Daewoo Nubira Station Wagon SX
Is brand name king in the British new car market? Not according to Daewoo! Despite the turmoil which has surrounded the Korean car firm over the past few years, its relaunch as part of the General Motors family is clearly steaming ahead.
It might be neat and spacious, but the Daewoo Nubira Station Wagon faces strong competition from value-priced European models such as the bigger Fiat Stilo estate or smaller Peugeot 206 SW. It needs a more powerful and refined engine - ideally a diesel unit - if it's to be used as a serious load-lugger.
Is brand name king in the British new car market? Not according to Daewoo! Despite the turmoil which has surrounded the Korean car firm over the past few years, its relaunch as part of the General Motors family is clearly steaming ahead.
And here's the next model in its turnaround plans. The Nubira Station Wagon arrives in UK showrooms in December, as the sister car to the Nubira saloon and Lacetti hatchback. It's based on the same compact platform and is designed to match European standards of ride and handling, as well as featuring better levels of crash safety than its predecessors.
The Station Wagon also has a more Continental look than Daewoos of old: the styling is fairly crisp, with clean lines and tight panel gaps. It gets a new grille which is slightly different to that of its siblings, along with fresh lamp clusters in the near-vertical back end. The rear overhang is much larger than the Nubira saloon's, but the model's height takes away any awkwardness the extra metalwork presents.
Partly thanks to that overhang, the Wagon benefits from a huge boot, while the back seats fold completely flat to allow an uninterrupted load bay, with little wheelarch intrusion. Comfort for rear passengers is excellent, while in the front the dash is cleanly styled and feels tightly screwed together.
Value - The finish of the plastics is hardly lavish, but as a whole the cabin's air of functional quality makes it feel more upmarket than you'd expect of a budget car. It's practical, too, with 25 separate interior storage cubbies.
British buyers will be offered only one derivative - the SX - but it will be relatively well equipped, in keeping with its maker's reputation for good value. Just a single engine will appear at launch - a 110bhp 1.6-litre unit which has a 16-valve head and a variable-length intake manifold to beef up the torque curve for better pulling power. A four-speed auto box is on the options list, while a 1.8-litre petrol and possibly a diesel motor will appear later.
On the road, it's clear the Wagon has been engineered for the kind of tautness preferred by UK drivers. The chassis has sportier springs and stiffer dampers than in its home market, giving responsive steering and a pleasingly firm ride.
However, our main criticism is reserved for the engine. It is not only noisy under load, but also lacks punch when accelerating. It cruises well on the motorway, yet we reckon it would feel underpowered when fully laden.
Otherwise, though, the most practical interpretation of the Nubira looks like a keenly priced and competent option for those seeking a well made and sensible estate car.
