Chevrolet Lacetti - Top Gear's Star : STAR and A REASONABLY PRICED CAR

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It's hard to imagine a tougher test for any affordable family saloon than the `Star In A Reasonably Priced Car' slot on BBC2's Top Gear programme. But Chevrolet's Lacetti has performed faultlessly. Jonathan Crouch reports

If you're a fan of BBC2's Top Gear show, then you can't have missed the `Star in a Reasonably Priced Car' spot, or indeed the car powering it, Chevrolet's Lacetti.

For those unfamiliar, this is the part in the Show when celebrities get the chance to take to the Top Gear test track at the wheel of an affordable everyday car. The producers of the show choose the car concerned carefully and for the current series, Chevrolet's Lacetti was chosen as the model in the spotlight. The version in question is the 1.8-litre CDX saloon and at £12,395, it certainly fits the `reasonably priced' tag. Of course, the 1.8-litre engine isn't there to make this any kind of sportscar - but then that's not the object of the exercise. Mind you, the Lacetti has proved to be faster than many celebrities expected, making sixty from rest in 9.5 seconds on the way to 121mph. It's also proved to be impressively hard wearing, despite the aggressive treatment that this spot in the Top Gear show demands. True, there was actor Trevor Eve's complaint about clutch slip - but that turned out to be because he rode the clutch. Â After it cooled down the same clutch has performed faultlessly since.Â "The only thing that gets a hammering is the tyres," says GM UK's Product Communications Manager Denis Chick, "but even they can do several shows before they're changed. The brake pads are still originals too. So far so good." And of course, this is the object of the exercise. If the Lacetti can stand up to the kind of treatment being metered out by Top Gear, then more typical day to day usage should be a doddle.

"The Lacetti has proved to be impressively hard wearing, despite the aggressive treatment that this spot in the Top Gear show demandsâ€¦.."

So far, there's been little to choose between the stars who've taken to the track in the Chevrolet. Chef Gordon Ramsey currently leads the field with a lap of 1.46.38, but Trevor Eve isn't far behind on 1.47.09. Footballer Les Ferdinand follows him on 1.47.41, with James Hewitt a fraction behind on 1.47.69. In the 1.48s lie Ewan McGregor and Justin Hawkins, while Michael Gambon, Alan Davies and Steve Coogan all recorded laps in the 1.50s. After that come those celebrities for whom track driving is, shall we say, more of a challenge. Actor Philip Glenister recorded a 1.54.35 (but it was very wet). Musician Rik Wakeman, actor Brian Cox and comedian Jimmy Carr had no such excuse however, on their way to laps of 1.55.26, 2.01.0 and 2.08.91 respectively. If you fancy following in their footsteps, your local Chevrolet dealer has a Lacetti ready and waiting for a test drive. At 4500mm long and 1725mm wide, the saloon version is a fair bit larger than you might expect a £12,400 saloon to be, although still someway shy of being truly Mondeo-sized. Chevrolet has been clever in the packaging department though, the long 2600mm wheelbase improving all-round interior space and giving the Lacetti decent rear legroom. Shoulder width for three across the back is a bit tight due to the car's inherent narrowness, the flipside of which is that the Lacetti is easy to thread through gaps that would have a Mondeo driver slamming on the brakes. A package of changes for 2006 aims to further strengthen the car's value proposition, as do special deals that currently could see you in the 5-door 1.6-litre version of this car from just £8,495. A Station Wagon estate version is also available. Recent tweaks to all Lacetti bodystyles include additions like alloy wheels, preparation for trailer connections, rear seat heating ducts, a rear seat coathook and a space saver spare tyre. As well as this, the CDX trim level entitles buyers to traction control, automatic climate control, rain-sensing wipers, 16-inch alloy wheels and all manner of other refinements that you'd never expect to find on a sub-£12,500 family car. The steering wheel's adjustable for reach, there are neat front fog lamps integrated into the grille and then there's the leather trimmed steering wheel, chilled glovebox, twin front and side windows and so on. We could go on, but you probably get the picture. The Lacetti Saloon 1.8 CDX isn't shy of kit. Chevrolet currently sells in over ninety countries worldwide, one reason why the marque builds one car every seven seconds. In fact, one car in every sixteen sold worldwide is a Chevrolet and over 175 million of them have been sold to date. In recent times, targeted products that are right for key markets have replaced their old `one size fits all' philosophy. Hence the Lacetti Saloon's European look and feel. Pininfarina, famous for styling Ferraris, not so famous for penning Chevrolet's original Matiz citycar, were given the task of creating a shape that would appeal to style-conscious European buyers. You have to say they've done a pretty good job. As has the Lacetti on Top Gear. Even if you're not a star, here's a reasonably priced car that deserves your attention.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Chevrolet Lacetti range
PRICES: £9,787-£12,577 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 5-9
CO2 EMISSIONS: 171-183g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.8] 0-60mph - 9.5s / Max Speed - 121mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.8] (average) 38mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, anti-lock brakes WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE ?: Length/Width/Heightmm 1925/1452/1180mm