Daewoo Kalos Concept

What is it?
Daewoo Kalos Concept

What's special about it?
In a bold departure from the styling cues of the last decade, Daewoo presents a Ford Focus-esque five-door hatchback defined by geometric lines. Nope, "flowing" or "curvaceous" don't come to mind, save for the roofline. Though Daewoo uses words like "elegant" and "simple," the lines seem a bit jarring to the eye. Its calling card will be the high seating position, like that of the Focus or the Toyota Echo. Mass production is being planned for 2002 or 2003, with a sedan and hatchback also on the drawing board.

The powerplants will be your choice of a 1.2-, 1.4- or 1.6-liter inline four engine (the first two are single overhead cam, the last a dual overhead cam) with outputs from 71 to 105 horsepower mated to a five-speed manual or an automatic transmission with a gated shifter. The list of options, such as keyless entry and ABS, isn't extensive, as this will probably be a bare-bones minimalist vehicle. The Kalos does, however, include side airbags.

Why should you care?
We're not certain if Daewoo is long for the American market. If this concept does make it, we doubt if such a weak drivetrain (unless they put in a powerplant with more stamina) could be a contender for the economy wagon segment, especially with formidable contenders like the Focus and the upcoming Mazda Protege Sport Wagon.
--Liz Kim