- Willing 1.5-litre petrol engine
- Competent dynamics
- Spacious interior and comfortable front seats
- Steering is accurate…
- … but lacks feel
- Firm ride
- Manual transmission is notchy and imprecise, with sharp clutch take-up
- Cheap interior plastics
- Poor ANCAP crash test results for closely-related Holden TK Barina
- ABS reluctor rings susceptible to cracking
- Plastic thermostat susceptible to cracking, causing coolant leaks
Review: Daewoo Kalos (2003-04)
Overview
Released in April 2003, the Daewoo Kalos was available as a light, five-door hatchback or four-door sedan. Manufactured in Bupyeong, South Korea, the front-wheel drive Kalos was powered by a 1.5-litre ‘E-TEC II’ four-cylinder petrol engine which had a single overhead camshaft, four valves per cylinder and a compression ratio of 9.5:1. Transmission options consisted of a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic.
Styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Kalos hatchback was 3880 mm long, 1670 mm wide, 1495 mm tall and had a 2480 mm long wheelbase; the Kalos sedan, however, was 355 mm longer (at 4235) though the other dimensions were unchanged. Furthermore, the Kalos had MacPherson strut front suspension and torsion beam rear suspension.
Following Daewoo’s withdrawal from the Australian market in 2004, the Kalos was rebaged and returned to Australia in December 2005 as the Holden TK Barina .
| Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalos | 1.5-litre petrol I4 | 4sp auto, 5sp man. |
62 kW at 5600 rpm | 128 Nm at 3000 rpm |
Safety equipment
Standard safety equipment included dual front airbags.
ANCAP crash testing
In ANCAP crash testing, the Kalos received a three star adult occupant protection rating with a score of 17.64. In the offset crash test, protection from serious lower leg injury was poor for the driver due to pedal and footwell intrusion of the passenger compartment; chest protection was also marginal for the driver. In the side impact test, protection from serious chest injury was marginal for the driver.
Features
Standard features included a four speaker sound system with CD player, air conditioning, 60/40 split and folding rear seats, power windows and immobiliser. From May 2004, central locking and front fog lights were fitted as standard.
Kalos Limited Edition
In October 2003, Limited Edition models were released; these models were fitted with ABS, 14-inch alloy wheels, central locking and heated power mirrors.
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