Manufacturer GM Daewoo
Also called Chevrolet Matiz
Chevrolet Spark
Chevrolet Joy
Pontiac Matiz G2
Chevrolet Exclusive
FSO Matiz
Production 1998-present
Class City car
Body style(s) 3 and 5-door hatchback
Engine(s) 0.8 three-cylinder petrol 50BHP (UK),
1.0 four-cylinder petrol 64BHP (UK)
Curb weight 847 kg
The Chevy Joy / Daewoo Matiz is a city car produced by the South Korean automaker GM Daewoo since 1998. It replaced the Daewoo Tico, a variant of the 1988 Suzuki Alto. It has been sold with different nameplates and under many marques, depending on markets.
History
The Daewoo Matiz started production in 1998 and sold in South Korea and many European markets with the code name M100. The exterior design is based on the Lucciola, a Fiat Cinquecento concept by Giorgetto Giugiaro which had been rejected by Fiat. The 0.8-litre gasoline engine and the transmission were carryovers from the Daewoo Tico. The car became the best selling Daewoo model in Europe for the next four years.
A facelifted model (codenamed M150) was introduced in South Korea in late 2000, and exported from 2001. Following Daewoo's takeover by General Motors in 2002, the engine range was updated with a 1.0-litre S-Tec unit.
In 2005 the Matiz received a facelift (M200), based on the Chevrolet M3X concept car shown at 2004 Paris Motor Show. The S-Tec engines were updated and the car's drag coefficient was lowered, resulting in better fuel economy. One notable feature of this car is its centre-mounted instrument cluster.
By 2007, the Alto platform will be replaced with a new city car platform developed by GM Daewoo engineers.
The Chevrolet Matiz comes in 2 different versions. The Normal Matiz has a 0.8 litre engine, and the SE version has a 1.0 litre engine and also a small spoiler on the back.
Crash ratings
The 2005 Chevrolet Matiz did not score well in the EuroNCAP crash test, being awarded three stars with one being struck out: "The final adult occupant protection star is struck through because there was an unacceptably high risk of life-threatening injury to the chest in side impact." test: "Overall this is a creditable performance from a car without a side airbag."[1] By contrast, the pre-2005 Daewoo Matiz was awarded 72% in the side impact Euro NCAP
Controversy in China
Manufactured and sold in China as the Chevrolet Spark, the car is at the center of an industrial rights controversy, since a very similar car, the Chery QQ, has been introduced by local manufacturer Chery Automobile. GM executives even state that the doors of the QQ can be mounted on the Chevrolet Spark without modification. [citation needed]
The Matiz in different markets
Currently, the Matiz name is used in Western Europe and Asia, and the Chevrolet Spark appears in markets covered directly by General Motors.
In Mexico, the Matiz was introduced to the market in 2003. The 2006 model was renamed to Pontiac Matiz G2.
In Pakistan, the car was initially introduced as Chevrolet Exclusive in 2003. It is currently manufactured by Nexus Automotive under the name Chevrolet Joy.
In 2005, the Matiz sold in Europe dropped the Daewoo badge and took the Chevrolet marque, as well as the other South Korean models of General Motors.
Since 2000, CKD kits have been supplied UzDaewooAuto and FSO, to be built and sold in Uzbekistan and Poland respectively. At the beginning of 2005, the Polish Matiz started to be sold under the marque FSO, which obtained autonomy.
