Daewoo Matiz 2001 test drive - 2005 hatchback

Shusty - "liter", ladies - "automatic"

Daewoo Matiz: New versions of a familiar car
 
At the end of autumn, the UZ -Daewoo representative in Moscow has officially announced - from the New Year the sales of two new versions of Daewoo Matiz will begin. One machine with a 0.8 liter engine is equipped with a 4 -speed automatic gearbox, the other with a liter motor with a traditional mechanical transmission. At the same time, the model has undergone some restyling.
 
Updated Daewoo Matiz are in approximately one price category. Mkobil was provided for a test drive: a liter cherry Matiz worth $ 9100 and a silver Matiz 0.8 liter with an automaton for $ 8900. And in order to adjust both versions to the common selling denominator, manufacturers equipped cars with various sets of options.
 
Lokot to the elbow
 
It is clear that the equipment of a liter version is richer. The first difference in the exterior: the most powerful Matiz boasts with tuning rapids and plastic door pads. Fighting headlights are integrated into the lower skirt of the front bumper. The bumers of the silver automatic Matiz are painted in the color of the body, but they look less presentable than that of a liter Matiz in a cherry gland with a pompous silver body kit.
 
There are also differences in the interior of the salon. The liter is equipped with glass windows for all four doors and an electric drive on the right side mirror (the left is adjustable using a manual joystick). The machine has windows only on the front glass, the mirrors are ordinary. In principle, here are all the differences regarding standard equipment. The rest in both cars is absolutely identical: the air conditioning, the steering wheel, the central lock (without remote control), a catalytic neutral, an antenna on the roof and the Daewoo radio with four acoustic columns.
 
It is clear that the trunk volume is the same everywhere - 155 liters. If you fold the rear seats, then the cargo compartment increases to 480 liters. Neither give nor take sedan ambitions. But the spacious, in the opinion of your correspondent, the Matiz salon cannot be called. The driver will always feel the elbow of a passenger sitting nearby. On the rear sofa, only a woman with a child will be comfortable comfortably. Meanwhile, the driver is slightly higher than the average height (185 cm) will easily find the optimal position of the chair (until it stops back) and at the same time will not rest his head into the ceiling. Matiz's visibility is magnificent: the rear window with heating threads and the wiper, the side mirrors are moderately informative (the dead area is minimal), and the high landing of the driver a priori provides the pilot with full visual control over the road.
 
Armory ergonomics
 
Let's start with the silver Daewoo Matiz with an automatic transmission. The 0.8-liter engine is launched. The program of the program is a protruding gear selector. It is made without delights, but lay down in the hand, like the handle of Makarov’s pistol. Men will be pleased with this, but women with miniature pens will have to get used to a little to voluminous AKP knob.
 
We release the brake pedal. On the street - 15 degrees below zero, Matiz without heating, at idle, movement is already starting. Gratifying, but experimenting further reinforced and warmed up oil in the automatic transmission to +20 degrees. According to the manufacturer, it is in this temperature regime that the correct inclusion of all programs begins.
 
Studying the operating modes of the machine did not take much time.
In addition to the alphabet drives, parking, neutral and reverse, the selector has positions 2 and l. If the lever is installed on a deuce, the car rides exclusively in the first and second gear. Looking ahead, let's say: the deuce was checked in the case - an indispensable thing in the conditions of driving through mud and snow porridge.
 
On L, only the first gear is turned on. This is necessary when with the road a pipe is completely with the road or when the baby Matiz is loaded in full and tries to climb a long steep hill. Near the monumental core of the automatic transmission - Over Drive button. With its pressing, the fourth gear is cut off from work. And as stated in the operating instructions: Over Drive mode must be included with prolonged driving or in bad weather. In general, apparently, the creators of the automatic transmission tried as much as possible to adapt it to difficult Russian driving conditions. By the way, when the Daewoo Matiz was puzzled on UZ-Daewoo, at first they wanted to install a variator type KP. But the first tests have already shown: the variator is, in principle, unsuitable for operation in our harsh winter, it simply froze. The choice fell on a hydraulic type box developed by Japanese engineers and produced in South Korea.
 
Woman's happiness
 
The first combat baptism of the machine gun received in conditions of dense urban traffic. And he withstood him with honor - click the pedal and look around. The small Matiz is a brilliant animal, he, like a sharply sharpened stylet, sticks himself into any road plug and begins to lay his own high -speed path in it. The dimensions of Matiz are so small that you do not need to get used to it, you feel them as soon as you get behind the wheel. Of course, this is a huge plus for novice drivers. Together with the automatic transmission, Matiz becomes a real ladies' saint. But in men, some complaints may arise to automatic transmission regarding the dynamics of acceleration and its thoughtfulness. Although the expanded by the manufacturer is 0-100 km/h occupies 15.2 s (only 0.2 C more similar Matiz with mechanics), according to our estimates, acceleration to a hundred at the machine, vary between 16 and 18 seconds.
 
The next moment: it is better to forget about gas to the floor with automatic transmission. She does not love this. Before a sharp acceleration, the machine first falls into thought for a few seconds, then an inevitable roar of the motor is heard and only then a tense set of speed begins. With the smooth adding of gas, everything happens more or less promptly and with minimal failures, but there is no need to count on a sharp speed maneuver. Of course, you can get used to it. And, abandoning sudden movements with the right foot and sharing the slownish disposition of the machine gun, to accustom yourself to a calm, imposing driving style. But even having fulfilled these conditions, you are convinced that a 0.8-liter motor for the machine is clearly not enough.
 
In addition, Matiz owners will have to pay from their own pocket for automatic comfort. Daewoo Matiz fuel consumption with automatic transmission in the urban cycle increased to 7.5 liters versus 5.5 l per 100 km of path spent by the baby in the presence of a mechanical KP. So you can’t call an automatic low -command one in any way economical. Don’t forget that automatic KP is more expensive in maintenance and repair. Although UZ-Daewoo gives a 5-year guarantee for it. But how really reliable and practical is really reliable, time will tell. As if in response to all claims to Daewoo Matiz with an automatic transmission UZ -Daewoo offers an alternative - Matiz with an engine of one liter and a five -speed mechanical gearbox.
 
Male joy
 
With a new four -cylinder engine, the car was reeded by almost 50 kilograms, but 13 horses grew up and its power. In declared by the manufacturer 12 from overclocking to a hundred liters, it is easily and relaxed. Mechanical KP functions without failures and clearly - thoughtful failures are unknown to her. The programs are extremely short, up to the four, you boast in almost one movement. Then a small respite - and a smooth transition to the highest stage. The 4-cylinder engine snaps is smoother of its Trinogorsk fellow and it is spared from a heart-rending roar.
 
We will not lie - it was not possible to cut off the mechanics to passport 150 km/h. The weather conditions only allowed to drive along a suburban highway with an speedometer arrow, laid in the region of 120 km/h. It became clear that the speed of nerves and safety was not higher than 100-110 km/h. Well, the real element of the baby is city streets. The small radius of the turn, the power steering, the ground clearance of 150 mm is a good tool for comfortable movement along the streets of the metropolis.
 
True, the suspension resembles a girl’s chest: it seems to be elastic, but damn tender and, falling under a stronger effect, is easily deformed to a dull sound of breakdown. Meanwhile, the rigidity of the suspension is enough to hold the car from swinging and strong rolls in corners. Daewoo Matiz turns with amazing stability. This is not to say that the car in any turn is included in the rails, but the reaction of the car to the driver’s actions is understandable and predictable. With a slight demolition of the rear axle, the front -wheel drive draws a car from a crisis situation without any problems. Serial brakes are worthy of separate praise. And even if only the front pairs of wheels are equipped with disc brakes, and archaic drums are installed behind, Daewoo Matiz slows down very, very effective.
 
The liter is equipped with steel 13-inch discs with Continental tires in size 155/65. Narrow shoes showed themselves very well in a terrible snowfall - Matiz rested, but rode. By the way, the automatic machine took snow drifts no worse than a liter colleague. True, both cars, when driving through the road porridge, inevitably drew snow with the lower overhang of the front bumper. But despite this, the overall impression of a couple of restyled Daewoo Matiz remains extremely positive. Modern, solidly executed city cars, in terms of technical equipment and appearance, oriented both to the ladies' contingent and the stronger sex. How true is the UZ-Daewoo marketer calculated Matiz Reystaling, it will become clear with the results of the first sales in 2005.
 
Dmitry Kuzmin
 

A source: Mkobil magazine