim levels and five exterior colors. Prices range from Rp 218,000,000 to Rp 264,000,000 – or about $16-19k at current exchange rates.