Washington Post writer thinks the Chevy Matiz is too small for US
Washington Post writer Warren Brown recently spent some quality time in Switzerland with a Chevy Matiz and came away feeling that it's not suitable for American roads. Since General Motors have given no indication that they will ever bring the Daewoo-designed Matiz here, why should this matter? Well, the latest rumors about the Chrysler/Chery alliance have the first product here being the Chery A1, which is a clone of the Matiz.
Cars like the Matiz have done reasonably well in Europe where the 800cc three cylinder engine sips the $7 a gallon gas. While the Matiz does fine in the inner city driving, it just can't cut it on the highway. In Europe where drivers demonstrate lane discipline and actually stay to the right except when passing others, a slow car like Matiz can get by. However, in a land where people regularly plant themselves in the left-most lane regardless of their speed or the traffic flow, a little machine like this could pose a significant speed bump for Hummer drivers.
Unless, gas prices quickly accelerate toward $4/gallon here, something slightly larger, perhaps closer in size to a Yaris or Fit would be more suitable as a first effort from Chrysler/Chery. The Read link actually goes to the Detroit News reprint of the story since, unlike the Post, they don't require registration.
[Source: Detroit News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Paul Riley 6:46PM (5/14/2008)
I work in Korea and am on my third Matiz. It'll do 90-100 (mph) without any difficulty with two adults and two kids and still get great mileage. It's bigger than the Smart and gets comparable mileage. Give it a go in the US and let the consumers decide.
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Frank Lucas 2:35AM (5/24/2008)
As fuel prices hover at $4 a gallon (end of May'08), perhaps Americans are re-thinking the "16" tires, skirt/spoiler kit and more aggressive sporty styling to make it LOOK fast" in favor of something they can actually afford to keep on the road. A Matiz or Charade can drive in and out of an American pothole with ease, and the fuel economy can soothe that limp feeling in the pants which accompanies a $100+ fill-up.
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BlackbirdHighway 5:06AM (5/24/2008)
When I subscribed, Warren Brown was one of my least favorite parts of the WPost. He absolutely loves anything big; Suburbans, Tahoes, Escalades, Expeditions, etc. and hates anything small. I kept wishing they would replace him with someone better.
For me, he was sort of an anti-reviewer. I found that if WB liked a vehicle, I would most likely hate it, and vice-versa.
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K. McMullan 3:36PM (10/19/2008)
I drive the Matiz when I come over to Italy. I do it one because I can actually find parking, two because I can whip in and out of lanes and three because I find it sporty looking, not some massive 1980's looking gas guzzling thing. If they start selling them in California I'll probabely buy one. Parking in the city is hard and this is a good answer. The pick up in this car allows me to out run many of the Napolteans in Southern Italy so I think I can out manuver the road sign respecting Californians.
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Ian 2:11AM (3/26/2007)
Does it matter whether it would be good in the US or not? Chery may be difficult to sue in China, but it would not be hard in the US. Unless it's coming from GM, or money is going their way, the Matiz is not going to come out in the US
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Davide 2:54AM (3/26/2007)
Just a precision: in Europe it's not a matter of lane discipline. In fact passing others from the right is illegal!
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DGate 4:18PM (3/26/2007)
Lane disipline is irrelavant if this little car is anything like the Daihatsu Charade I own.
The Daihatsu is in the same class of only it has a 993cc 3 cylinder engine and will run up to 100 mph! It also accelerates rather briskly and returns 56 mpg on average.If you haven't tried it don't knock it!!!!
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Henry 8:20AM (3/26/2007)
Interesting to note accidents in Germany at speeds over 130 kph ( ~ 78 mph) are not covered by insurance companies. Doesn't matter who is at fault.
http://www.howtogermany.com/pages/driving.html
In Germany, as well as in most European countries, you can be criminally prosecuted for causing a vehicular accident and may be imprisoned.
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drstrangegun 11:22AM (3/26/2007)
If you look up the performance on this vehicle it's not too far off some of the original British sports cars, VW beetles, early American economy cars (actually faster than a 1.6L Chevette by almost double)....
Point being, there are loads of vehicles out there *slower* than this one and they appear to handle interstate duty with aplomb.
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JIM MBONGO 11:33AM (3/26/2007)
Washington Post writer thinks the Chevy Matiz is too small for US. What about DCX Smart Two? Why everything GM does is wrong?
GM's SUVs are too big. Now, Chevy Matiz is too small. Is something wrong wiith GM or with American media? I have to agree that it's hard to understand.
Mbongo
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Rick Lyon 12:41PM (3/26/2007)
Those TIRES are too small for the US. That car is too UGLY for the US. Give it some 16" tires, a skirt/spolier kit and more aggressive styling and it will sell. US carmakers bring over cars exactly like that and wonder why they don't sell. If it's tiny, it better make up for it plain and simple. Hot looks, aggressive sporty styling to make it LOOK fast will help immensely.
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KickPush 2:51PM (3/27/2007)
Sad what our country has become. The Matiz is not that slow.
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Pitman 2:51PM (3/27/2007)
#2, American's throw road rules out the window as soon as they learn to drive. They could care less about what is legal.
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b. roberts 4:54PM (11/21/2007)
I recently drove a rented Matiz in Italy. It is a fine little car, it had no problem accelerating on to the Autostrada. This car is suitable for the US.
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Datan Zelaya 7:24PM (5/19/2009)
Us roads has better conditions than Central America roads and I don't see why to complaint about it. GM provide good engines and comodity to envery vehicle, I own the Spark Version for Latin America for about 1 and a half year, almost 50,000 miles drove and the engine still like new with the recommended maintenance, smooth drive, very responsive, for a smaller car. On high ways can be driven at 110-120Km with no issue at all. Roads in CA are not as good as US and the car knows how to manage non-well conditioned roads. It´s a good car for singles, students or short-medium distances or town driving. I recommend this vehicle for city purposes only.
White house has nothing better to do that making stupid comments about cars. If they don't like it, so? don't buy it? Who are they to decide what car type people can use?
Cheers! :D