Makeover for Matiz

YOU may have to look hard to pick the difference, but this is the new version of Daewoo's Matiz mini-car.

Codenamed M150, important exterior changes include restyling of the bonnet area with new features such as nacelles for the headlights, relocated and restyled indicators, redesigned bumpers and a mesh lower grille.

At the rear the numberplate has been relocated from the bumper to the tailgate, while the oval lamp styling theme started up front also continues in the back with round brake, backing and signal lamps.

Inside there are revised ergonomics, larger map pockets and longer, wider armrests. In the cockpit, the floor console has been widened, adding room for a second cupholder and a handy storage slot for coins and other small objects.

Below the skin there are safety improvements, Daewoo claiming the Matiz's body structure has been re-engineered and reinforced to pass the world's toughest safety test - the Euro NCAP 40 per cent off-set frontal impact at 64 km/h.

The Matiz also gets an automatic gearbox for the first time, mated to the existing 800cc three-cylinder engine. The fully electronically controlled Jacob transmission is a four-speed unit that adds $2000 to Matiz's price, which in the five-speed manual transmission version stays at $11,990.

Daewoo says emissions performance of the 37.5kW engine has been improved and it has also been made quieter.