- Spacious interior
- Good ride/handling balance
- Indecisive automatic transmission blunts performance
- Limited cargo space
- Low standard of interior fit and finish
- Inexplicable styling
Review: Daewoo Tacuma (2000-04)
Overview
Released in November 2000, the Daewoo Tacuma was a five-seat people-mover. Manufactured in Gunsan, South Korea, the front-wheel drive Tacuma was powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that was mated to either a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission.
Shared with the Leganza and Nubira , the 2.0-litre ‘Family II’ petrol engine was developed by GM Holden and had double overhead camshafts, Delphi engine management, four valves per cylinder and a compression ratio of 9.6:1. While the GM-derived five-speed manual transmission had a single dry plate clutch, the four-speed ZF automatic transmission featured Economy, Power and Hold modes and adaptive ‘fuzzy logic’ shift control.
The Tacuma was 4350 mm long, 1755 mm wide, 1580 mm tall and had a 2600 mm long wheelbase. Inside, cargo capacity for the Tacuma was 347 litres with the rear seats in place, though this increased to 1425 litres when the seats were folded down and 1847 litres when they were removed. Furthermore, the Tacuma had MacPherson strut front suspension and a torsion beam rear axle with compound links.
| Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacuma | 2.0-litre petrol I4 | 4sp auto, 5sp man. |
94 kW at 5600 rpm | 183 Nm at 4000 rpm |
Safety equipment
Standard safety equipment for the Daewoo Tacuma included dual front airbags and front seatbelts with load limiters and pretensioners.
Features
Standard features for the Daewoo Tacuma included a six speaker sound system with CD player, air conditioning, front fog lights, remote central locking, power mirrors and windows, telescopic steering wheel adjustment, 35/30/35 folding and removable rear seats, roof rails, 12 volt power outlets and immobiliser.
Limited Edition
In February 2002, a Limited edition Tacuma was released; these models were distinguished by their six-disc CD players and leather seats.
December 2003: Tacuma update
In December 2003, the Tacuma underwent a minor update; these models could be identified by their reshaped grilles; standard features were also extended to include heated door mirrors.
Related links
