Various quality issues: various trim rattles, sharp edges on steering wheel rim and back, warped passenger airbag cover, some rusty bolts around fuel filler.
I have run the car as a hire car for 1300 miles across a variety of rural, town, city and motorway standard roads, and find it has many good attributes, but is too compromised to ever consider buying one.
I currently run a 2007 Perodua Myvi with the previous car being a 2006 Suzuki Swift. We (my wife) runs a 2007 Fiat Panda Diesel and we have experience of most 2006/7 cars made in this price class - Getz, Picanto, Ignis, Wagon R, C1, Aygo, Swift, Panda, Sirion, Myvi etc.
Good points: This SE spec model has an excellent level of standard spec, and does come with three years free servicing - all for £6750 discounted.
Spec includes remote/keyless entry, four electric windows, air-con, four speaker CD, electric mirrors, five full seatbelts and headrests, split fold rear seats, colour keyed bumpers, handles & mirrors as standard.
Nice touches are plenty-tinted sun strip across the windscreen, mobile phone pocket on side of passenger seatback, asymmetric cupholders to deal with any size cup, seatback pockets, boot light, a proper boot handle (curiously not in the centre!), well designed remote key is easy to use, intelligent electronics-delayed courtesy light and a seatbelt alarm that quits after 5 dings, nice front sidelight style.
Driving the car would be fine with a different power unit; it handles tidily, rides reasonably, has pliant and quiet suspension and good traction. It is stable and brakes well, inspiring confidence.
Bad: It has simply the worst engine possible, being terribly underpowered with poorly matched gear ratios, thirsty (I averaged 35mpg) and is just plain frustrating to keep up with everyday traffic. The poor economy results from spending 50% of the time absolutely flat out trying to keep it moving with the traffic - hills scare this car too. It cannot be driven gently just over tickover, is raucous over 2500 rpm, and anything over 3000rpm is just pointless.
If this was due to a stringent ECU emissions setting, you could forgive it, but amazingly for a 1.2 it emits a very high 153g/km, taking it into a high UK tax band of £140 per annum. Ignore the magazines and their 0-60 figures - the 1.0 Daihatsu Sirion, the Toyota Aygo and the Citroen C1 would leave this for dead in any situation - and all emit less than 120g/km, and therefore lie in the £35 per annum tax bracket.
The wheel trims expose the steel wheels and make them look cheap.
The interior fabrics smell of oil and are horrible - scratchy, synthetic and very sweaty.
There are various unsightly blanking plates for missing kit, and quality control issues as above.
The seats are flat and uncomfortable, with headrests that are sited too far forward, pushing your head forward and keeping catching the back of your hair.
The old fashioned rear headrests are not child friendly and block rear vision.
It has a daft space-saver spare wheel.
The stereo is a dated face-off unit with fiddly buttons.
Not enough storage cubbies.
No clutch rest.
The steering wheel is slightly too far away, and does not adjust for reach.
A general feeling of cheapness pervades the whole car - because it is cheap.
To sum up, it is a flawed cheap car with lots of equipment for the money and a good servicing package. It has a variety of talents, but the awful power unit, cheap finish and general discomfort will very quickly irritate you and outweigh the other benefits.
Honestly, I will be glad to give it back soon.
**Update**
The front headrests work on a ratchet and can be adjusted so they are not quite so annoying; just pull them all the way forward and let go. They are still annoying, but better than before.
I filled the car with 5 people and undertook a 135 mile drive on A roads, B roads, town and motorway and really struggled with the power; nearly burnt the clutch out trying to pull away uphill. The car can be praised for good body control and braking under load, but the power is awful and the car weaves at 70mph and over on the motorway.
Most owners will never use all five seats, so this is exceptional use, but not recommended; the seat belts in the rear are very difficult indeed to use with three rear passengers. You have to sit the middle passenger in first, alone, and connect the 3 point belt into a choice of two clips each side (one works on inner belt, one on outer belt, each side won't work other way round) then get the outside passengers to get in and find the other belt clips, which are located on the inside of the inner belt clips and push too easily back through between the seat back and base into the boot! What a nightmare this is! Five attempts later...
If you want to buy a cheap car to carry five passengers regularly (unlikely in this type of car) then avoid the Kalos and look at a Suzuki Wagon R+ or a Perodua Myvi- both larger and easier for rear passengers.
I own a Chevy Kalos and love it. For the money its well built and comfy.
My first one covered 28000 miles and never rattled and was very reliable.
My father has just bought a 1.2s three door pre-registered with delivery miles for £5595 on the road!! It also has three years free servicing included. No air con though.
I agree with all the previous comments on spaciousness and comfort of the car. Ride quality and body control are good too. The boot is small, but this has been sacrificed to give more room to rear passengers. It must have best in class legroom for those in the back.
However you would not want to load this car up. When I first drove the Kalos with my father, I thought I had left the handbrake on!! That is how gutless it feels, no torque at all. So you have to rev the guts out of it to make decent progress and that of course affects the fuel consumption.
It is a much better car than you would expect for the money, especially if further discounted from the list price. But avoid the 1.2 engine, especially if it has air con which will further sap the engine power.
Note: A Comments RSS Feed 
is available. New comments appear in the Members Area before the main site