Chevrolet Matiz Review
Published: 19th March 2007
Chevrolet Matiz
The Matiz is undoubtedly a budget car but Chevrolet has made the best possible use of materials within the cabin and the result is a clean but pleasing fascia with a symmetrical centre console. In the test car, this had a metallic-effect surround and housed a Blaupunkt RDS radio/CD player that comes with a minimum of two speakers but generally four depending on the trim level. Despite the manufacturer’s name, impressions can be deceptive and the audio unit doesn’t look capable of producing the impressive sound quality that it does. I didn’t see satellite navigation on the options list so, best to keep to local journeys or buy an A-Z.
Above the centre console is a nacelle containing the instrument cluster. The positioning is supposed to reduce clutter and be easier to read whilst driving. This placement works well in other cars but for some reason, I couldn’t get on with it. There is a display panel, where the dials would normally be, that show all the warning lights.
Unusually, in this day and age, the steering wheel has no adjustment whatsoever but the driver’s seat does have mechanical height-adjustment and it is quite easy to find a comfortable driving position. As befits a car of this ilk, it is not loaded with goodies but you get what you need for comfort and daily functionality.
The Matiz comes in two trim levels; S and SE, with prices starting at £6,145 and rising to £7,145 for the 0.8-litre, SE, which just happens to be the test car. Obviously the SE has a bit more than the S but standard features across the range include; power-assist steering, 13-inch steel wheels with a space-saver spare, body-coloured bumpers and tinted glass. The SE adds, remote, central locking, electric front windows, an electrically-adjustable passenger door mirror, so you don’t have to lean across the car, an internal boot-release to go with the one for the fuel filler-cap, a rear spoiler (?), two extra speakers, making it 4 altogether and a light in the luggage compartment. There are a few extras such as metallic paint, which adds £325 and, for the 1.0 SE only, air-conditioning with pollen filter is a further £400.
The question mark after the word ‘rear spoiler’ is because of the engine sizes available. I think that it must be there for glamour or design purposes as I’m pretty sure that neither the 3-cylinder, 0.8-litre nor 4-cylinder 1.0-litre engine warrants it in a functional capacity.
