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A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY

Models Covered: (1.6, 2.0 five-door mini-MPV [SX, SX Vision, CDX])

By Steve Walker

It’s all too easy for vehicle purchase decisions to be swayed by features that look good on the dealership’s forecourt with a sales executive breathing down your neck but which have limited practical value in everyday life. MPVs are prime suspects in this. Manufacturers cram them with innovations that we’re told will ease the many burdens of family life but before handing over the readies, ask yourself: Do your two children really need a choice of five rear seats? Are you ever likely to have 18 cups in the vehicle that would fill its 18 cup holders? Is that fold-out shopping trolley in the boot a worthwhile substitute for the ones that Tesco provides for free? Many families will find that they can operate quite happily without an air-conditioned glovebox. They just want a spacious, practical, affordable vehicle and Chevrolet’s Tacuma fits the bill very nicely. It’s not as cleverly-packaged or attractively styled as some of its rivals but It’ll get the family from A to B in comfort and you can pick used models up at very attractive prices.

Arriving in the UK in September 2000, the Daewoo Tacuma rapidly established itself as one of the marque’s better offerings and hit the showrooms at a particularly good time for mini-MPV sales. The Tacuma was revised in early 2004 with a more elegant front grille marking out the newer car and it’s this model that continued with Chevrolet badges after Daewoo was taken over by GM. The Chevrolet Tacuma went on sale in January 2005 with a choice of 1.6 or 2.0-litre petrol engines in SX and CDX trim. In August 2005 an SX Vision special edition model was introduced featuring a DVD system to entertain the kids on longer trips.

Standard kit includes air conditioning, chrome touches on the interior door handles and handbrake, clear side indicators, a leather steering wheel, ABS, twin front airbags, side airbags, remote auto locking, an immobiliser/alarm, electric windows and body-coloured mirrors and bumpers. If you want more, the 2.0-litre CDX models include alloy wheels and body-coloured side mouldings. So, a decent family package for the money – but then you’d expect that from Chevrolet. The problem is that you might also expect a down-market interior and compromises in the kind of versatility that the European models have made their own. If that’s the case, than a seat in the showroom might bring the odd pleasant surprise. For a start, the materials used are a cut above what you might expect, even if the overall feel of the cabin remains dominated by unwelcoming cheap plastic. There’s useful versatility too, despite the fact that ‘only’ five seats are on offer (as opposed to the potential - but cramped - six or seven in some rivals). All the usual mini MPV touches are in evidence: five individual seats (multi-adjustable with armrests in the front), storage drawers underneath the two front seats, airline-style flip-down trays for rear seat passengers, little cubby holes under the rear floor and a rear middle seat that can be folded flat to create a picnic tabletop. Nice touches include the way that the front passenger seat can swivel to face those at the rear to facilitate family conferences and the way that the centre rear seat can slide forward by 120mm to increase shoulder room for passengers in the outside pair of seats. An irritating feature however, is a rear parcel shelf which cannot be removed or re-fitted without first folding the back seats forward. One advantage of choosing a five-seat mini-MPV rather than one with six or seven chairs is that luggage space is likely to be good. This Chevrolet doesn’t disappoint in this respect, with 455 litres of loadspace, a figure that rises to 1,155 litres with all three rear seats tumbled forward. Unfortunately however, there’s a high loading lip to overcome before you can get to the space on offer.

The cheapest Chevrolet Tacumas you’re likely to find will be 1.6-litre SX models on 54 plates. Pay from around £6,000 at a dealership. The 2.0-litre CDX derivatives start from £6,300 rising to £6,500 for the automatic gearbox. Insurance is Group 8 for 1.6-litre Tacumas and Group 10 for those with the 2.0-litre powerplant.

As with all cars that get used to ferry children back and forth, check for rips, stains and other damage to upholstery and minor trim parts. Also bear in mind that many Tacumas are used in urban areas, so check for parking knocks. Other than that, expect the usual Chevrolet reliability. Despite this, check for its service history but otherwise buy with confidence.

(Estimated prices, based on a 2000 2.0 CDX) Parts prices are fairly affordable thanks to the manufacturing might of Chevrolet’s GM parent. Therefore, a clutch assembly will be around £70 and an air filter should be close to £10. Brake pads are around £23 a front set with a cam belt relieving you of nearly £30. Set aside £67 for an exhaust system centre section, whilst a replacement battery will see £50 disappearing from the current account.

Since driving enthusiasts don’t tend to buy mini-MPVs, the fact that this car hardly leads its class in terms of handling response will come as little disappointment to most potential customers. All you really need to know is that it responds – and performs – quite competently around twistier roads. It’s certainly manoeuvrable, the 4.35 metre length meaning that it takes up no more road space than a conventional estate car. But with its height of 1.58 metres giving you a more commanding view of the road. The 1.6-litre engine that most buyers choose manages a respectable, though hardly noteworthy fuel consumption average of 32mpg. As for performance, this 1.6-litre has to be revved hard for any meaningful progress, its 103bhp produced at a sky-high 6000rpm. Peak torque is attained at a more manageable 3,400rpm, making the Tacuma 1.6 a car that feels usefully strong even at medium engine speeds. The sprint to 60mph takes 11.5 seconds en route to a top speed of 104mph. Unfortunately, there’s no automatic option at this level – if you want a self-shifter you’ll need to plump for the 2.0 CDX. This larger engine manages sixty in 10.8s on the way to a maximum of 112mph but more significantly, can achieve an almost identical fuel consumption figure in mixed driving.

As long as you know that your used Chevrolet Tacuma is never going to set neighbourhood curtains twitching in envy, it will make a dependable buy. Other rivals may have more flair, cleverer tricks up their sleeves and more seductive styling, but the Tacuma’s going to leave a smaller dent in your disposable income reserves. That’ll be more than enough to swing the balance for many cash-strapped families.

ONE TO TACKLE
If You Haven’t Included Chevrolet’s Tacuma On Your Mini-MPV Shopping List, You Might Want To Think Again. Andy Enright Runs The Rule Over The 2.0-Litre CDX Model

It’s so easy to be swayed by the obvious choices. Read the motoring press at any length and if you’re in the market for a mini-MPV, you’ll end up convinced that life begins and ends with the so-called premium brands. Dig a little deeper and you’ll discover that it isn’t necessarily the case. Choosing a more affordable mini-MPV may mean you go without a few of the gadgets that work their seductive magic on the showroom floor but if you want a practical vehicle that won’t perpetually remind you how much you paid, the Chevrolet Tacuma 2.0-litre CDX makes a very credible choice.

Bear with us here. Some of you may be tempted to reject the Tacuma on the strength of its unfamiliar badge but this is to fall victim to the clever brand management tactics of manufacturers who have realised that charging more and offering less is, with a little care, a viable long term strategy. Chevrolet have never subscribed to that school of thought and have built their brand on no-nonsense value for money. Retailing at just £12,295, the top of the Range Tacuma 2.0-litre CDX costs a good deal less than the entry-level 1.4-litre Renault Scenic yet offers a very presentable level of equipment. Pay a little extra and you can even get a version with an electronbically controlled four-speed automatic transmission. The 2.0-litre engine isn’t the last word in technical sophistication but it does pack a decent punch. It’ll power the Tacuma to 60mph in a mere 10.5 seconds which means that it’ll easily outsprint something like an Alfa Romeo 147 1.6. A top speed of 112mph isn’t to be sniffed at either and although the actual figure may seem academic, it means that typical motorway cruising speeds don’t see the engine being flogged within an inch of its life. With plenty left on the rev counter at 70mph, you won’t crucify your fuel economy either – a significant problem with smaller engined fully loaded mini-MPVs. Drive the Tacuma in a measured fashion and you should see ana average of around 31mpg. The 236g/km of carbon dioxide emissions aren’t anything to be too proud of (more than an Audi A8 3.0-litre) but its doubtful too many company car drivers will turn to the Chevrolet first. This vehicle will instead sell to those with growing families who have realised that trying to cart the kids about in a Plush family saloon just isn’t using the right tool for the job.

"The top of the Range Tacuma 2.0-litre CDX costs a good deal less than the entry-level 1.4-litre Renault Scenic"

The ‘Tacuma’ name may be slightly familiar since in its original form, this car was sold in the UK as a Daewoo, mostly with a toothy chromed front grille that put some prospective buyers off. Now re-launched under the Chevrolet banner, the car looks much smarter yet still retains its value for money emphasis. On the current model, standard kit includes air-conditioning, ABS, twin airbags, remote auto locking, an immobiliser/alarm, electric windows, the provision to connect a trailer, coat hooks in the back and body-coloured mirrors and bumpers. CDX specific equipment includes alloy wheels and c olour-coded bodyside mouldings. There’s useful versatility too, despite the fact that ‘only’ five seats are on offer (as opposed to the potential - but cramped - six in rivals like Kia’s Carens and seven in the Vauxhall Zafira). All the usual mini-MPV touches are in evidence: five individual seats (multi-adjustable with armrests in the front), storage drawers underneath the two front seats, airline-style flip-down trays for rear seat passengers, little cubby holes under the rear floor and a rear middle seat that can be folded flat to create a picnic tabletop. Nice touches include the way that the CDX’s front passenger seat can swivel to face those at the rear to facilitate family conferences and the way that the centre rear seat can slide forward by 120mm to increase shoulder room for passengers in the outside pair of seats. One advantage of choosing a five-seat mini-MPV rather than one with six or seven chairs is that luggage space is likely to be good. Nor does this Chevrolet disappoint in this respect, with 347 litres of loadspace, a figure that rises to 1155 litres with all three rear seats tumbled forward. You can also take the three rear seats out completely and increase luggage capacity to a whopping 1,847 litres – almost commercial vehicle proportions. Unfortunately however, there’s a high rear loading lip to overcome before you can get to the space on offer. Since driving enthusiasts don’t tend to buy mini-MPVs, the fact that this car hardly leads its class in terms of handling response will come as little disappointment to most potential customers. Nevertheless it feels safe and surprisingly composed thanks to a fully independent suspension set up that has been optimised with the assistance of Porsche. All you really need to know is that it responds – and performs – quite competently around twistier roads. As for the cabin environment, well anyone who has mastered the controls of a payphone will feel quite at home inside. So, with an after sales care package that’s hard to beat, the Tacuma 2.0-litre CDX makes an awful lot of sense. Why blow all your money on what will end up as a family workhorse when you can opt for the Chevrolet and free funds up to spend on something else? When you spy folk at the wheel of their expensive mini-MPVs, you needn’t feel at all inferior at the wheel of a Tacuma. Just have a quiet chuckle to yourself, safe in the knowledge that you know where the smart money goes and they most certainly don’t.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Chevrolet Tacuma 2.0-litre CDX PRICES: £12,295 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 10 CO2 EMISSIONS: 236g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 10.8s / 0-60mph 112mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 23.5mpg / (extra urban) 39.2mpg / (combined) 31.4mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags / ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4350/1755/1630mm

A BRAND IN THE HAND
It appears Chevrolet is in the UK to stay but can the marque’s growth be sustained into its next stage of development? Steve Walker reports…

It’s possible to loosely split the major car manufacturers into three categories according to the way in which each one’s brand is perceived by the public at large. The groups form a hierarchy with the prestige marques perched serenely on top, the mainstream manufacturers in the middle peddling their big volume respectability and the value protagonists at the bottom scrapping it out with tight pricing and tighter margins. Most of these value manufacturers keep pretty quiet on issues of brand equity, largely because they don’t really have any, but Chevrolet is different. Amongst the budget protagonists, General Motors’ global value brand claims an important edge so far as UK public perception is concerned. Can it be made to pay off?

Our extended test drive in Chevrolet’s Tacuma compact MPV has revealed it to be a thoroughly practical family vehicle. As a product, it may not be at the forefront of its sector but you have to view that from the perspective that it savagely undercuts its rivals on price. In short, it’s a typical offering from the market’s highly competitive value sector. There is, however, substantially more to the Tacuma than low prices and lofty equipment levels. Along with the other Chevrolet products, it benefits, so the manufacturer claims, from a level of brand equity that’s in excess of direct rivals from South East Asia. For evidence of this, just remember that the Tacuma originally arrived on these shores carrying the ill-fated Daewoo badge on its grille. With the Chevrolet insignia installed, the model’s fortunes have taken a marked turn for the better. Sales are on the increase with 2006 showing growth of nearly 1% over 2005 and the Chevrolet models commanding a 5% chunk of the UK retail market. The range looks a more rounded proposition in today’s marketplace too. At the time when Chevrolet inherited the Daewoo line-up, the Matiz citycar was carrying the rest with 50% of sales. Now the split looks far healthier with the Matiz at around 35%, the Kalos accounting for 30%, 20% for the Lacetti in all its forms and the Tacuma taking 15% of sales. There are ambitious plans for the future too. Chevrolet’s growth over recent years is all the more remarkable given the fact that the range has been completely lacking in diesel engines throughout that period. The diesel market in Europe has undergone over three years of consistent growth and Chevrolet has been left on the sidelines. With diesel power for the Lacetti arriving soon, the brand has the chance start capitalising on the European oil-burning revolution.

"Research has shown that 90% of UK motorists have heard of Chevrolet and that the brand has overwhelmingly positive connotations for them"

Chevrolet are also preparing to welcome the Captiva, a compact 4x4 which shares a platform with Vauxhall’s Antara. A price range in the region of £16,000 to £24,000 will take this model into uncharted territory for Chevrolet in the UK marketplace as none of the current line-up even exceeds £13,000 in price. It’s a step that value brands have tried to make in the past with limited success but Chevrolet are confident that the product and the Chevrolet brand image can pull it off. Rory Harvey is the Managing Director of Chevrolet UK: "We launched Chevrolet in January 2005 and we’ve gained a foothold in the marketplace with the models we inherited. The next stage is to shift the brand upmarket while retaining the core value for money base. The Captiva and the diesel engine are key parts of this. Not having a diesel was a massive disadvantage that we’re about to overcome and with the brand needing to compete more widely in the marketplace, the compact SUV sector was the obvious choice to expand into." Chevrolet have an impressive heritage when it comes to SUVs with the Chevrolet Suburban Carryall of the 1930s credited as being the first ever ‘crossover’ vehicle and the forerunner of modern Sports Utility Vehicles. It’s a heritage that’s appreciated even in the UK where in its current form, the brand has never actually retailed a 4x4 product. Mr Harvey explains: "Research has shown that 90% of UK motorists have heard of Chevrolet and that the brand has overwhelmingly positive connotations for them. Even if Chevrolet simply meant ‘big’ and ‘American’ in their view, there were very few that saw it in a negative light. Our task is to take this general goodwill and adapt it to our line-up of small cars for the European market." Even in light of these new developments in the Chevrolet range, the Tacuma still has a significant role to play. It’s a vehicle of simple appeal that does the basics of practicality, comfort and cost adeptly enough. The typical Tacuma buyer profile reflects this with the vehicle finding favour across a range of customer groups from young families to grandparents - the one common denominator in each group being the need to transport children. In common with most value brand products, the Tacuma’s typical buyer is, at 45, a little older than that of mainstream compact MPVs. Older buyers are generally less caught-up in the importance of brand image, styling and what the vehicle they drive says about them. They’re more likely to select a car on the prosaic criteria where the Tacuma is strongest. Having said that, within the confines of the lower end of the compact MPV market, the Tacuma goes up against key rivals from budget marques like Kia, Hyundai and Suzuki and putting the respective products to one side, you’d have to say that the Chevrolet brand image should give it the edge here. Chevrolet certainly think it does and the advertising strap lines used by themselves and Hyundai speak volumes on this issue. Compare and contrast Hyundai’s almost apologetic, "a car first, a badge second" advertising strap line with Chevrolet’s: "All the car you need, plus it’s a Chevy." In the UK market particularly, we tend to buy our vehicles because of rather than in spite of the badge, even at the value end of the market, and the Chevrolet approach plays up to this. As is almost compulsory in this fiercely contested area of the market, the Tacuma’s tight pricing in the £11,000-£12,500 bracket is also regularly supplemented by special offers. The growing Chevrolet dealer network that will soon total in excess of 90 outlets has variously been able to offer 0% finance, free aftermarket DVD systems, the ‘3 and Easy’ finance plan and other promotions on the Tacuma giving it a further advantage over rivals. Neither incentives like these, the positive public perception of the Chevrolet brand nor the merits of the Tacuma itself and the other products in the range are enough to achieve success in isolation but together with other factors, they form a mix that has gained the marque that all important foothold in the marketplace. The next stage of Chevrolet’s UK market evolution begins here.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Chevrolet Tacuma 1.6 SX PRICE: £11,695 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 8 CO2 EMISSIONS: 208g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 12.2s / 0-60mph 104mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 35.3mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags / ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4350/1755/1630mm

EVERYTHING BUT THE GRILLE…
If You’re In The Market For a Budget Mini-MPV, You Can’t Afford To Ignore Chevrolet’s Tacuma. Jonathan Crouch Reports

The prospect of budget mini-MPV motoring might not set many people’s hearts a-flutter but if you’re the sort who can let their head rule their heart, then the Chevrolet Tacuma deserves your attention. But why should you opt for one of these over, say, the big-selling Citroen Xsara Picasso?

Or indeed at Vauxhall Zafira, a Renault Scenic or a Ford C-MAX? Quite simply because the manufacturers of all of these cars seek to relieve you of between £13,500 and £16,000 for the privilege of ownership. If you want to commit to a more manageable sum, they’ll point you in the direction of converted vans like Renault’s Kangoo or Citroen’s Berlingo Multispace. There are only a few petrol-powered properly designed mini-MPVs that offer a real alternative to this approach and we feature one here, Chevrolet’s Tacuma. The ‘Tacuma’ name may be slightly familiar since in its original form, this car was sold in the UK as a Daewoo, mostly with a toothy chromed front grille that put some prospective buyers off. Now re-launched under the Chevrolet banner, the car looks much smarter yet still retains its value for money emphasis. Two versions are available in the UK and unlike this car’s closest and comparably priced rival (Kia’s Carens), both are petrol powered. The entry-level 1.6 SX costs £11,295, while the Plusher 2.0 CDX will set you back a not unreasonable £12,295 and comes with the option of automatic transmission for an extra £1,000. Both now come with side airbags and air-conditioning as standard equipment. Other standard kit on the current model includes chrome touches on the interior door handles and handbrake, clear side indicators, a leather steering wheel, ABS, twin front airbags, remote auto locking, an immobiliser/alarm, electric windows and body-coloured mirrors and bumpers. If you want more, the 2.0-litre CDX model includes alloy wheels and body-coloured side mouldings. All for not much more than you’d pay for the slowest, most basic Renault Scenic.

"Cars of this kind can be properly affordable: the Tacuma proves it."

There’s useful versatility too, despite the fact that ‘only’ five seats are on offer (as opposed to the potential - but cramped - six in rivals like Kia’s Carens and seven in the Vauxhall Zafira). All the usual mini MPV touches are in evidence: five individual seats (multi-adjustable with armrests in the front), storage drawers underneath the two front seats, airline-style flip-down trays for rear seat passengers, little cubby holes under the rear floor and a rear middle seat that can be folded flat to create a picnic tabletop. Nice touches include the way that the CDX’s front passenger seat can swivel to face those at the rear to facilitate family conferences and the way that the centre rear seat can slide forward by 120mm to increase shoulder room for passengers in the outside pair of seats. One advantage of choosing a five-seat mini-MPV rather than one with six or seven chairs is that luggage space is likely to be good. Nor does this Chevrolet disappoint in this respect, with 347 litres of loadspace, a figure that rises to 1155 litres with all three rear seats tumbled forward. You can also take the three rear seats out completely and increase luggage capacity to a whopping 1,847 litres – almost commercial vehicle proportions. Unfortunately however, there’s a high rear loading lip to overcome before you can get to the space on offer. Since driving enthusiasts don’t tend to buy mini-MPVs, the fact that this car hardly leads its class in terms of handling response (despite Porsche’s help in its original development) will come as little disappointment to most potential customers. All you really need to know is that it responds – and performs – quite competently around twisty roads. Its certainly manoeuvrable, the 4.35 metre length meaning that it takes up no more road space than a conventional estate car. But with its height of 1.58 metres giving you a more commanding view of the road, its variable seating arRangement and attention to day-to-day details, it makes much more sense for a growing family. As for the cabin environment, well anyone who has mastered the controls of a payphone will feel quite at home inside. The 1.6-litre engine that most buyers will choose manages a respectable though hardly noteworthy fuel consumption average of 32mpg. There’s no diesel option, a drawback that won’t be put right any time soon. As for performance, this 1.6-litre has to be revved hard for any meaningful progress, its 103bhp produced at a sky-high 6000rpm. Peak torque is attained at a more manageable 3,400rpm, making the Tacuma 1.6 a car that feels usefully strong even at medium engine speeds. The sprint to 60mph takes 11.5 seconds en route to a top speed of 104mph. Unfortunately there’s no automatic option at this level – if you want a self-shifter you’ll need to plump for the 2.0 CDX. This larger engine manages sixty in 10.8s on the way to a maximum of 112mph but more significantly, can achieve an almost identical fuel consumption figure in mixed driving. Other thoughtful features? Well, we liked the sunglasses compartment in the roof console, Plus there are loads of cupholders – no bad thing in any mini-MPV. You’ll find them in the centre console, in the armrest/picnic table on the back of the centre rear seat and in the pop-up picnic tables at the back of the front seats. The shopping bag hook for takeaways is also a good idea, as is the 12-volt socket in the centre console. Passengers (particularly kids) especially like the way that those in the rear sit slightly higher than those in the front. So, an exciting badge-conscious choice? Maybe not, but the latest Tacuma frees up your money to be spent on rather more exciting exploits. Suddenly it makes sense every way up.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Chevrolet Tacuma Range PRICES: £11,295-£12,295 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 7-10 CO2 EMISSIONS: 208-236g/km PERFORMANCE: [2.0] 0-60mph 10.8s / 0-60mph 112mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0] (urban) 23.5mpg / (extra urban) 39.2mpg / (combined) 31.4mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags / ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4350/1755/1630mm

A FAMILY TREAT?
Chevrolet’s Tacuma Has Been Designed Around The Needs Of Active Family Lives. Graham and Natalie Motuel, Along With Their Five Children, Have Been Putting The Car To A Long Term Test…

The only way to properly test a mini-MPV is to pitch it straight into its intended environment. So we handed our long term Chevrolet Tacuma over to the Motuel family and their five children and waited to see if we’d get it back in one piece. The Motuels’ family transport normally gets a hard life and there was no let-up for the Chevy in its time with them.

With a large family, an MPV-style car is a practical solution to the challenges that daily life brings. At least five spacious seats, large storage areas, controls that are easy to find and operate, along with good visibility are all essential attributes that a vehicle of this type must possess. Natalie used the Tacuma during the week to ferry the kids around and to do the weekly shop and was generally impressed by the way it performed. Natalie particularly liked the fact that all the five seats had three-point belts. She also thought the car very well equipped for the money (around £12,300 for the 2.0-litre petrol variant they tried), with cubby-hole spaces that were extremely useful with her children in the car. Nice touches she liked included the way that the Tacuma’s front passenger seat could swivel to face those at the rear to facilitate family conferences. And the way that the centre rear seat could slide forward by 120mm to increase shoulder room for passengers in the outside pair of seats. According to the Motuels, Chevrolet seem to have created a vehicle that can carry both people and a degree of their luggage at the same time. Often with people carriers it’s either one or the other, unless an ugly roof box is employed to carry the luggage. In total, there’s 347 litres of loadspace, a figure that rises to 1155 litres with all three rear seats tumbled forward. The Motuels also found they could take the three rear seats out completely and increase luggage capacity to a whopping 1,847 litres – almost commercial vehicle proportions. Unfortunately however, as Graham pointed out, there’s a high rear loading lip to overcome before you can get to the space on offer.

“Chevrolet give good value for this well-equipped and comfortable family hatch”

Nevertheless, the clan seemed to find the flexibility of the Chevy very much to their liking. The three rear seats, they noted, folded flat into the floor with the minimum of fuss, which made the Tacuma a boon for husband Graham when he wanted to use it to transport an awkward load or take the bins to the local re-cycling centre. This also meant that Graham didn’t need to risk a herniated disc lugging the seats into his garage. On the road, Natalie found the car to be a delight to drive. Its high driving position gave really good all round visibility and she found parking and manoeuvring really very easy. The 2.0-litre engine made driving effortless and the car pulled away, she thought, in an ‘assured’ manner. Despite the relatively powerful engine, Natalie found that she had to make very few trips to re-fuel the Tacuma, making it very economical for the family to run. Equipment levels are very good on the CDX model the Motuels tried, with air-conditioning, ABS, twin airbags, remote auto locking, an immobiliser/alarm, electric windows, the provision to connect a trailer, coat hooks in the back, body-coloured mirrors and bumpers, alloy wheels and colour-coded bodyside mouldings. Natalie found that the controls were easy to find and very intuitive to use, a factor that is very important for a busy Mum driving an unfamiliar car. The last thing you need with a car full of excitable children when it starts to rain is to be fumbling for the windscreen wiper switch. Being a large family, the Motuels are well used to the MPV format with all its pros and cons. One feature that Natalie found particularly pleasing about the car was its high roof line at the back which made securing both the child seat and her young daughter a much more comfortable experience than with other MPV models the family had tried. On the downside, though she didn’t particularly like the styling, Natalie was hard pressed to find fault with the Tacuma. The only point she could really think of was that the kids had complained that with either the child seat or a booster seat in place, access to the seatbelt catches was very restricted and made belting-up a tricky exercise. Overall though, the Motuel family ended up pretty well pleased with their mini-MPV. Moreover, the price tag of under £13,000 would seem to give good value for this well-equipped and comfortable family hatch. On this evidence then, it would seem that Chevrolet’s under-rated people carrier might well have plenty of life left in it yet.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Chevrolet Tacuma 2.0-litre CDX PRICES: £12,295 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 10 CO2 EMISSIONS: 236g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 10.8s / 0-60mph 112mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 23.5mpg / (extra urban) 39.2mpg / (combined) 31.4mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags / ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4350/1755/1630mm

FAMILY Plus POINTS
If You’re Buying A Mini-MPV On A Budget Of Under £12,500. You Won’t Be Expecting Too Much In Terms Of Equipment. If The Car You Settle On Is A Chevrolet Tacuma 2.0 CDX Plus However, You Might Be In For A Pleasant Surprise. Andy Enright Reports

Leather trim in a mini-MPV for less than £12,500. And metallic paint and rear parking sensors? Even provision for trailer connections? Doesn’t sound very likely does it – or at least you’d think so if you’d trawled through the brochures of any number of ordinary shrunken people carriers. Enter Chevrolet’s Tacuma 2.0 CDX Plus.

Just £12,295 is what you pay for this car – the same as you’d pay for the standard ‘non-Plus’ model, creating a problem you can comfortably leave to your local dealer to sort out as to how they’re going to shift normal CDX-spec Tacumas. Your problem, if you’re in the market for a car like this, is to decide whether this Tacuma is any good. You might be surprised at some of our findings. Some of you may be tempted to reject the Tacuma on the strength of its unfamiliar badge but this is to fall victim to the clever brand management tactics of manufacturers who have realised that charging more and offering less is, with a little care, a viable long term strategy. Chevrolet have never subscribed to that school of thought and have built their brand on no-nonsense value for money. The 2.0-litre petrol engine isn’t the last word in technical sophistication but it does pack a decent punch. It’ll power the Tacuma to 60mph in a mere 10.5 seconds which means that it’ll easily outsprint something like an Alfa Romeo 147 1.6. A top speed of 112mph isn’t to be sniffed at either and although the actual figure may seem academic, it means that typical motorway cruising speeds don’t see the engine being flogged within an inch of its life. With plenty left on the rev counter at 70mph, you won’t crucify your fuel economy either – a significant problem with smaller engined fully loaded mini-MPVs. Drive the Tacuma in a measured fashion and you should see ana average of around 31mpg. The 236g/km of carbon dioxide emissions aren’t anything to be too proud of (more than an Audi A8 3.0-litre) but its doubtful too many company car drivers will turn to the Chevrolet first. This vehicle will instead sell to those with growing families who have realised that trying to cart the kids about in a Plush family saloon just isn’t using the right tool for the job.

"Leather trim, metallic paint and rear parking sensors in a mini-MPV for less than £12,500. Doesn’t sound very likely does it?"

The ‘Tacuma’ name may be slightly familiar since in its original form, this car was sold in the UK as a Daewoo, mostly with a toothy chromed front grille that put some prospective buyers off. Now re-launched under the Chevrolet banner, the car looks much smarter yet still retains its value for money emphasis. On the current model, standard kit includes air-conditioning, ABS, twin airbags, remote auto locking, an immobiliser/alarm, electric windows, the provision to connect a trailer, coat hooks in the back and body-coloured mirrors and bumpers. CDX specific equipment includes alloy wheels and colour-coded bodyside mouldings. There’s useful versatility too, despite the fact that ‘only’ five seats are on offer (as opposed to the potential - but cramped - six in rivals like Kia’s Carens and seven in the Vauxhall Zafira). All the usual mini-MPV touches are in evidence: five individual seats (multi-adjustable with armrests in the front), storage drawers underneath the two front seats, airline-style flip-down trays for rear seat passengers, little cubby holes under the rear floor and a rear middle seat that can be folded flat to create a picnic tabletop. Nice touches include the way that the CDX’s front passenger seat can swivel to face those at the rear to facilitate family conferences and the way that the centre rear seat can slide forward by 120mm to increase shoulder room for passengers in the outside pair of seats. One advantage of choosing a five-seat mini-MPV rather than one with six or seven chairs is that luggage space is likely to be good. Nor does this Chevrolet disappoint in this respect, with 347 litres of loadspace, a figure that rises to 1155 litres with all three rear seats tumbled forward. You can also take the three rear seats out completely and increase luggage capacity to a whopping 1,847 litres – almost commercial vehicle proportions. Unfortunately however, there’s a high rear loading lip to overcome before you can get to the space on offer. Since driving enthusiasts don’t tend to buy mini-MPVs, the fact that this car hardly leads its class in terms of handling response will come as little disappointment to most potential customers. Nevertheless it feels safe and surprisingly composed thanks to a fully independent suspension set up that has been optimised with the assistance of Porsche. All you really need to know is that it responds – and performs – quite competently around twistier roads. As for the cabin environment, well anyone who has mastered the controls of a payphone will feel quite at home inside. So, with an after sales care package that’s hard to beat, the Tacuma 2.0-litre CDX Plus makes an awful lot of sense. Why blow all your money on what will end up as a family workhorse when you can opt for the Chevrolet, get much more equipment and free funds up to spend on something else? When you spy folk at the wheel of their expensive mini-MPVs, you needn’t feel at all inferior at the wheel of a Tacuma. Just have a quiet chuckle to yourself, safe in the knowledge that you know where the smart money goes and they most certainly don’t.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Chevrolet Tacuma 2.0-litre CDX Plus PRICE: £12,295 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 10 CO2 EMISSIONS: 236g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 10.8s / 0-60mph 112mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 23.5mpg / (extra urban) 39.2mpg / (combined) 31.4mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags / ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4350/1755/1630mm

TACUMA PALOMA BANKER
Crippled By The Financial Burden Of Multiple Offspring? Salvation Is Yours In The Unlikely Shape Of The Chevrolet Tacuma 1.6 SX. By Andy Enright

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. "More power and equipment for less money." Sounds a familiar refrain? Manufacturers seem desperate to press gang us into their wares, and Chevrolet are no exception. Mind you, when they really succeed, as here, in pulling the proverbial rabbit out of the hat, it tends to kick the stools from under the more established car makers, so let’s be clear. For £11,695, the Chevrolet Tacuma 1.6SX is the only fully functioning petrol-powered mini-MPV you can buy for anything like sensible money. Enough said.

Only one Tacuma is offered here in 1.6-litre form but it does come astonishingly well equipped with air conditioning, ABS and front and side airbags all being included for your eleven grand. Renault will want considerably more for their cheapest Scenic variant and whilst you’ll sleep easy knowing you’ve bought the original mini-MPV and arguably the best, you could probably dream up more constructive, not to mention enjoyable, ways to blow the difference. The ‘Tacuma’ name may be slightly familiar since in its original form, this car was sold in the UK as a Daewoo, mostly with a toothy chromed front grille that put some prospective buyers off. Now re-launched under the Chevrolet banner, the car looks much smarter yet still retains its value for money emphasis. Along with the diesel-only Kia Carens, the petrol-only Tacuma has raised the standard of the Korean mini-MPV, driving down costs in this sector. Of the two, it’s the Chevrolet that’s undoubtedly the more versatile, European-feeling product. You pay a little more for that privilege of course, but even so, the Tacuma looks good value, with that £11,695 sticker price.

"The Tacuma is easier to operate than a toaster..."

Apart from the features already mentioned, standard kit in the current SX version also includes chrome touches on the interior door handles and handbrake, clear side indicators, a leather steering wheel, ABS, twin front airbags, remote auto locking, an immobiliser/alarm, electric windows and body-coloured mirrors and bumpers. If you want more, the 2.0-litre CDX model includes alloy wheels and body-coloured side mouldings. Given the low prices and generous specification of the Tacuma you might also expect a down-market interior and compromises in the kind of versatility that the European models have made their own. If that’s the case, than a seat in the showroom might bring the odd pleasant surprise. For a start, the materials used are a cut above those you might expect, even of the overall feel of the cabin remains dominated by unwelcoming dark plastic. There’s useful versatility too, despite the fact that ‘only’ five seats are on offer (as opposed to the potential - but cramped - six in the Carens and seven in the Zafira). All the usual mini MPV touches are in evidence: five individual seats (multi-adjustable with armrests in the front), storage drawers underneath the two front seats, airline-style flip-down trays for rear seat passengers, little cubby holes under the rear floor and a rear middle seat that can be folded flat to create a picnic tabletop. Nice touches include the way that the centre rear seat can slide forward by 120mm to increase shoulder room for passengers in the outside pair of seats. One advantage of choosing a five-seat mini-MPV rather than one with six or seven chairs is that luggage space is likely to be good. Nor does this Chevrolet disappoint in this respect, with 455 litres of loadspace, a figure that rises to 1155 litres with all three rear seats tumbled forward. Unfortunately however, there’s a high loading lip to overcome before you can get to the space on offer. This is a small gripe given that the Tacuma saw off Kia’s Carens, Ford’s Galaxy, the Citroën Xsara Picasso, Vauxhall’s Zafira, Chrysler’s PT Cruiser and the Fiat Multipla in an Auto Express ergonomics test, walking away with first place in the magazine’s Good Car Guide. The 1.6-litre petrol unit offers 103bhp although it’s produced at a sky-high 6000rpm. Peak torque is attained at a more manageable 4200rpm, making the Tacuma 1.6 a car that feels usefully strong even at medium engine speeds. The sprint to 60mph takes 12.2 seconds en route to a top speed of 104mph. Unfortunately there’s no automatic option – if you want a self-shifter you’ll need to plump for the 2.0 CDX. It would be tempting to portray the Tacuma 1.6 as something of a one trick pony, all sticker price with no substance to back it up, but it offers a credible alternative to the mainstream contenders at a price too low to ignore. You buy a mini-MPV out of necessity, not for the tactile pleasures, so why not limit your financial exposure? After all, the money you’d save on a Scenic could buy a cheap ‘n cheerful secondhand runaround car. Worth thinking about…

Facts At A Glance CAR: Chevrolet Tacuma 1.6 SX PRICE: £11,695 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 8 CO2 EMISSIONS: 191g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 12.2s / 0-60mph 104mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 35.3mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags / ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4350/1755/1630mm

CUT COSTS, NOT CAPABILITY
A Long Stint At The Wheel Of Chevrolet’s Budget MPV, Proved That Practical Things Can Come In Cheap Packages. Steve Walker Reports…

Most car buying decisions made by UK families are born out of practical necessity. A few lucky motorists aside, most of us have a finite budget and a demanding set of requirements that our chosen vehicle must fulfil. If your budget is £12,000 and your requirements include space for a growing family of five, your options are strictly limited. Any romantic leanings towards convertible sportscars or macho yearnings for throbbing V8 engines can be written off from the get go but even once the field has narrowed to cars that can actually do the job, there aren’t many which come in under budget. One exception is Chevrolet’s Tacuma 1.6SX and we’ve been checking one out over the course of a long term test.

Ultimately, the head has to rule the heart in virtually every car buying decision. Otherwise, the nation’s thoroughfares would be teeming with Bugatti Veyrons, Rolls Royces and Maybachs. In the area of the market where Chevrolet’s Tacuma competes, the head has dragged the heart into a dimly-lit alleyway and beaten it senseless with a socket wrench long before buyer ever approaches showroom. The Tacuma is not a vehicle to stir the soul or yank on the heart strings with any real vigour. It’s a mini MPV built expressly for the purpose of transporting five persons and a fair amount of luggage in comfort while retaining an ultra low sticker price. From the instant we took delivery of our model, we could see that the Tacuma makes a decent stab at this task. On spotting the £11,695 list price for the 1.6-litre SX model we’ve been driving, your expectations tend to plummet. We’re talking around £2,500 less than basic versions of rivals like Citroen’s Picasso and nearly £3,000 less than Renault’s Scenic. Corners, you imagine, must have been cut. In reality, though, the Tacuma doesn’t fair two badly when compared to its mainstream rivals and it has the qualities to get the drop on fellow bargain basement models from the likes of Kia and Hyundai.

"In the end, the Tacuma’s best feature is its price"

It’s quite an attractively designed vehicle for a start. The dramatic oval shape created by the side windows is a standout feature along with the pronounced swage lines cut into the flanks beneath the glass area’s lower edge. The front end is neat and inoffensive and the same can be said for the rear, with its bulging light clusters. Aluminium-effect roof rails help enhance the look further. Jump in behind the wheel and you’ll notice the absence of gimmicky ‘innovations’ or extrovert aesthetics. The cabin is a much less interesting place to be than those of many other mini-MPVs but the standard of construction seems fairly good - despite questionable plastics quality in places. You certainly won’t be overwhelmed with the complexity of it all as the controls are easily accessible and the instruments clear to read. The inclusion of a digital clock in a panel above the glovebox is a nice touch as is the cup holder draw that slides out of the centre console and there are controls for the CD stereo mounted on the steering wheel. Head and legroom in the front are good while the rear bench offers adequate accommodation for three six-foot adults, even if the middle birth is a little tight. There’s certainly enough room back there for a trio of kids to travel in comfort with fold down trays in the backs of the front seats for them to rest their iPods and Playstations on. The rear bench splits three ways and when the middle section is unoccupied it can fold forward to create a central table. The seats can be folded, then simply tumbled forward to increase luggage space or removed entirely. Actually getting them out is a trickier operation and the load-space benefit over just having all three seats tumbled forward isn’t that great. You should get most of the things you need to carry into the Tacuma without having to leave the seats at home. There’s 325 litres of space available with all the seating in position and 1,600 litres with the rear complement removed. The driving position in the Tacuma is upright and comfortable, a little like sitting at your kitchen table. The steering wheel adjusts for height as does the driver’s seat, so it’s easy for drivers of varying dimensions to find the right position. The steering is light and the gear change has a pleasantly accurate feel. Although the Tacuma is no driver’s car and has limited front end grip, it feels reasonably composed in corners and is fine for pottering about town. On longer runs, the ride quality is surprisingly good and the noise from the 103bhp 1.6-litre engine isn’t too overbearing. The engine itself is a relatively average 1.6-litre petrol. It does an adequate job of spiriting the Tacuma around, even if you have to rev it hard to extract the best performance, and it’s hard to imagine the typical Tacuma buyer longing for more power. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes 12.2s while the top speed is 104mph and the average fuel economy is measured at 34mpg. We averaged closer to 30mpg on our long term test but the majority of our journeys were done around town. It’s not a particularly impressive return at the pumps from a vehicle that campaigns predominantly on its low cost credentials and it seems clear that a good diesel engine could really help the Tacuma make a bigger name for itself in this sector. In the end, the Tacuma’s best feature is its price and it’s credit to Chevrolet that the car doesn’t represent too much of a compromise on practical grounds compared to its more expensive rivals. The design is simple and effective, with the Tacuma proving to be a capable, no-nonsense companion over the course of our long term test.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Chevrolet Tacuma 1.6 SX PRICE: £11,695 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 8 CO2 EMISSIONS: 191g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 12.2s / 0-60mph 104mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 34mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags / ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4350/1755/1630mm