South Korean onslaught continues with Daewoo to launch Nexia
South Korean onslaught continues with Daewoo to launch Nexia
By Russell Williamson
Daewoo will be the third South Korean manufacturer to enter
the increasingly crowded small passenger sedan market when the
Nexia goes on sale late this year.
Competing against its compatriots, in the form of Bimantara's
new Cakra and the Timor car -- which is effectively a Kia Sephia
-- the Nexia is likely to be aiming for price as its major
selling factor.
In order to generate some interest in the vehicle prior to its
release, PT Starsauto Dinamika, the local assembler and
distributor for Daewoo, will be displaying the four-door Nexia
sedan alongside its existing product, the Espero, at the Jakarta
Auto Expo.
The Nexia is based on the 1980's Opel Kadett and it probably
says a lot for that car that it is still able to compete
effectively in its class on the world market today.
It was initially offered with a basic single overhead cam
1500cc engine for export markets around the world but last year,
a front and rear restyle and the addition of a twin-cam engine
brought the car into the 1990s and gave it the ability to compete
on more even terms.
It is not yet clear which engine will power the Indonesian
Nexia's as many markets offer both with the SOHC unit, used in
entry level vehicles, and the DOHC sophistication in the higher-
specced cars.
Adding a new, deep-breathing, high-technology cylinder head
has given the Nexia more power (66kW compared to 55kW) and torque
(137Nm compared to 127Nm) than the single-camshaft variant.
Interestingly, the extra punch comes without recourse to extra
rpm -- in fact the twin-cam's 66kW comes at just 4800rpm, which
is 600rpm less than that required by the single-cam engine to
produce its 55kW. The higher torque figure, does, however,
require a small rpm increase, from 3200rpm to 3400rpm.
So, forget what the multi-valve head implies: it is not your
high-revving, top-of-the-tacho power plant. The extra urge is
readily available, within a useful segment of the operating
range.
In overseas markets the inclusion of a driver's side air bag
brings the Daewoo into line with most of its competition while
antilock brakes, available only on top of the line cars, is also
a welcome addition.
The feel-good exterior styling is let down by the interior,
which appears to be put together from an available-parts bin and
is cheap both visually and physically.
The seats feel firm and unyielding but there is more room
inside than would normally be anticipated in this class. The
inclusion of a height-adjuster on the driver's seat compensates
for the fixed-height steering column, which is set perhaps a
little too high for some drivers.
Luggage space is excellent, and a surefire attraction to the
Daewoo.
Even in the top of the range model, where the suggestion is
made that this Daewoo is no longer quite your bottom-of-the-
market, cheap and cheerful conveyance, the Nexia doesn't quite
achieve the quality levels of its opposition.
Carpet and trim fit contrasted with the accurate attention to
detail evident in its Japanese competition -- or even the new
Bimantara Cakra.
The Phillips sound system does produce good sound, although it
uses fussy, difficult, touch controls rather than ergonomic
rotating knobs.
Driving the Nexia, two aspects were brought immediately stand
out: the more powerful engine does indeed lift performance, but
at the expense of a little smoothness and quietness, and the
standard-issue Kumho tires are not the most tenacious when it
comes to road grip.
The Nexia could be induced into tire-squealing antics without
really trying and felt a little uncomfortable in wet conditions
as well.
The multi-valve 1.5-liter, with its tendency to deliver good
low-speed torque, handles the four-speed automatic gearbox well,
but does not have the sound and feel of an engine that likes to
take a deep breath and plunge upwards into the high-rpm band.
It is neither quiet nor smooth, although it would possibly
feel better with the five-speed manual transmission.
In the end, the Nexia feels exactly what it is: a smart-
looking car that is bigger than its anticipated price-equivalent
opposition and consequently, more spacious and useful but still a
smoothed-over, old design that has not benefited from the
technology advances evident in most other small cars.
In addition to this preview, Daewoo will have on display its
current Espero mid sized 2000cc sedan and a small 800cc micro
car, Tico.
---------
Caption:
Daewoo will join the small car explosion on the Indonesian market
when it launches the Nexia later this year.