Chevrolet Matiz   Women's view

Chevrolets All-New Matiz Has A Language That Speaks Directly To Women. Motoring Writer June Neary Thinks Thats Just As It Should Be

Its hard to think of a car for whom the female audience is so important as Chevrolets all-new Matiz. After all, over 75% of all UK customers for the first generation Matiz were women and the importers dont expect a lot to change this time round. I was curious then, to get behind the wheel of this newcomer. Would there be overtly over-the-top female touches like the flower vase in Volkswagens Beetle? Or would the car be so practically orientated as to be forgettably bland? Fortunately, I was pleased to find that Chevrolet have struck a pleasing middle ground between the two.

The shape is still cheeky and fun but there are no patronising homely touches inside. Which is not to say that the interior is dull: actually quite the contrary. You can even specify the instrument cluster in different colours. I settled down behind the wheel thinking that I was going to enjoy myself in this car.

This is a car for the urban environment and as such, it simply must be easy to live with. It is. For a start, there are five doors, by no means a given in a citycar sector where the market leader (Fords Ka) has only three. All four passenger doors are wide opening with low sills for easy access even in tight supermarket carparks like that of my local Tescos.

I found that four adults could fit in quite easily and even at one point had three teenage children across the back seat, each safely strapped in with three-point seat belts. Stowage areas have been increased in size and quantity. There are drinks holders, a large glovebox and I found trays for maps, CDs and all the usual clutter that I seem to usually end up carting about with me. The passenger seat undertray was a nice touch and theres even a bespoke holder for your sunglasses neatly positioned above the driver on the plush SX version I tried.

Theres a choice of two petrol engines of 0.8 and 1.0-litres in size. Dont go moaning about the lack of a diesel: youd never cover the extra upfront cost of such an engine with the kind of mileage that citycar drivers tend to do. Anyway, its not as if fuel consumption is an issue. The 800cc version does over 54mpg and the 1.0-litre model isnt far behind.

Both engines are quieter and more responsive than their predecessors. The old Matiz wasnt a car I would have countenanced taking on a very long journey: with this new model, I might just be persuaded. Its certainly easier to keep up with the flow of traffic, the 1.0-litre model making it from rest to sixty in just over 14 seconds. More importantly, you no longer have to shout at your passenger to make yourself heard at motorway cruising speeds.

This isnt a car for the driving enthusiast: big news. On the plus side, the handling, though making no attempt to entertain, makes every effort to please. That leaves safety. I must admit sometimes to feeling a little vulnerable in the old Matiz: this one feels altogether more substantial. Over 50% of the car has been constructed with high strength steel (as opposed to 37% with the old model) and, of course, twin front airbags and ABS are standard.

Heres the key to this cars success. Prices start at £6,245 for the entry-level 0.8S, but Id be tempted to shake the piggy bank a little further and find another £500 for the 1.0SE, likely to be the most popular variant.

At the top of the range lies the 1.0 SE+ model I tried, costing £8,277. Here, the extra cash buys you air conditioning, alloy wheels, a pollen filter, side airbags, front foglamps, a powered passenger door mirror, power rear windows, better speakers and that sunglasses holder. Whichever version you go for, low servicing and insurance costs and a likely 50mpg average all combine to create a three-year ownership cost of around 13 pence per mile, making the Matiz one of the UKs cheapest cars to run.



I found that I liked the Matiz. For short sharp journeys, Id find myself wanting to take it over my regular car. Its so much easier just as a car like this should be.