Chevrolet facelifts the Matiz mini-car
When General Motors took over a controlling interest in South Korea's Daewoo Motors a few years ago, one of the vehicles they inherited was the tiny Matiz. Prior to the buyout, Daewoo had begun selling their vehicles in the European market but GM decided to rebrand the Daewoos as Chevrolets in Europe and other markets outside of Korea.
For 2008, the Matiz is getting a facelift, mostly in the front and back that includes lower fascias done in matte black that helps to visually lower the car. The dimensions haven't changed, but the new scheme makes the Matiz look slightly less tall and narrow than it is. Around the end of the decade the Matiz will get replaced a newly designed car based on the platform used for the Chevy triplets at the New York Auto Show in April. Now that it looks like new fuel economy regulations will be coming our way, it seems likely that the US market will see at least one car based on one of the triplet designs.
Gallery: 2008 Chevrolet Matiz
[Source: General Motors]
* Refreshed Matiz includes new exterior and interior styling features in MY 2008
The Chevrolet Matiz has been among the most attractive and best-selling city cars on the European car market since its introduction in 2005. The exterior changes for MY 2008 will give the Matiz a fresh, sporty and more modern look. All modifications will be available for the SX and SE models.
The exterior changes are most noticeable at the front end. The new two-tone bumper (black and body color) integrates the air intake in a sporty, more aggressive fashion, compared to the current design. The upper part of the bumper, which is noticeably larger, includes the Chevrolet logo. The lower part features a honeycomb design and extends into the black area where the number plate is mounted.
The theme is continued by black rails that run across the doors and the entire side of the vehicle. The sharp edges of the rear bumper take up the design and the lower black portion of the bumper complements the sporty character of the new Matiz.
The three-tone interior will be available for all Matiz models. The small Chevrolet can now also be ordered with orange, green and blue interior trims. While the current trim is only available in grey with colored patterns, the new interior offers colorful fabrics with grey patterns, giving the car a fresh and young look.
The Chevrolet Matiz has been among the most attractive and best-selling city cars on the European car market since its introduction in 2005. The exterior changes for MY 2008 will give the Matiz a fresh, sporty and more modern look. All modifications will be available for the SX and SE models.
The exterior changes are most noticeable at the front end. The new two-tone bumper (black and body color) integrates the air intake in a sporty, more aggressive fashion, compared to the current design. The upper part of the bumper, which is noticeably larger, includes the Chevrolet logo. The lower part features a honeycomb design and extends into the black area where the number plate is mounted.
The theme is continued by black rails that run across the doors and the entire side of the vehicle. The sharp edges of the rear bumper take up the design and the lower black portion of the bumper complements the sporty character of the new Matiz.
The three-tone interior will be available for all Matiz models. The small Chevrolet can now also be ordered with orange, green and blue interior trims. While the current trim is only available in grey with colored patterns, the new interior offers colorful fabrics with grey patterns, giving the car a fresh and young look.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
kenny 1:35AM (7/20/2009)
I drive one (I'm working in Korea). It's cheap but I like it. I'd take it back to the States if our commie government would let me (they won't). I wrote to GM back in 2000 and told them to import to the States (no response of course). The problem is that they can't make enough per vehicle to pay all of the socialist union wages. GM is stupid -- what do you expect? The new Matiz replacement will be everything the Matiz isn't and why it won't be worth buying: bigger car, bigger engine, worse gas mileage, more expensive -- oooh sign me up for some of that! At that point, you might as well get a Fit or a Yaris... Chumps!
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Owen 3:06PM (6/25/2007)
Hopefully, this is NOT that vehicle based on the triplets. This would just go to bolster the incorrect assumption that economy cars have to be ugly and cheap looking. It looks like a shrunken Aveo (not a good thing IMHO). The 3 concepts were just radical enough to be good sellers.
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mikeinBuilding7 4:45PM (6/25/2007)
Would it Kill GM to make a Good Looking Fuel Efficient car?
Why GM doesn't sell small cars is they make them look like cheap econoboxes.
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Randy 5:15PM (6/25/2007)
I do wish they had a smaller car....I went from a 1999 Chevrolet Metro that was getting about 47 mpg on the highway to an Aveo that is getting about 35 on the highway now.....I know it is a bigger car...by about 450lbs and a bigger engine from 1.0liter to a 1.6liter...I miss my smaller car...
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shiznannigan 3:38PM (6/27/2007)
Educate yourselves, people. The Matiz has been around for years now. It's not based on a concept that was shown just months ago. It's not even coming to the U.S.. Oh, and it's just a touch longer than a Smart ForTwo, but has a back seat. Unless you're short, you don't want this.
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Dazza 12:53PM (6/26/2007)
Owen, it's yet another facelift for the former Daewoo Matiz, which has been around now since 1998. The "triplets" were designed to pave the way for the Matiz's eventual successor.
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