I had the opportunity to drive two Nubiras, a 2000 base SX sedan with a five-speed transmission and a more luxurious CDX wagon. Before we go further, let me tell you that at a little more than $ 16,000, the sedan had a full equipment including CD player and A/C! The fully loaded wagon was a little over $ 20,000 and it even included and automatic transmission! Though the interior is very conventional, it is still very well laid. As far as quality is concerned, I did not hear any rattles or squeaks, which speaks for itself. Showing the vehicle to an interested person, I pointed out the quality of construction of the car. Five people can easily sit in both versions but the passenger in the middle at the rear will feel a little uncomfortable. Visibility is good all around. I liked the array of the controls except the cup holder, which is too close to the stick shift. The station wagon has a lot of space to offer for such a small car. I really liked the protective net between the cargo area and the passenger compartment. It can come in handy in case of emergency braking (or even worse) to prevent objects flying toward the passengers. It can be very handy also when carrying animals.
As far as performance is concerned, the five-speed sedan took me a few hours to get used to (I had just stepped down from a 285 hp V8 powered truck!). But when I got the hang of it, I discovered that the Nubira could easily reach the 100 km/h in less than 10 seconds. The automatic station wagon could do it in less than 12 seconds, which meets the current standards. By the way, I really appreciated the braking power of the latter that was equipped with rear disks and ABS. The sedan did let some engine noise invade the cabin but the more luxurious CDX wagon was much quieter. As far as road handling is concerned, if you read the Daewoo literature, you will discover that the suspension was inspired from Lotus works. It shows in the car?s handling. I felt very comfortable and secure in most situations. I was only a little leery about the original tires (you know how I am) but only on wet pavement, as I have written earlier.
As far as performance is concerned, the five-speed sedan took me a few hours to get used to (I had just stepped down from a 285 hp V8 powered truck!). But when I got the hang of it, I discovered that the Nubira could easily reach the 100 km/h in less than 10 seconds. The automatic station wagon could do it in less than 12 seconds, which meets the current standards. By the way, I really appreciated the braking power of the latter that was equipped with rear disks and ABS. The sedan did let some engine noise invade the cabin but the more luxurious CDX wagon was much quieter. As far as road handling is concerned, if you read the Daewoo literature, you will discover that the suspension was inspired from Lotus works. It shows in the car?s handling. I felt very comfortable and secure in most situations. I was only a little leery about the original tires (you know how I am) but only on wet pavement, as I have written earlier.