|
 What
makes a small car successful ? Pretty look, bargain price, practical
and
economical to run, sufficient space. Matiz has all these elements. The
pretty look is styled by Italdesign, which originally designed it for
the
Fiat Seicento. However, Fiat rather chose its in-house studio's design
so that Daewoo was benefited. It conforms to Giorgario's favourite
"one-box"
design, not only look smart but also provides more space than the
dimensions
suggest. So Matiz is roomy.
The
Tickford-developed engine
has 3 cylinders, 796 c.c. only, still 2 valves per cylinder for cost
and
fuel economy reasons. 50 horsepower and 52 pound-feet are just enough
for
European-style cross country, but they are more than enough for city
drive,
which is what this car intends to. For the same reason, it does not
provide
the same level of body control as the best of the European.
Yes,
it has all
the successful
elements, but I maintain that it fails to catch enthusiasts' heart. We
expect high-quality trimming as the Volkswagen or colourful interior
design
as Renault Twingo. Unluckily, Matiz's interior looks very boring. We
understand
that it should keep cost down, but we'd rather like it to be priced 200
pounds more while having a classy interior to match its pretty exterior
styling. I think this is not very greedy, right ? |