GM Daewoo has recently launched two new models on Jeju Island: the Lacetti Diesel and the Lacetti Sport Wagon. These two new vehicles will provide GM Daewoo with a more complete diesel lineup starting with SUVs to compact and mid-size sedans, as well as a variety of body styles. The Lacetti Diesel Sedan Hatchback and Sport Wagon complement the much-admired Winstorm diesel SUV and Tosca Diesel premium sedan that made its debut in 2006.
GM Daewoo currently offers two variants of its top-of-the-line direct fuel injection common rail diesel engine in Korea. Both have displacements of 2.0 liters and are tuned according to the characteristics of their respective models. All GM Daewoo eco-friendly diesel vehicles are equipped with maintenance-free DFP, short for diesel particulate filter, and EGR or exhaust gas recirculation. These vehicles were built to the EURO IV standard, which reduces emissions by almost 50 percent compared to common Euro III compliant engines without sacrificing performance.
The Lacetti is also equipped with top-of-the-line GM parts, starting with the big, complex parts, like its exhaust system, which is similar in quality to the Chevrolet exhaust system and comparable in performance to the Dodge exhaust.
The 2.0-litre TCDi or turbocharged Common-Rail direct injection engine produces 89 kW or 121 hp at 3,800 rpm and a maximum torque of 28.6 kg m (280 Nm) at 2,000 rpm. The four-valve engine features a state-of-the-art common-rail system from Bosch, which injects diesel fuel directly into the engine’s combustion chambers at a pressure of up to 1,600 bar.
To provide supreme performance, ninety percent of maximum torque is generated over a wide rpm zone between 1,800 and 3,400 rpm for maximum performance. This gives the three-diesel Lacettis superior pulling and climbing power that is comparable to petrol models.
The Lacetti Diesel can reach a top speed of 188 km/h in sedan and hatchback variants with automatic transmission. Excellent fuel efficiency is a hallmark of the Lacetti Diesel, courtesy of the model’s advanced five-speed automatic transmission, which is a first among Korean-made cars in its segment.
The Lacetti sedan and hatchback with manual transmission get a fuel efficiency of 18.4 km per liter, beating the already wonderful 1.6-liter Lacetti petrol model by almost 30 percent. On the other hand, the versions with automatic transmission achieve a fuel efficiency of 14.9 km per liter and in combination with its 60-liter fuel tank; the Lacetti Diesel can travel up to 1,100 km or 900 km in versions with automatic transmission.
The Lacetti Diesel Sport Wagon is the only Sport Wagon from the Korean automaker to offer a unique combination of sedan-like comfort plus driving performance thanks to its low center of gravity. It also has much roomier luggage space, plus flexibility that can match that of compact SUVs and far outperform them in terms of fuel economy. But the best thing about the Lacetti is its price, since it’s much lower compared to typical 2.0-liter compact minivans and SUVs.
Generous headroom for the driver and front passenger measures 1,000mm, while rear legroom measures 932mm. The interior of the Sport Wagon is second to none. The seat backs can be folded in a 60:40 ratio and an aluminum-look luggage rack is offered as standard. There were also 25 trays and racks on offer as additional storage making the Lacetti an ideal vehicle for leisure activities.
