SOMETIMES it's nice to be proved right.
Last year I predicted that Kia would be the maufacturer to come up very fast on the outside in the sales stakes. And true enough this going-places Korean marque has boosted sales by an astonishing 71 per cent in the UK.
But this year, without doubt the one to watch is Daewoo now that it is under the giant GM umbrella.
Daewoo has had a chequered career in the UK, firstly going it alone with a direct sales approach and an astonishingly good customer care package. But economics on its home front soon relegated Daewoo to a dead-in-the-water brand with a model range that needed a serious update.
But GM, looking for a partner in the east, soon cranked up the brand again and it is back with a range of cars that I think will even steal sales from GM's UK brand Vauxhall.
Take the flagship Nubira model for instance. I have been driving the top of the range 1.8 automatic which sells at £12,870, representing remarkable value for a car of this type.
But the most amazing thing about the test car was its improvement over the original model which really was in the cheap and cheerful class.
The concorde with GM seems to have sparked off a major quality hike from Daewoo. The fact is that now you get a car with exceptional, European-class quality with an industry leading customer care package. This peace of mind policy covers free service, warranty and AA recovery.
I remember the launch of the original Nubira which was, in truth, a lacklustre car that was very forgettable.
But the latest version has that ceratin something that says a lot. Market confidence still needs boosting in this brand to underpin sound residual values, but the Nubira is the model to do it.
With a high spec even at 1.6 entry level it is firecely competitive in the lower priced saloon class. It can't yet hold a candle to the futuristic Vauxhall Vectra, but watch out world - this is just the start of the story.
Designed by Italian specialists Pininfarina, the Nubira retains the familiar Daewoo frontal styling but there is a general tightening up of quality all round. Panel fit is much better, as is the attention to detail. The Nubira still has not got the depth of paint finish you see on a Volkswagen but it is still early days. Also the ride, although firm, is not as hard and uncompromising as the last model.
The Nubira operates in a crowded sector with much opposition coming from its home country, especially from the first Korean manufacturer to make it big in Britain, Hyundai.
Just two engines are on offer, 1.6 and 1.8, but there is an excellent all-rounder feel to this car. It scores points not only for specification, but for silence, roominess and economy. The 1.8 even in automatic form was returning 31 mpg.
FAST FACTS
Daewoo Nubira 1.8 automatic
Price: £12,870
Mechanical: 121bhp, 1,799cc 4 cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 4-spd automatic gearbox
Max speed: 114 mph
0-62 mph: 10.7 secs
Combined mpg: 31
Insurance group: 10
CO2 emissions: 218 g/km
BiK rating: 27%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles; 6yrs anti-rust