2003 Daewoo Leganza - A Nice Car But Is Daewoo on Death Row?
It was February 14, 2002 at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. Daewoo, the feisty Korean upstart was making waves with the introduction of its all-new 2003 Leganza sedan. Luxury at an affordable price was the promise. According to a company spokesman the Italian designed body was "distinguished and muscular". A 2.2-L inline-6-cylinder would be the top engine choice, expected to rival both Honda and Toyota in performance and refinement.
Fast or not it sure looked the part. A rakish design incorporating Daewoo's attractive three-piece grille, flanked on either side by angular headlamp clusters capping off a set of curvaceous front fenders, hovering over sporty 16-spoke alloy wheels wrapped in low-profile tires. It was a real head-turner.
On the inside optional leather upholstery would be improved over the current cars available hides, while optional pre-heated seats would help set it apart from others in its class. Soft-touch plastics and improved fit and finish throughout the cabin would improve its appeal too. A 6-speaker AM/FM/CD/ETR audio system developed by Sony filled the central stack. Just below, affixed to the floor mounted console, a standard 5-speed manual transmission could be upgraded to a 4-speed automatic. Seating space was generous, with ample room for five adults and enough rearward storage for all their bags in its largest-in-class trunk.
Safety equipment would include driver and front passenger dual-stage airbags, electronic pretensioning front seatbelts, oval-type side-impact door beams and improved bumper protection.