Chevrolet Matiz

What am I? – Matiz speaks for itself

‘I've been really popular in the UK since the late 90's but now it's time for a change. The people in white coats have really pampered me and given me a full makeover which means I've lost lots of weight and feel really fresh and new – I've even been voted Automotive Slimmer of The Year 2005! And would you believe, they've called me Chevrolet!

I'm still a bit like Doctor Who's Tardis with lots of room inside and a small frame outside and I really love dashing around town. You'll find parking me irresistible because I can fit in the smallest gaps and turn on a sixpence. My shiny new engines are like new lungs; I breathe much more easily and will hardly ever need to pull you over into a petrol station any more. You can even get me serviced for nothing! I feel really safe with my new stronger body and nice big airbags and they've even changed the bits underneath me so that I can go around corners more easily without making you feel uncomfortable.

Inside I've got lots of little pockets, trays and cubby holes for all that stuff you insist on carrying around with you and my boot is bigger too so we can go shopping for just about anything whenever you like, it'll all fit in.

Above all I'm still your friend with my cheeky face and big bright eyes and I've got some new ideas inside too, like my funky centre speedo. You can buy me in three different versions but I'm the SE, the most popular Matiz.

That's me in a nutshell so now we'll let the experts tell you my story in more detail'.

CH05 EVY

Cheeky charm

The style of the new Chevrolet Matiz evolves an established icon in this sector of the market. It has a unique charm and character and its cheeky looks remain, but with contemporary touches like the new head and tail lights and centrally mounted speedometer with coloured graphics, the car has adopted a modern, fresh look. But the most important features of Matiz are its supreme everyday practicality with no concessions, its great manoeuvrability and its low running costs – and as a further bonus - it's a Chevrolet.

Everyday Practicality

Let's take practicality first. Whether it be on the weekly shopping run, the sprint to work or the school dash, Matiz is always at home in an urban environment. Its four wide opening doors and low sills mean easy access even in the tightest of car parks and once inside there's plenty of room for four adults or it can easily manage three teenage children across the back seat, each safely strapped into three-point seat belts. There's even a simple plug in device for a child seat thanks to two sets of ISOFIX fittings (see below in Technical Stuff).

Instantly noticeable are the multitude of stowage amenities – drinks holders, glovebox, trays for maps, CDs, and all the everyday ephemera that seems to accumulate in our cars in our daily motoring lives. There's a passenger seat undertray, two capacious door bins and a seat back pocket in SE and SX models and there's even a bespoke holder for your sunglasses neatly positioned above the driver on the SX.

The next priority in the urban jungle is parking. Matiz has the answer with a tight turning circle and accurate steering; it's one of the most agile cars in the market. Agility is helped too by great visibility from the high driving position, low waistline and slim pillars for those tight reversing moments. Matiz will turn through a full circle within the length of a double-decker bus.

Matiz looks after the health of your wallet or handbag

Practicality is important but equally so in this sector are running costs. The new Chevrolet Matiz is a lot quieter resulting from lots of work on the engines and suspension. But it's inside the engines where the big improvements come. Talk of the detailed changes comes later but the results are quite staggering – 15% improvement in fuel economy. The nippy 800cc version does over 54 mpg and the 1000cc car is not far behind, it too achieves over 50mpg. And with both models costing only £105 per year to tax thanks to nice clean exhausts, cost of ownership of a new Chevrolet Matiz is top of the charts. Add this to a car where servicing costs are free for three years and insurance groups are in the 3-4 bracket and the result is far less trips to the cash machine.

Even with such low running costs and excellent fuel economy, the 0.8 litre version is really nippy around town; it's responsive and has a very light gearchange. For those that like to take the sporadic foray onto the motorway, it's best to go for the 1.0 litre engine which adds more power for a more relaxing drive at sustained higher speeds on open roads or those occasional longer journeys.

Lots of gadgets but only what you really need

Everyone claims these days that their cars are fully loaded with specification but what really matters in this price-sensitive sector of the market is not the number of gadgets but their value to the owner.

Chevrolet has taken a long hard look at costs and specification levels and made sure that its customers get the right balance of what really matters.

Firstly, around town you need power steering for those constricted parking moments and frequent tight turns to avoid the jams. Second is remote controlled central door locking when you have armfuls of shopping and really need three hands. Next, a 60/40 split folding rear seat where the cushion folds up too for maximised capacity – the boot itself is also bigger on this new model – following the weekly or monthly shop. And there's even a CD player for that chill-out in the traffic jam.

Safety is also important. Driver and passenger are protected by individual airbags, not just the small ones but a full 50 litre bag for the driver and 100 litres for the passenger – that means greater protection. With front seat belt pre-tensioners too, that means optimum security in the event of a collision, further enhanced by a stronger body structure using state-of-the-art light but strong steel to provide overall, much improved crash performance. And all this comes as standard even on the 0.8S entry model.

Move up to the SE, predicted to be the most popular Matiz, and you add even more useful features like electric front windows for effortless grabbing of that car park ticket, internally adjustable door mirrors, really useable door pockets for driver and passenger and two additional speakers in the rear. There's even a seat undertray on the passengers side, home for the handbook pack, winter ice scraper and other maybe less often used items that we all need to hand one day.

And it looks cute too

The Matiz has always been praised for its cheeky looks. Chevrolet has recognised that not only should the car retain its overall dimensions, as its compact nature really matters in a mini-car, but that it should retain its personality too. ‘Evolution not revolution' was therefore the motto for the team designing the new Chevrolet Matiz.

The designers have developed the cute looks into a more modern yet contemporary feel without going as far as overtly funky, ‘fashion' features that very soon age. The headlights are all new but still gaze at you over a smiling grille. Side profile is stronger with the kick-up over the door mirror adding a certain solidity and the new rear lights build real character into the view from the rear.

Inside, modern design thinking results in a more robust and sturdy facia with centre mounted instruments and circular design features such as the fresh air vents for a slightly more offbeat look. Three different background colours give the instruments a fresh, young look. Depending on which of the upholstery fabrics and body colours is chosen, the displays have a blue, green or orange background. Warning lights are sited right ahead of the driver to ensure that important messages are not missed. The facia also incorporates accessible trays each side for smaller objects such as pens or coins.

All interior mouldings and seating fabrics are designed to be robust and easy to clean – and you won't find any squeaks or rattles in a new Matiz.

To complete the new look there are some fresh, bright new body colours such as Apple Green, Electric Yellow, Jazz Blue and Peach Orange sitting comfortably alongside the less flamboyant options of Ocean Blue, Teal Blue, Super Red, Poly Silver and Pearl Black.

A simple range but all great value

There are three models available in the new Chevrolet Matiz line-up – S, SE and SX. The smaller 0.8 litre engine comes in the entry level S model; this is priced at £6095. The 1.0 litre engine, ideal for those that make slightly longer journeys or spending a little time on the motorway, is more powerful yet still frugal. This engine comes in the SE and SX models where big car features such as air conditioning, electric rear windows and alloy wheels are included (see separate breakdown). The 1.0 SE is priced at £6995, (air conditioning costs £400 more on this model) and the fully-equipped 1.0SX is £7695.

SPEC TALK – which model has what

All three models in the new Matiz range feature a comprehensive specification.

Standard features in all models include:

Power Assisted Steering ABS

Dual front airbags Front seat belt pre-tensioners

Five 3-point seat belts Remote central door locking

Engine immobiliser Tachometer

Intermittent wipers Rear wash/wipe

Remote fuel filler release Cup holder in floor console

Shopping hooks 60/40 split/fold rear seats

Three separate rear headrests Folding rear seat cushion

Blaupunkt RDS radio/single CD player Two speakers

Roof mounted radio aerial

SE model adds:

Drive's seat height adjustment Body colour door handles

Internally adjustable door mirrors Metallic finish instrument panel

Fabric on door trim Electric front windows

Colour coded instrument background Vanity mirrors

Remote boot release Digital Clock

Front door pockets Passenger seat undertray

Luggage compartment lamp Passenger side seat back pocket

Two rear speakers 1.0 litre engine

SX model adds:

Air conditioning Pollen filter

Side airbags 13” alloy wheels

Body colour door mirrors Power passenger door mirror

Front fog lamps Power rear windows

Sunglasses holder Tweeter speakers

TECH TALK

Engine and Gearbox

The new Chevrolet Matiz is powered by a 0.8 litre three-cylinder engine developing 51 Ps with 71 Nm of torque ( the latter increased over the previous model through design changes to inlet and exhaust systems and EuroIV tuning) or a 1.0 litre four-cylinder unit developing 65 Ps and 91 Nm of torque, likewise increased over the previous model.

For the three-cylinder engine to obtain peak form for its appearance in the new Matiz, a number of fundamental new developments have been incorporated. They include the single overhead cam valve control being via aluminium rockers with steel roller cam followers instead of standard steel rocker arms. This new design reduces friction losses in the valve gear by 15 percent and reduces valve train noise. The positive effect of this improvement, along with the retune to EuroIV emissions standards, is evident above all in fuel consumption. Compared with its predecessor, the MVEG average consumption has fallen by 15%. But this significant reduction in fuel consumption is due not only to the lower friction and retune but also to the improvement in drag coefficient from 0.399 to 0.342 and the associated weight-cutting measures outlined below. But that is not all. There have also been changes to the axle ratio and a reduction of the airflow resistance in the intake tract and exhaust system through the application of new techniques such as low resonance mouldings and porous hoses. The 1.0 litre version of the Matiz also benefits from the weight loss, EuroIV developments and these breathing improvements with MVEG consumption also falling by 15%.

The 0.8 has a maximum speed of 90mph and accelerates to 62mph in 18.2 seconds. The 1.0 litre cars will reach 97mph and accelerate to 62 mph in 14.1 seconds. CO₂ emissions are reduced on both engines by some 12% to 127 and 139gm/km respectively.

Both models come with a five-speed manual gearbox which features an all-new gearchange mechanism with rubber mounts and mass damping for improved shift quality.

Chassis

Matiz has always been a nimble car but handling quality has been an issue for some customers. The new Chevrolet Matiz addresses any shortcomings in this area. The advances made are most evident in the completely new torsion beam rear axle with its angled and carefully tuned rubber mountings. Coupled with its angled shock absorbers and semi-trailing arms, it guarantees much greater precision in wheel control than the previously used and more simple trailing link axle for more agile handling.

Ride comfort of Matiz has also been significantly improved with the new gas-pressure shock absorbers and softer mounting rubbers in the suspension links. Another bonus is the power-assisted steering which, with its urban-friendly turning circle of just 30 feet, is geared perfectly to the optimised chassis. The chassis is tuned to ensure that progressive understeer sets in when cornering speeds get near the limit – the safe option, particularly for drivers in this sector of the market.

The engineers have also paid attention to detail by providing additional damping elements to improve noise comfort. The design team has also done some work on the front axle of the Matiz 2005 model with its proven McPherson struts. The strut mountings are no longer bolted to the body, they are now welded into a much stiffer location. As a result of this modification, the suspension responds more sensitively and ride comfort has been further enhanced. All the Matiz models feature a modern four-channel anti-locking brake system. The front wheels are fitted with disc brakes with a diameter of 236mm and the rear wheels with drum brakes (180mm) to ensure efficient braking. Matiz runs on 155/65R13 tyres with 4.5JX13 rims.

Body structure - leaner and safer

When developing the new Matiz, the engineers attached major importance to the use of state-of-the-art technologies and high-grade materials. This can be seen, for example, in the body, where generous use has been made of lightweight high-strength steel. In fact, 51 percent (by weight) of the body of the new Chevrolet Matiz is made of HSS (high-strength steel). With its predecessor, the figure was just 37 percent.

Safety

The increased percentage of this 'super steel' benefits the stiffness and stability and thus the safety of the passenger cell. Precisely defined load paths in the body structure with an energy absorbing hexagonal profile protect the passengers in the event of a head-on or rear collision. Optimised links between the B-pillar and the sills provide additional protection in the event of a side impact. But the engineers were concerned not only with the safety of the passengers, they also devoted a great deal of time to significantly improving the pedestrian safety. The front end design of the Matiz is among the first of its class to comply with the new European regulations on pedestrian safety.

There is also a full interior safety package to complement the passive safety features of the new generation Matiz. Depending on model this includes a driver airbag with a volume of 50 litres, a passenger airbag (100 litres) and side airbags in both the front seats (18 litres). Other components of the safety system are automatic three-point belts and head restraints on all five seats and electrically operated belt tensioners and belt force limiters at the front. The range of safety equipment is completed by an energy-absorbing steering column, knee padding and a plastic fuel tank with a safety valve that immediately halts the fuel supply if the car turns over, thereby virtually eliminating any fire risk.

Matiz also features ISOFIX, the easy and convenient way to fix a child seat. Simply buy an ISOFIX seat from Chevrolet retailers or top quality High Street stores and plug it in.

There's no messing about with seat belts trying to secure the seat with every chance that it's not tightly fixed – the consequences are only too obvious. ISOFIX is fool proof and correctly fitted at all times. If it's not secured this to is very obvious. Both outer rear seats carry the ISOFIX fittings so that children can be placed on either or both sides of the car.

Automotive Slimmer of 2005

The generous use of high-strength grades of steel has benefits not just for the solidness and stability of the Matiz body, it also brings a significant reduction in the weight of the bodyshell, which at 172 kg is 13 kg less than that of its predecessor.

The whole subject of weight reduction played an important role during the development of the new Chevrolet, because fewer pounds on the scales means fewer gallons at the petrol station. Other examples of the slimming down measures incorporated include a completely new pedal box design with durable plastic moulded structure and pedals and a new noise-insulating mat between the engine compartment and the dashboard, which not only cuts the weight by 2.5 kg, but also improves the sound insulating effects. The new Matiz also has a torque roll-axis engine mounting system which uses three instead of four mountings. This contributes to a total weight reduction of 5.3 kg and much improves control of the engine at idle. The right hand main engine mount is a hydra-mount which improves engine shake at higher engine speeds.

 

Engine

 

Power 51.5Ps @ 6000rpm 65.5Ps @ 5400rpm

Torque 71.5Nm @ 4400rpm 91Nm @ 4200rpm

Cylinders 3 with 6valves 4 with 8 valves

Performance

Max speed 90.1mph 97mph

0-62mph 18.2 secs 14.1 secs

Fuel consumption MVEG

Urban 40.9mpg 39.2mpg

Extra-urban 67.3mpg 60.1mpg

Combined 54.3mpg 50.4mpg

CO₂ 127 g/km 139g/km

Steering

Hydraulic power assisted

Turning Circle min 30.1 feet

Turning Circle wall to wall 30.7 feet

Turns lock to lock 3.36

Tyres

145/70R13 on 4.5J steel wheels with 155/65R13 on 4.5J alloys

Brakes

Disc/drum with 236mm dia discs and 180mm dia drums

Dimensions

Length 137.6 in

Height 59.0 in

Width excluding mirrors 58.8 in

Track front 51.6 in

Track rear 50.2 in

Wheelbase 92.3 in

Front leg room 40.2 in

Rear legroom 35.4 in

Front/rear shoulder room 49.2 in

Weights

Kerb 1709 – 1841 lbs 1753 – 1885 lbs

GVW 2756 lbs 2800 lbs

Max roof load 110 lbs

Drag Coefficient Cd 0.342

Frontal area 20.5 sq ft

Fuel tank capacity 7.7 gallons

Luggage capacity

Seat up 170 litres/6 cu ft

Seat folded down 845 litres/29.8 cu ft

Sales record

Launched in 1998, Matiz is now being sold in more than 70 countries - and very successfully, too. Nearly 1.3 million units have so far been registered around the globe, some 630,000 of them in Europe with 65,000 in the UK alone.

This means that the Matiz accounts for 39 percent of the European sales of the Korean built products that have been marketed under General Motors' globally successful Chevrolet brand since the beginning of 2005. In the peak years of 2001 and 2002, the figure was even higher, namely 51 and 65 percent respectively.

In 2004, the Matiz was particularly successful in Italy with 21,634 new registrations out of a total European figure of 57,422. Behind Italy came the UK (6,373), Spain (5,607), Germany (4,771), Hungary (3,918) and the Netherlands (3,295). 62 percent of the buyers opted for the three-cylinder, 800cc engine with while the other 38 percent chose the four-cylinder 1.0-litre unit.

There is no doubt that Matiz is a force to be reckoned with on the European car market. With a share of 10 percent, it is the most successful model in the A-segment after the Fiat Panda. In some countries, it even holds first place in its class. In Macedonia, for example, it was well out in front in 2004 with a market share of 67 percent, and also dominated in Lithuania with 46 percent and Finland with 31 percent of its segment. It also took second place in ten other European countries.