2000 Daewoo Leganza Reviews

The car industry uses a web of alliances to survive.Lust, affairs, one-night stands, engagements, marriages and divorces — it can be hard sharing your love. It can also be expensive, especially if the human analogy is applied to the car business.DaimlerChrysler's recent divorce cost the now-solo Daimler AG a cool $33 billion.Daimler and its former partner, now known by her maiden name of Chrysler Group, still share the kids.These include shared components and manufacturing, including the Chrysler Crossfire (based on the previous Mercedes-Benz SLK) and Jeep Grand Cherokee, which uses Mercedes' V6 diesel engine and transmission.Daimler-Benz and Chrysler courted in the late 1990s, sealing their association in 1998 with a new name, DaimlerChrysler.The marriage was mutually beneficial. Daimler gained economies of scale and a new customer for engines, transmissions and an outlet for its old platforms. The previous Mercedes E-Class shares the same platform as the Chrysler 300C.Chrysler gained unprecedented, cost-effective access to the drivetrains used to power its distinctively styled cars.Of the divorce, shareholders of Daimler- Chrysler spitefully said “I knew it wouldn't work”.Marriages may be difficult, but alliances are what keep many car companies afloat.All these inter-relationships are spurred by one goal — profit. So competitive is the car industry that every dollar counts.Making cars cheaper improves profits, even if that means relocating factories to countries with low labour costs, non-existent unions and tax-free government incentives.Few would know that 10 models on the Australian market are made in Thailand. South Africa makes five, there's one from the Czech Republic, three from Slovakia, one from Poland, four from Malaysia and one from Indonesia.Build quality in most cases is as good as you'd expect from a country-of-origin factory.The biggest difference is manufacturing costs. Building a Volkswagen Golf in Germany, for example, costs substantially more than building the same car in South Africa. Sharing components such as engines, transmissions, platforms and bodies with a rival company — or at least one perceived as being a rival — is big business.The platform of the Mazda3 is similar to the Volvo S40 and Ford Focus. Ford has a big chunk of Mazda's shares and owns Volvo outright.The Toyota Aygo, a one-litre hatch soon to be sold in Australia, is built in the Czech Republic with the Citroen C1 and Peugeot 107. The only differences are interior trim, grilles, head and tail lights. Everything else, except the badge, is identical.General Motors has a giant web of ownership, component sharing and minor shareholdings. It owns Saab and Hummer, and rebadges cars including the Daewoo Matiz as Chevrolets.GM owned 20 per cent of Fiat until it dissolved the relationship in 2005. But retains component sharing deals and owns 50 per cent of Fiat's JTD diesel engine technology.GM also has 3 per cent of Suzuki (it had 20 per cent until selling down in March 2006) and 7.9 per cent of Isuzu.This relationship crosses with Fiat. Suzuki buys Fiat diesel engines for its European cars but also buys diesels from the PSA group (owner of Peugeot and Citroen) and Renault. Fiat this year will also supply diesel engine's to Saab.The Suzuki Splash, to be launched in Europe later this year is based on the Swift/SX4 platform, but will be rebadged the Opel/Vauxhall Agila for European sales.Fiat sells the Suzuki SX4 as the Sedici in Europe.Suzuki also owns 11 per cent of GM-DAT, the Korean-based company that makes the Holden Epica, Captiva, Viva and Barina.GM sold its 20 per cent of Subaru parent, Fuji Heavy Industries, in 2005. Fuji bought back most of the shares, though Toyota bought in and now owns 8.7 per cent of the company.Toyota also owns Daihatsu and has a big stake in Yamaha. Yamaha has an engineering alliance with Toyota — twin-cam engine and multi-valve heads included — and recently created the V8 engine for Ford-owned Volvo.GM also gets its Saab plant in Sweden to make the Cadillac BLS mid-size car, alongside its Saab 9-3 and 9-5.The Hyundai Sonata's 2.4-litre engine is shared with the Jeep Compass, Dodge Caliber, Chrysler Sebring and Mitsubishi Outlander.Renault has an alliance with Nissan and owns Samsung (Korea) and has a joint venture with Mahindra (India).Porsche's Cayenne SUV is built in Volkswagen's factory in Slovakia alongside the Volkswagen Touareg and Audi Q7. Porsche's Cayman is built in Finland. That's just the tip of iceberg.Peyton Place has nothing on these guys. 

Image problems may have dogged the Daewoo, but that's no big drama.  Daewoo is perhaps better known for its ads featuring Kane the wonder dog than for its actual cars.  There were even some wags who suggested the use of a dog was appropriate given the rehashed Opel the Korean company was sending here in 1994.The first Daewoos were cheap enough, but based on an Opel from the early 1980s. They were a very dated design, and the build quality was generally below market expectations.The Lanos was one of the new generation of models to come from Daewoo. It was a fresh face for the company, and started the move away from the Opel-based model.By the mid-1990s Hyundai was setting the small-car pace here with its innovative "drive away, no more to pay" pricing policy.  It changed the landscape in our most competitive market segment, making it tough for everyone trying to succeed in the segment.  Rather than compete with Hyundai's offer, Daewoo went a step further with free servicing for the entire warranty period.While Daewoo dealers appreciated the extra showroom traffic, they didn't necessarily welcome the extra traffic it created through their service departments.  Daewoo customers, it seems, took the offer of free care literally and headed to their dealer to have such minor things as failed light globes and punctured tyres repaired or replaced.The Lanos was launched in this era of free care, so sales were brisk.  It was an attractive small car with smooth lines, and was available in a choice of four-door sedan, or three or five-door hatch.Power was provided by one of two single overhead-camshaft four-cylinder engines, depending on the model.  A five-speed manual transmission was standard, and a four-speed auto was available.Power steering was standard on all models, except initially on the SE three-door hatch.  Air-conditioning became standard across all models in 1998, which also saw the addition of the LE sedan and five-door hatch limited-edition models based on the SE, but with power front windows, CD player, rear spoiler (hatch) and central locking (sedan).The Sport arrived in 1999. This was a three-door hatch based on the SX with the more powerful 1.6-litre engine, plus a sporty body kit, tacho, upgraded sound, and power antenna.Though dealers weren't exactly enamoured with the free care deal, it meant cars such as the Lanos were better serviced than they might have been had owners had to pay for work.The free care cover has expired for most cars now, and the earliest examples have clocked up about 100,000km. Anyone taking one on is gambling on their continued reliability when they will have to pay for servicing and any repairs that might be needed.Mechanically the Lanos stands up quite well. The engine is robust and doesn't appear to give much trouble in service.  The transmissions also appear quite reliable and give little trouble, but the Lanos can be let down by the little things.The electrics appear to have been put together on the cheap, and the chances of problems increase with time and mileage.  Interior trim parts are another weakness. The cheap plastic bits break fairly regularly.Barbara Barker probably would have bought a Hyundai Excel had it been available when she was shopping for a small hatch in 2001, but she didn't like the look of the Accent that had replaced the Excel.She liked the look and feel of the Lanos, and the free care offer, and bought that instead. It's now done 95,000km and the warranty has run out, so she's in the market for a larger hatch.She says the Lanos has provided good performance, is economical, and has been reliable. The exhaust has been replaced, as have the brakes, and the idle stepper motor had to be replaced at the 90,000km service.Apart from dodgy electrics and average build quality they're generally pretty robust. Trade is reluctant to handle them, but low resale value makes them a cheap buy at the right price.Attractive stylingWell-equipped with lots of standard featuresZippy performanceReliable mechanicsJury still out on longevityDodgyelectricsAverage build quality

The baby-car world was dominated by a single star through the 1990s.The Hyundai Excel was the benchmark for every rival – on price, style and sales – until the death of the Korean king led to a fundamental shift in the noughties.Now the lightweight division is split down the middle and there are two separate contests: one powered by price, the other by class. In the price group are people buying their first new car, usually on a tight budget with less emphasis on features, and the class group wants a compact car for city work or as a second vehicle in the family garage.The bargain-basement contenders are battling in the sub-$15,000 range, just as they did when the Excel was the pacemaker, while the starting price for seriously good babies is close to $17,000 and can run to well beyond $20,000.Toyota changed the game last year when it decided to lob its baby Echo with a sub-$15,000 bottom line including power steering and airconditioning.Although the price has crept up to $14,790, it is still the sales leader. In the first quarter of this year Echo grabbed more than 20 per cent of light-car sales, reflecting the strength of the Toyota brand...despite the design being five years old.Hyundai is still playing the price game with the boxy little Getz. It's second to the Echo in the price fight and leading the Korean contenders against a line-up which includes a broad range of imports, including the Holden-badged but Opel-designed Barina.At the top end of the business, the Japanese really are on top. The classy Mazda2 and Honda Jazz set the standard for shoppers with plenty of cash to splash, even if Ford has arrived – far too late after the loss of its top-selling Korean-made Festiva – with a European Fiesta which is the light star of 2004.The $14,490 starting price for the Fiesta is going to create plenty of action in Ford showrooms, because the blue-oval baby is a good drive and well designed. But buyers will still have to add $2000 for airconditioning – a crippling extra in such a price-sensitive arena.But that's typical of the light-car class.There is always something new, always a price leader and a class champion, and they're all elbowing for space in a bargain basement that introduces many people to their first new car.This is how the Cars Guide team rates them:1. MAZDA2Lowdown: Five-door hatch with 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine producing 82kW and priced from $17,490.Verdict: Another direct hit by MazdaPlus: Quality and comfortMinus: Pricey for the sizeRating: 18/20The baby Mazda is one of the stars of the Japanese company's product-driven comeback.Mazda battled through the 1990s with outdated and cost-down cars that were a poor reflection of the brand's traditional strengths, but when it got serious – with Ford funding – it cranked out the classy Mazda6, RX-8 and Mazda3.The smallest of the crop is the Mazda2, but it has the condensed strengths from the same design team and gene pool.That means it looks good, drives well and is built to class-leader quality.2. HONDA JAZZLowdown: Five-door hatch with 1.3-litre (61kW) or 1.5-litre (81kW) four-cylinder engine, priced from $15,990Verdict: Stylish and practical but harsh ridePlus: Good looks, versatile cabinMinus: Bouncy rideRating: 17/20The Jazz outsold the Mazda2 by 1280 in the first four months of 2004, and that comes down to price and funky looks.It's really a 21st-century Civic, as compact as the original and just as trendy for young buyers.Honda was smart to start with a 1.3-litre motor below $16,000, but doesn't scrimp on the cabin. It's comfortable for four and the seats fold to carry almost any load.People who want the best go straight to the punchy VTi-S with all the fruit for $22,490.3. FORD FIESTALowdown: Three-door and five-door hatch powered by a 74kW 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, from $14,490Verdict: Perky and enjoyablePlus: Goes well, roomy insideMinus: Cheap-ish plastics, finishRating: 16/20Ford went backwards with the Ka, which didn't have the space or automatic to compete, but it now has the right sales ingredients.The Fiesta is a star in Europe and way better than the long-dead Festiva, a Korean version of the previous Mazda 121.It drives well, has plenty of space and is good value, thanks partly to the strength of the Australian dollar.The Fiesta just edges the Toyota Echo and the Hyundai Getz out of the final medal spot in the light-car class.HYUNDAI GETZ 16/20Price: From $13,490Engines: 1.3-litre (60kW) and 1.5-litre (74kW)Body styles: Three-door hatch and five-door hatchNot an Excel, but still packed with Hyundai strengths.TOYOTA ECHO 16/20Price: From $14,740Engines: 1.3-litre (63kW) and 1.5-litre (80kW)Body styles: Three-door hatch and five-door sedan.Shows age inside, but Toyota has done well to keep the price sharp.HOLDEN BARINA 16/20Price: From $15,990Engines: 1.4-litre (66kW) and 1.8-litre (92kW)Body styles: Three-door and five-doorLooks good and drives well, with bonus deal adding appeal. CITROEN C3 14/20Price: From $19,990Engines: 1.4-litre (57kW) and 1.6-litre (83kW)Body styles: Five-door hatchOne of the funkiest babies on sale in Australia. The engine is dozy and there are some quality niggles.RENAULT CLIO 14/20Price: From $19,990Engines: 1.4-litre (72kW), 1.6-litre (79kW) and 2.0-litre (124kW)Body styles: sedan and hatchNot as trendy as the bigger Megane with the J.Lo rump, but still a solid effort from the French brand.VOLKSWAGEN POLO 14/20Price: From $19,990Engines: 1.4-litre (55kW)Body styles: hatchToo costly by far. The Polo is a nice car but smaller than many rivals, and Volkswagen doesn't do enough in Australia to compensate.PEUGEOT 206 13/20Price: From $19,990Engines: 1.4-litre, 1.6-litre (80kW) and 1.8-litre (100kW and 130kW)Body styles: hatchLIKE the C3, the Peugeot is too much and too little. The price is too high and the cabin too cramped.SMART FORTWO 13/20Price: From $21,900Engines: 0.7-litre (45kW)Body styles: Two-door coupeThe smallest and trendiest of the light cars is a phonebox-on-wheels that will only be bought by the trendiest shoppers.DAEWOO KALOS 12/20Price: From $14,990Engines: 1.5-litre (62kW)Body styles: Three-door hatch, five-door sedanA good Korean effort – compact and good-looking but trails in refinement and design.MITSUBISHI MIRAGE 12/20Price: From $15,990Engines: 1.5-litre (69kW)Body styles: Three-door hatchMitsubishi has kept the price competitive, the body is still stylish, and there is potential to add some Evo-style body bits.DAIHATSU SIRION 10/20Price: From $13,250Engines: 1.0-litre (40kW)Body styles: Five-door hatchbackThe Sirion is the best of the Daihatsu contenders, with a roomy cabin and passable power, but it is let down by the driving experience.DAIHATSU YRV 10/20Price: From $15,990Engines: 1.5-litre (40kW)Body styles: Five-door hatchThe funk leader in the D-brand line-up shows what's missing from the mix, with clunky controls and sub-standard driving dynamics.KIA RIO 9/20Price: From $14,990Engines: 1.5-litre (71kW)Body styles: Four-door sedan or five-door wagonThe wagon option gives it a unique selling point, but the sedan was one of the worst cars we drove last year.PROTON SATRIA 9/20Price: From $14,990Engines: 1.5-litre (64kW) and 1.8-litre (99kW)Body styles: Three-door hatch, five-door hatchAnother oldie that struggles to do anything but fill showroom space.SUZUKI IGNIS 9/20Price: From $14,990Engines: 1.3-litre (61kW) and 1.5-litre (83kW)Body styles: HatchThe baby box doesn't have enough of anything. Suzuki hasn't had enough cash to continue.DAIHATSU CHARADE 8/20Price: From $11,950Engines: 1.0-litre (40kW)Body styles: Five-door hatchThe great name is all that remains from one of the earliest bargain-basement stars. Today's Charade is cheap and unimpressive.