Daewoo Matiz 1999 - 2002 Review

The car was introduced in Egypt with an 800cc, non-carburetor, Ingco engine, producing 52 hp at 5,900 rpm and 69 Nm of torque at 4,600 rpm. The car's engine was developed by Japanese engineers at Suzuki for ultra-compact car models. In particular, this engine can be found in the Suzuki Alto from the 1990s, but the Matiz's engine features an injector and electronic ignition system. As a result, the current three-cylinder gasoline engine produces 52 hp. The engine's size and power are considered appropriate for such a small car, and it's more suited to its specific function, particularly in urban areas.

It's common for the car's engine to have a short lifespan, requiring frequent repairs due to its small size. Therefore, this should be taken into account when purchasing a used car. However, this flaw isn't commonly found among car users in Egypt. The main drawback is the small engine compartment, which makes repairs difficult, as two-thirds of the engine is located below the dashboard.

The car is known for its fuel economy, consuming 10 liters per 160 kilometers. In cities, it consumes 7.9 liters per 100 km, and on highways, 5.1 liters per 100 km. Total fuel consumption is approximately 6 liters per 100 km.

The car comes with a 5-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive. It can reach speeds of up to 140 km/h and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in approximately 17 seconds. The car also features a 38-liter fuel tank, and the car weighs 806 kg. The car is responsive and well-assembled.

The car's cabin is both practical and intelligent. Despite its small size, the five-door car is short in length, yet offers ample headroom and a comfortable driving position, giving the driver the impression that it's larger than its size. There's also good legroom in the rear, as well as adequate headroom and storage space in the trunk, which can be expanded by folding the rear seats.

The car's compact dimensions define its maneuverability, including a length of 3495 mm, a width of 1495 mm, and a height of 1485 mm. Despite this, there's enough interior space to accommodate five people, as the car boasts a spacious interior despite its small exterior size. It also features a wheelbase of 2340 mm. The trunk space is average for its class, at 145 liters, and can be expanded to 830 liters by folding the rear seats. All of this makes it easy to fit a large number of items in the car.

The car comfortably accommodates the driver and three passengers, but the rear seat alone can accommodate three passengers, but it will be cramped.

Some may consider the car's size small, but that's precisely why it's a small hatchback. It's a small city car, so this can't be considered a flaw at all. It can be said that due to its small size, attractive appearance, and maneuverability, the car has become popular with women and young people, making it ideal for city driving.

Concerns about spare parts for the Daewoo Matiz are one of the problems that prevent many from purchasing the car. However, many car owners confirm that essential spare parts are readily available at numerous dealers, whether in the Tawfiqiya area, Al-Harfiyyin, or other areas. External spare parts are also more readily available than mechanical spare parts.

Car owners confirm that spare parts are extremely durable, and therefore require no frequent replacement. Consequently, the number of dealers working on spare parts may decrease due to low demand due to their reliability and long lifespan. Spare parts are also available at very reasonable prices, as they are not expensive at all.

The car doesn't have good off-road capability due to its low ground clearance (15 cm) and small-diameter wheels, which makes it difficult to handle road imperfections such as potholes and bumps. While its use within cities doesn't necessarily mean it's capable of handling rough and unpaved roads, it does suffer from road problems in Egypt. The car's suspension can also be a bit weak, making it difficult to handle heavy loads.

Many also agree that its suspension doesn't provide high stability, due to the small wheelbase, which makes it difficult to maintain stability at high speeds. Above its top speed of 140 km/h, its stability is reduced, which is why some argue that the tire size could be increased to increase the car's stability. Nevertheless, it's a good car for starting off and easy to maneuver and park due to its small size.

It can be said that the car is in a medium-sized resale value. There is a preference for other brands and models of its size, such as the Maruti, Spark, and Picanto, while some prefer slightly larger models like the Swift and Ibiza over the Matiz. This is due to the lack of demand for it due to the rumors about the difficulty of finding spare parts for it, as it was discontinued a long time ago. There is also talk about the difficulty of maintenance and the numerous problems that car buyers face due to its numerous defects.

However, whoever buys a car, like any other car, must choose it based on its condition. Therefore, problems exist in all types of cars. This car is practical in cities and for women, small families, students, and young people. Therefore, its prices are fixed at an average of 40,000 to 50,000 Egyptian pounds, due to its advantages, which include its design, spacious interior, durable spare parts, attractive design, and fuel economy.

The car doesn't have the various safety features that modern cars do, which is appropriate for this price range at the time of its introduction in Egypt, as its safety features include:

Central lock

Theft alarm

Fog lights

Iron bar under the rims to protect the front of the car

The car's drawbacks are its weak sheet metal and exterior body, and the lack of safety features.

لا يتوفر للسيارة كماليات كثيرة وهو أمر مناسب لفئتها وحجمها الصغير الذي لا يوفر كماليات ولكنها تتميز من حيث التجهيزات بمزايا تشمل : 

تكييف قوي للغاية

فتح الشنطة من الداخل 

فتح تانك البنزين من الداخل 

هاف باور

زجاج أمامي كهربائي

فرش من القماش أو بلمسات الجلد

مدخل AUX

بلوتووث

مدخل USB

أماكن تخزين متنوعة أمامية