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Chevrolet Lacetti (2005 - 2009)

COULD YOU LOVE A LACETTI? (some text hidden) --NONE--

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

Introductionword count: 93

The Lacetti was the first new car produced by Daewoo under the stewardship of General Motors but it arrived too late to save the ailing Korean marque. Don't let that put you off, though. GM rebadged the Lacetti as a Chevrolet and, in so doing, gave it a second chance at success. With neat, well-resolved styling and a simple value proposition, the Lacetti has quietly done very well. Picking up a low mileage used example is a great way to land a modern hatch for a lot less than you may have expected.

Modelsword count: 16

Models Covered: 5dr hatch, 4dr saloon, 5dr estate: [1.4 SE, 1.6 SX, 1.8 CDX, 1.8 Sport]

Historyword count: 184

A lot was riding on the Lacetti when Daewoo started the planning process. The company had just emerged from a troublesome period and the benefits of General Motors' investment, know-how and marketing muscle were starting to bear fruit. Lacking a credible contender for some time, it was vitally important for Daewoo to establish a meaningful presence in the family hatch sector and the Lacetti was earmarked as the model to do it. By the time the car hit the showrooms in March 2004, however, Daewoo's problems were deemed unrecoverable and by October of the same year, it had been announced that the Daewoo products would be rebadged Chevrolet from the start of 2005. So it was that the Lacetti entered into a new existence less than a year after it was originally launched. As well as the hatch versions, GM decided that the Nubira saloon would also wear a 'Lacetti' badge, creating a wider Chevrolet Lacetti range. A Sportwagon estate version was also introduced and the line-up was further supplemented by the arrival of a 1.8-litre petrol engine that powered the good-looking Lacetti Sport.

What You Getword count: 283

Styled by Italdesign, the Lacetti certainly doesn't smack of something bargain basement. Daewoo forged quite a relationship with this design house, having been extremely happy with the styling work performed on the Matiz citycar and the Kalos supermini - cars which also took on Chevrolet badging. The Lacetti's shape is well resolved; a purposeful wedge with strong shoulders and a very pert rump. The wheel at each corner look not only gives a dynamic stance but also maximises internal space. Break out the tape measure and you'll find that the Lacetti's wheelbase is a full 2600mm long, longer than cars like the Alfa 156 and the Audi A3. Given that most models in the Mondeo class campaign with a wheelbase of around 2,670mm, you'll appreciate that the Lacetti offers a surprising amount of room for a 'compact' car. With 932mm of rear legroom and 275 litres of boot volume, you'll not feel claustrophobic in the back of a Lacetti. Fold the rear bench down, keep a keen eye open for animal welfare types and you'll be able to swing a generously sized cat in the 1,045 litres of fresh air at your disposal. The rear light clusters are an interesting design feature, bisected as they are by the shutline of the hatchback, and the stub tail and roofline of the car look very much like a Vauxhall Astra -which may be something less than a coincidence. The almond-shaped clear glass headlamps and well-defined wheel arches are signature post millennial design features and the Lacetti looks the part even in traditionally frumpy five-door guise. A three-door model was never offered which is something of a shame, as this would have been quite a looker.

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Scoring (subset of scores)

Category: Compact Family Cars

Performance
60%
Handling
50%
Comfort
70%
Space
70%
Styling, Build, Value, Equipment, Depreciation, Handling, Insurance and Total scores are available with our full data feed.

This is an excerpt from our full review.
To access the full content library please contact us on 0330 0020 227 or click here

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