Chevrolet Lacetti 1.4 A Family Hatch For Supermini Money : COST EFFECTIVE?

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A family hatchback for supermini money. Chevrolets Lacetti isnt the first car to make a similar claim but its one that value-conscious customers would do well to consider.

The supermini is the most popular type of car amongst UK buyers and with good reason. Its compact and manoeuvrable but with a decent amount of space inside, its fun and its affordable. If youve amassed a budget of around £10,000 to spend on a new car, the leading superminis are its most likely destination and the chances are that you and your Fiesta, Clio, Corsa or 207 will be very happy together. Dont sign on the dotted line just yet though.

There are alternatives to joining the massed ranks of supermini drivers when youve got ten grand burning a hole in your pocket and weve been testing one of them. Chevrolets Lacetti 1.4-litre SE is a family-sized hatchback for supermini money.

£9,995 is the going rate for ownership of the 1.4-litre petrol-engined Lacetti weve been running the rule over for the last few months and thats not very much when you look at the car in context of the wider market. As weve already indicated, £10,000 is the sort of outlay required for a reasonably plush supermini but the Lacetti is a family hatchback so its larger and its a Chevrolet so you still get a respectable quota of equipment. There are drawbacks in terms of the quality of the interior and the rather drab styling but the Lacetti is basically inoffensive and there are some areas where it excels.

Interior space is one. No matter how you measure it, the Lacetti is a big car for under £10,000. Most superminis will take rear seat passengers but only grudgingly so. Kids will fit in fine but adults will usually find the accommodation cramped, particularly on longer journeys.

The Lacetti, on the other hand offers up a spacious rear bench with room enough for three adult passengers on short trips or for two to be transported in some comfort over longer distances. The boot is a big un as well, with capacity that you simply wouldnt get in a supermini. Those extra inches pay dividends when youve got bulky items to shift and with the rear bench folded down theres yet more fresh air to be exploited.

"its a good indication of how far modern cars have come"

If you like a car brimming with character and groundbreaking design, the Lacetti isnt it. This is a car that keeps things simple but this means that from behind the wheel, its instantly apparent where everything is and what everything does. This kind of accessibility will be just what some buyers are looking for. Some thought has obviously gone into the dashboard design.

The oval air-vents are ringed with chrome and raised out of the top section of the fascia. Theres a letterbox-like aperture at the top which houses the digital clock and the bold speedo design makes it easy to read. The quality of the materials used gives the game away, the leather-effect plastic fooling nobody and the ventilation controls, although solid in operation, are fashioned from the kind of shiny black plastic thats been largely banished from todays soft touch family hatchback interiors. Storage is never in short supply though, with no fewer that 25 different places to put your odds and ends dotted around the cabin.

Special mention goes to the water bottle holder next to the handbrake (thats ideal for those 1.0-litre bottles often sold at filling stations) and the box under the armrest that takes a good handful of CDs. The styling wont win any awards for originality but our 5-door hatchback is a well-proportioned car. The chrome grille along with its pronounced ridge that runs down the flanks and around the tailgate even gives a little individuality.

The driving position in the Lacetti is very polished indeed. Theres only rake adjustment for the steering column in the 1.4-litre model weve been testing but that hasnt hampered a number of differently proportioned drivers in getting comfortable. The gearlever is well located as well and its action around the gate is positive, if slightly long throw.

The suspension is well judged, giving reasonable composure at the kind of cornering speeds that most owners will attempt and good ride quality. The weighty steering helps make the Lacetti a relaxing motorway car without sacrificing convenience when parking or turning at lower speeds but the wheel could be attached to an oil tankers rudder for all the feedback you get. Youre never going to get savage performance from a 1.4-litre engine in a car this size but the Lacettis powerplant pulls well enough.

Its been found out on a few occasions, one in particular when a full load of passengers and luggage meant that 1st gear and full throttle had to be engaged to crest a particularly steep hill, but otherwise complaints have been rare. Refinement is particularly good with the measures taken to soundproof the cabin really paying dividends on longer trips. Weve averaged around 35mpg on the test and thats more than respectable. The Lacetti represents lowest common denominator motoring but its a good indication of how far modern cars have come.

Not so long ago, buyers at this lower end of the market ran the gauntlet of disintegrating trim, threadbare equipment lists and lethargic design. Budget cars used to look and feel decidedly budget but the Lacetti doesnt. Its a very capable vehicle and at under £10,000, has plenty to offer prospective supermini buyers who would prefer to get the maximum metal for their money.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Chevrolet Lacetti 1.4SE 5-door
PRICE: £9,995 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 5
CO2 EMISSIONS: 171g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 11.6s / Max Speed 109mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 39.2mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, anti-lock brakes WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE ?: Length/Width/Heightmm 1925/1452/1180mm