Small Car, Big City

Illawarra Mercury

Saturday February 25, 2006

BRENT DAVISON

PRELOVED wheels

DAEWOO MATIZ, 1999-2001

IN OUR big, wide world of automotive horse trading one of the ongoing questions is whether to buy new or second-hand.

Do buyers opt for a $15,000 used car with plenty of equipment but a largely unknown history or do they choose a smaller, possibly lesser-equipped new car with a full warranty and zero kilometres on the clock?

Back in the late 1990s two car makers, Daihatsu and Daewoo, stoked the flames of that particular fire by releasing quite small, quite well-equipped five-door hatchbacks priced under $12,000, cars with respectable equipment, big warranties and that unbeatable "new car smell".

This week we look at one of those cars that caused grief for used car dealers, the Daewoo Matiz.

Type/models: Daewoo was quite clever in its marketing of the Matiz, putting just one model on the market and keeping the options list short.

There was not even an automatic transmission. Daewoo was able to keep pricing at and mostly just below the $12,000 mark when the car was new.

Engines/transmissions: The engine was an 800cc, inline three-cylinder with fuel-injection and a single overhead camshaft. Power output came in at a modest 37.5kW at 5900rpm and torque output was just 68.5Nm at 4600rpm.

Matiz was pretty much a city car, as anyone who has ever been brave enough to drive one on the freeway will attest.

The only transmission available was a five-speed manual which was/is probably a good thing.

Styling: Much as we might have a giggle about some aspects of the car, it has to be said that the styling was refreshingly different and absolutely "out there" in its execution.

Daewoo borrowed heavily from the European styling bank and combined a quite spacious five-door box with a forward design which saw the line of the sharply sloping nose carrying through on an unbroken angle from the front bumper to the top of the windscreen where it blended in sweetly to the rest of the car.

Balancing that forward angle, the car's roofline cut off abruptly just above the back seat, dropping almost vertically at the hatchback door. Up front there was no grille to speak of, just an under-bumper opening to let air into the radiator.

Interior: The internal treatment was almost as different as the external appearance in that everything seemed to be deliberately over-emphasised.

The steering wheel was a thick-rimmed, four-spoke affair. Behind it was a high-cowled instrument panel housing speedometer, fuel and temperature gauges as well as a bank of warning lights.

The front bucket seats were reasonably comfortable for around-town work and the small rear bench seat could hold a couple of kids (maybe three if they were not too big) without too much complaining.

The back seat folded flat, which was very handy for trips home from the shops because, with the seat erect, boot space was fairly limited. Standard equipment included airconditioning, dual front airbags, power-operated front windows, central locking, internally adjustable mirrors, intermittent windscreen wipers, a four-speaker audio with CD player and remote releases for the tailgate and fuel filler flap.

Given its price, Matiz was extremely well equipped.

Chassis: Matiz's engine/transmission was a transverse fit and the car was front-wheel-drive.

Dimensions: Matiz was not so much small as tiny, standing just 3495mm in overall length, 1495mm wide, 1485mm tall and all on a 2340mm wheelbase. Front and rear tracks were 1315mm and 1280mm respectively.

Fuel tank capacity was just 35litres (no problem for a car that managed around 6.0litres per 100km) and all-up weight was just 776kg.

Verdict: This writer still has vivid memories (nightmares?) of a Matiz being unable to make a hill start until three of the four adult males on board were jettisoned. There are also memories of going back to third gear in a bid to climb hills on a freeway run and fighting wind buffeting while passing laden semis.

The reality is that Matiz was built to do nothing more than run stop/start between home, schools, shops and the workplace.

A true city car in every sense of the word. Cheap to keep, cheerful to operate and very, very handy.

HOW MUCH?

Some will be cheaper, some will be more expensive but expect to pay up to $5000 for a 1999 model, between $3700 and $5600 for a 2000 example and up to $6200 for a 2001 car.

Also consider: Daihatsu Sirion.