Daewoo Kalos 1.4 Premium

It is true that all of the above is true and the listed equipment is more than enough for a decent life with a car, but the development did its own thing, which pushed the border of "life" a little higher. Thus, we can find various updates to the mentioned devices and accessories even in the small car class, which, after all, includes Kalos.

Let's start with safety: in Kalos, among other things, the already mentioned standard airbags are engaged in this, and there are "only" two of them. “Only” two because we know of at least one competitor who already has four airbags in their most basic version.

It is commendable that all five passengers were provided with three-point seat belts, but unfortunately they forgot about the middle passenger in the back seat when they shared the pillows. The same is observed when the glasses are electrically displaced. And if we fully agree that the two front passengers have enough electricity, then we cannot agree and come to terms with the fact that Daewoo did not offer at least an option for a surcharge for the impulse shift of the driver's window. ...

After all, some opponents already offer this as standard, and you might also want to consider automatic air conditioning, which is not possible with the Daewoo Kalos. But as you know, every item comes with a price tag, and Daewoo also set a very affordable price accordingly for the wealth of trim levels. With 1.899.000 tolar it is definitely advantageous and lower than all European competitors. However, we must not forget the fact that the latter is relatively better equipped with (especially safe) equipment.

Of course, in the final assessment, not only the stock of equipment and its price are important, but also many other characteristics.

One of the first, of course, is usability. At this point, Lepotek (Kalos means beautiful in Greek) wants to convince mainly with a handy large but unfortunately open drawer in front of the gear lever, with a comfortable mesh on the back of the passenger seat and a convenient slot located on the driver's door, say , for a credit card. But just three relatively useful storage locations will by no means satisfy the needs of the average user. This would like more or. wider pockets on the front doors (existing narrow and therefore very conditionally usable) and at least a more spacious interior, which could also be "locked".

There is also a little flexibility in the luggage compartment and, as a result, less usability. There we can tip the rear seat backrest divisible by a third, but unfortunately this is not improved by the split section of the seat. Thus, in such cases, you are forced to fold the entire rear bench, leaving enough room for only the driver and front passenger. Having just mentioned the passengers, we stop for a moment at the seats provided for them.

The front passengers will not be able to complain about the height of the room, since there is enough of it, but on the back bench there is not enough room for the heads of passengers with a height of more than 1 meter due to the lowering of the roof. ... To get used to this, passengers must also set the bench back too flat, which creates a rather unnatural seating position.

Soundproofing is almost surprisingly effective. In this area, Daewoo has taken a big step up from the Kalos predecessor, the Lanos. Thus, there is little engine noise in the cabin, and there is also enough other noise to maintain sound insulation outside the cabin so that passengers can talk to each other without any major stress.

The only slight exception is the increase in engine noise above 5000 engine rpm. Above this region, the noise level rises to a degree that is worth mentioning, but not overly critical. After all, it's very rare for regular Kalos users to have such high RPMs in normal use. In all honesty, the Lepotec isn't even made for whirlwinds and fun rides. He greatly prefers a calm and relaxed ride, where the sound comfort will also be enhanced by efficient and comfortable interception of road bumps.

However, when cornering, teeth are visible in the chassis structure. This is when the Kalos starts to understeer, which is perfectly normal for front-wheel drive vehicles. The noticeable tilt of the body and the silent steering wheel prove that Kalos doesn't like to chase corners at all. But the point is added to the seats. Passengers do not have a side grip, so they must lean on available anchor points and hold onto the ceiling and door handles. But we will emphasize once again: Kalos is built for a smooth ride, without rampage and chase. Thus, it will serve you more than well.

Some bad taste while driving, even calm, remains due to the fact that the Kalos Premium does not have an ABS braking system. It is true that the brakes are quite effective without it (considering stopping distance) and allow you to feel the brake pedal well enough, but the ABS system does not hurt nonetheless.

Technically, the average power plant has a displacement of 1 liter, four cylinders, eight valves, a maximum power of 4 kilowatts or 61 "horsepower" and 83 Newton meters of maximum torque. Of course, the numbers given do not accurately reflect the athletic sprint capability, which is also noticeable on the road. We can't talk about amazing jumps there, and you'll also need a damn long road plane to hit top speed. Kalos has to “thank” the engineers at Daewoo (or maybe GM) for the lame flexibility, because they gave him a (too) long differential, which also affects the unused fifth gear. Thus, the car reaches its top speed in fourth gear, while in fifth gear there are a lot of crankshaft revolutions in stock. It is, of course, also true that this type of transmission saves money during normal driving. In the end, lower engine rpm means better fuel consumption. In the test, it was an acceptable 123 liters at 8 kilometers.

The slightly more gray hair could only have been caused by the maximum fuel consumption measured during the test, which in the worst case was 10 liters per kilometer. A mitigating circumstance is the kilometers that pass mainly in conditions of constant city bustle. On the other hand, when driving long distances and with a light foot on the gas pedal, consumption can drop to 1 centimeter liters of unleaded gasoline.

So, what are the main features of Kalos that should convince you of the usefulness of the purchase? The first is definitely driving comfort (comfortable and effective interception of road bumps and effective soundproofing of the passenger compartment), the second and, in fact, the biggest price advantage of the purchase. After all, on the sunny side of the Alps, it will be very hard to find another car that already offers a good 80 horsepower under the hood, air conditioning, central locking, an electric windshield and two airbags, all for less than two million tolars. .

The choice is really very small, and that is why Daewoo once again turned out to be an affordable and affordable purchase, which, of course, is not entirely perfect. But you probably know the saying: a little money, a little music. With Kalos, this is not entirely the case, as you get almost all the accessories that are in demand in cars today for a relatively small pile of money. It is already true that it could have at least one more ABS accessory, and the packaging would be really perfect, but then the price would not be so “perfect”. You know, you gain something, you lose something.

Peter Humar

Photo: Aleš Pavletič.

Daewoo Kalos 1.4 Premium

Basic data

Sales:	Opel Southeast Europe Ltd.
Base model price:	7.924,39 €
Test model cost:	8.007,80 €
Calculate the cost of auto insurance
Power:	61kW (83 KM)
Acceleration (0-100 km / h):	12,1 with
Maximum speed:	170 km / h
Mixed flow ECE:	7,5l / 100km
Guarantee:	3-year or 100.000 kilometers general warranty, 6-year anti-rust warranty, mobile warranty
Oil change every	15.000 km.
Systematic review	15.000 km

Technical information

engine:	4-cylinder - 4-stroke - in-line - gasoline - front mounted transverse - bore and stroke 77,9 × 73,4 mm - displacement 1399 cm3 - compression 9,5:1 - maximum power 61 kW (83 hp .) at 5600 rpm - average piston speed at maximum power 13,7 m / s - specific power 43,6 kW / l (59,3 hp / l) - maximum torque 123 Nm at 3000 rpm min - 1 camshaft in the head) - 2 valves per cylinder - multipoint injection.
Energy transfer:	engine-driven front wheels - 5-speed manual transmission - gear ratio I. 3,550 1,950; II. 1,280 hours; III. 0,970 hours; IV. 0,760; v. 3,333; reverse 3,940 – differential 5,5 – rims 13J × 175 – tires 70/13 R 1,73 T, rolling range 1000 m – speed in 34,8 gear at XNUMX rpm XNUMX km / h.
Capacity:	top speed 170 km / h - acceleration 0-100 km / h 12,1 s - fuel consumption (ECE) 10,2 / 6,0 / 7,5 l / 100 km
Transportation and suspension:	limousine - 5 doors, 5 seats - self-supporting body - front single suspension, leaf springs, transverse rails, longitudinal rails, stabilizer - rear axle shaft, longitudinal rails, coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers, stabilizer - front disc brakes (forced-cooled, rear) drum, rear mechanical parking brake (lever between seats) - rack and pinion steering wheel, power steering, 3,0 turns between extremes, 9,8 m ride radius.
Mass:	empty vehicle 1070 kg - permissible total weight 1500 kg - permissible trailer weight with brake 1100 kg, without brake 500 kg.
External dimensions:	vehicle width 1678 mm - front track 1450 mm - rear track 1410 mm - ground clearance 9,8 m.
Inner dimensions:	front width 1410 mm, rear 1400 mm - front seat length 480 mm, rear seat 460 mm - handlebar diameter 380 mm - fuel tank 45 l.
Box:	Trunk volume measured using AM standard set of 5 Samsonite suitcases (total volume 278,5 L): 1 backpack (20 L); 1 × aviation suitcase (36 l); 1 × suitcase (68,5 l)

Overall rating (266/420)

• The troika has many advantages and disadvantages. An affordable purchase offers a sufficiently rich vehicle package for a decent life with it. We praise driving comfort and soundproofing, but criticize the performance (differential) and the lack of some safety equipment.

• Exterior (11/15)

  Whether it is beautiful or ugly is a matter of taste, and in principle, Kalos will not stand out from the crowd. The quality of performance is above average.

• Interior (90/140)

  Soundproofing is good, so is the overall ride comfort. Confused by the cheapness of the selected materials and the relatively limited usability.

• Engine, transmission (24
  
  
  / 40)

  The engine isn't technically a gem, but it does its job diligently. The transmission is too cold to resist shifting. Differential gear is too heavy.

• Driving performance (59
  
  
  / 95)

  The responsiveness of the steering mechanism leaves much to be desired, the car is pleasant when driving quietly and tiresome when chasing.

• Performance (19/35)

  Engine agility suffers from too high transmission ratios, which also affects acceleration. The ultimate speed will suit most needs.

• Security (38/45)

  Five three-point seat belts are poorly padded with just four airbags. No ABS and front side airbags. Reflections on ASR and ESP systems are utopian.

• Economy

  Buying Kalos is affordable, a decent guarantee gives you wellness, and the loss in value is a bit more.
  
  
  alarming. Fuel consumption is acceptable.

We praise and reproach

price

swallowing efficiency

soundproofing

A fresh look

guarantee

long gear in the differential

narrow pockets in the door

absence of some

(re) positioned rear seat back