Today one of the most affordable "foreign cars" in Russia is this modest, small hatchback. And this applies not only to the primary, but also to the secondary market. But, for some reason, the low price, instead of attracting a large number of buyers, often acts the other way around - scaring. Calling this vehicle a "semi-car", many people simply turn their eyes away from this car. In fact, this only applies to those who have never driven a Matiz.
Let the critics sarcastic as much as they like, but the design of the "kid" is pretty cute, a little funny, but not repulsive - by no means. It is noteworthy that Matiz received its original (angular) appearance not at all thanks to its "Korean creators", but neither more nor less, its exterior was born in the renowned studio ItalDesign. Initially, this "body" (M100) was supposed to be purchased by the Fiat concern, but the Fiat employees "rejected" it and the studio proposed this project to the successfully developing Korean company Daewoo. Later (in 2000) the baby was restyled (here the Koreans themselves had a hand in it) - this is how we know him in Russia.
Particularly noticeable elements of the new Matiz M150 (in comparison with the M100) are: smoother body shapes (the front of the car, one might say, has acquired a face), the front "turn signals" have moved to the center and received a more harmonious round shape, the design of the false radiator has been changed. grilles and the rear light unit changed its appearance, a little later an additional air intake appeared (above the front bumper, which gave the "baby" an even more modern look). In addition, the front part of the body was redesigned with the expectation of installing a liter four-stroke engine under the Matiz hood (but it was installed much later).
When designing the new Daewoo Matiz (in the M150 body), not only optimal aerodynamic performance was taken into account, but safety also played a significant role. It has a reinforced roof and doors (inside there are power beams). Also, the designers took into account the possibility of accidents with the car overturning. The fuel tank is made of a special composition of plastic, and it is almost impossible to damage it, which prevents, in the event of such accidents, not only leakage, but also fuel ignition.
It is worth mentioning here the data taken from the Matiz crash test, which, although it did not get the highest scores, but 3 out of 5 stars in Euro NCAP tests for passenger safety and 2 out of 4 for pedestrian safety is not a very bad indicator for a car developed in 2000 year. An additional plus to ensuring safety is the presence of 7-inch vacuum brake boosters in the car.
Considering that this is a representative of the segment of especially small cars (A-class), its interior is quite roomy. The driver's seat is quite universal for people of different sizes. The steering wheel is small and comfortable, moreover, it fits perfectly in the hands. The seat is quite simple and convenient to adjust to the most comfortable position. It is worth noting an easy-to-read instrument panel and a competent arrangement of control buttons for the "stuffing", whether it be electric lifts, air conditioning or electric headlight adjustment. The salon is separated from the engine compartment by multi-layer soundproofing material.
In Russia, it is just the first generation Matiz (in the back of M150), the production of which is located in Uzbekistan (UZ-Daewoo), is officially sold.
If we talk about technical characteristics, then initially this five-door hatchback was offered with a 0.8 liter injection engine. with a capacity of 51 hp. The engine is supplied with a 5-speed "mechanics".
A liter four-cylinder engine appeared only in 2005, at the same time automatic transmissions appeared on these small cars ... But "the happiness was not long" - pretty soon the "automatic" was taken from the "Matiz" (so as not to create unnecessary competition in this segment for subsequent generations of Spark, presented under the Chevrolet brand). But it was the "liter Matiz with automatic" that most of all came to the taste of the buyers of these compact cars.
On the Russian market Matiz is presented in two versions: Standard (with a 0.8-liter engine / 51 hp) and Best (with a 1.0-liter engine / 63 hp).
- The Standard option is the simplest and more affordable - the price in 2015 is from 299,000 rubles. In total, there are three configuration options - "Lite", "Basic" and "Lux".
- In the Best variant (its configuration is only "Lux"), in addition to a more powerful engine, more equipment options are offered. Accordingly, the car in this version is more expensive. The price of the Best option in 2015 starts from 500,000 rubles (for this price, in addition to a more powerful engine, you get: fog lights, power steering, remotely controlled central locking, an audio system with CD). Optionally, installation is possible: railings, air conditioning, parking sensors, alloy wheels and much more useful and not very expensive.
From the recommendations of "experienced matizovodov" we can conclude that there is practically no point in taking the "drum" (empty "Lite" package). It is much easier to pay extra and take a car with power steering and electric windows. Thanks to GUR, it will become much easier to drive a car, and when purchasing a personal vehicle, you should think about comfort first of all (if possible, of course).
Summarizing, it is worth noting that Matiz is not only a good option for a novice driver (whatever you say, but the smaller the car, the easier it is to drive), but also an excellent vehicle for moving around a big city (it is easier to move in a dense stream of cars, and there will be an order of magnitude less problems with parking).
