ZAZ Chance

ZAZ Chance at a glance

The Chance is a compact, five-seat sedan in the B segment, built on the Daewoo Lanos platform at the ZAZ (AvtoZAZ) plant in Zaporizhzhia. Mechanically it is the same car as the ZAZ Lanos and the earlier ZAZ Sens; the badge depended on market and year, not engineering.

It is easy to confuse with three other cars: the Korean-built Daewoo Lanos (T100) it descends from, the Chevrolet Lanos (the same Ukrainian-assembled car with a GM badge) and the newer Chevrolet Aveo (T250), a different design that ZAZ also assembled. For the wider story of the factory, see our history of ZAZ from the Zaporozhets to the Lanos.

Every specification sheet we found lists the Chance as a four-door sedan. Some catalogues also mention a hatchback, but we could not confirm one for the ZAZ versions; if you need that body style, browse our hatchbacks section instead.

One car, several names

The ZAZ Lanos family was sold under at least four names between 2002 and 2017.

A Lanos Pick-up also existed and was the basis of the Lanos Electro shown in 2010. Assembly of the Chance in Kazakhstan by AgromashHolding is reported by one source only.

From Daewoo to Zaporizhzhia

The Chance exists because Daewoo chose ZAZ as a partner: the AvtoZAZ-Daewoo joint venture was established on 15 April 1998, and the plant began assembling Lanos models from kits.

The original Lanos was a Korean design. It is usually described as styled by ItalDesign and developed in around 30 months, replacing the Cielo, which was derived from the Opel Kadett E, the car Opel had replaced with the Opel Astra. Korean production reportedly ended in 2002.

Daewoo went bankrupt in 2001, and in 2002 the Ukrainian group UkrAVTO took control of AvtoZAZ. The same year, ZAZ began fitting some Lanos kits with its own MeMZ-307 engine and selling the result as the Daewoo Sens. Daewoo's 50% stake in the joint venture went to Hirsch & Cie in 2003.

The decisive step came in December 2004, when ZAZ adopted the Lanos body for full-scale production, with new welding and painting lines rather than simple kit assembly. From 2005 the cars were built under ZAZ's own brand, and GM signed a contract the same year for Ukrainian-built Lanos models with Chevrolet badges. The facelifted T150 followed in 2009, named ZAZ Lanos in March and Chance in July.

The Lanos family was Ukraine's best-selling car from at least 2006 to 2014, except 2012, and is usually credited with about 364,000 sales. ZAZ later added the Forza (a rebadged Chery A13) and the Chevrolet Aveo T250 in 2011. Passenger-car assembly at ZAZ stopped on 29 November 2017, and the Lanos panel van continued until 2020.

Engines, gearboxes and performance

The Chance had three transverse four-cylinder petrol engines driving the front wheels; there was no diesel, all-wheel-drive or hybrid version. The figures come from a single UK specification database, so treat them as typical rather than official.

The 1.3 is the Ukrainian MeMZ unit that created the Sens in 2002. The 1.5 belongs to the GM Daewoo E-TEC family; Wikipedia quotes it at 63 kW (86 PS). All three are listed as Euro 4, the 1.5 for 92 RON petrol and the others for 95 RON. The 1.4 automatic appears from 2011.

Performance is modest: 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) takes a quoted 17.0 seconds in the 1.3, 12.5 seconds in the 1.5 and 14.0 seconds in the 1.4 automatic, with top speeds of 163, 172 and 171 km/h (101, 107 and 106 mph).

The chassis follows the Lanos layout: MacPherson struts at the front and a semi-independent twist beam at the rear, with ventilated front discs and rear drums. Wheels are 13-inch with 175/70 R13 tyres or 14-inch with 185/60 R14.

Dimensions, interior space and boot

The Chance sedan is 4,237 mm (166.8 in) long, 1,678 mm (66.1 in) wide and 1,432 mm (56.4 in) high, on a 2,520 mm (99.2 in) wheelbase. Wikipedia gives 4,235 mm with the same other dimensions.

Key specifications: ZAZ Chance 1.5 manual sedan

Kerb weight ranges from 1,151 kg (2,538 lb) for the 1.3 to 1,194 kg (2,632 lb) for the 1.4 automatic. The boot is listed at 320 L (322 L for the earlier Sens sedan), and 170 mm (6.7 in) of ground clearance is generous for a small sedan.

Inside, the Chance is a five-seater of the B segment. No independent data on cabin space or adjustment range was found, so sit in a car before buying.

Fuel economy and running costs

The Chance uses between 6.4 and 7.2 L/100 km combined, depending on the engine, according to a UK specification database that does not state the test cycle. Combined figures are 7.2 L/100 km (39.2 mpg UK) for the 1.3, 6.7 L/100 km (42.2 mpg UK) for the 1.5 and 6.4 L/100 km (44.1 mpg UK) for the 1.4 automatic. Urban figures are 8.9, 10.4 and 7.9 L/100 km respectively.

A four-speed automatic coming out as the most economical is unusual for this era, so use the numbers to compare versions rather than to predict real-world consumption. With a 48 L (12.7 US gal) tank, the quoted range for the 1.3 is roughly 540 to 870 km. Many mechanical parts are shared with the Daewoo and Chevrolet Lanos, which helps running costs where the Lanos was common.

Trims, equipment and safety

Equipment varied by trim and year, and we found no reliable trim list. Check a particular car for power steering, an airbag and air conditioning rather than assuming they are fitted.

On safety, we found no Euro NCAP, ANCAP or IIHS result for the ZAZ Chance. The 1998 crash tests of the Korean Daewoo Lanos concern a different car and are not a rating for the Chance. Expect far fewer safety systems than in a current small car, and factor that into any purchase.

Rivals and which Chance to buy

The most obvious rival is the Renault Logan, sold in Europe as the Dacia Logan. The Logan is the newer design, while the Chance offered a familiar, simple layout carried over from the late 1990s. Inside ZAZ's own range, the Chevrolet Aveo T250 was the more modern alternative from 2011. You can compare the plant's other models in the full list of ZAZ models and in our overview of Ukrainian cars.

If you are choosing a Chance today, the 1.5 manual is the most balanced version: it is the quickest, has the most torque of the manual cars and runs on 92 RON fuel. The 1.4 automatic suits drivers who spend most of their time in traffic. The slow 1.3 makes sense only if the car is clearly the better example.

Condition matters more than the version: look for a service history, check the body and underside for corrosion and confirm which name and engine are in the registration papers, as Sens, Lanos and Chance cars get mixed up in listings.