The Chevrolet Lacetti had such an unorthodox upbringing it could have been a problem child. Born to Daewoo, designed by an Italian styling house and later adopted by Chevrolet, after General Motors bought Daewoo in 2002, it could easily have been abandoned.

Then it was selected by BBC’s Top Gear as the “reasonably priced car” in which guests complete a lap of the Dunsfold circuit. As a result, it’s still in the showrooms, though it is the price rather than the badge that tempts most buyers. That holds true in the used market, too, where you can buy a three-year-old 1.6 SX five-door for £3,500.

The Lacetti was originally available as a saloon (which was discontinued in 2006), hatch­back and estate. The hatch is smaller than the Vauxhall Astra or Ford Focus, but thanks to a generous wheelbase, it’s roomier inside than cheaper rivals such as the Ford Fiesta or VW Polo. There are three petrol engines to choose from: 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8-litre units producing 94, 109 and 120bhp respectively. Wisely, the estate car makes do without the smallest of these, but unwisely there is no diesel option.

On the road, the 1.6-litre strikes the best blend of performance and economy. As for the 1.8-litre, it may wear a Sport badge but the performance is about as sporting as a three-legged race. Its steering and suspension feel as though they’ve been tuned for comfort rather than pace. Get too carried away with your right foot and any of the engines sounds harsh, though wind and road noise are no worse than class average.

The cabin environment is efficient and workman-like. All models feature height adjustment on the driver’s seat and steering wheel, and the latter also adjusts for reach on 1.6 and 1.8 models.

Standard features include electric front windows and mirrors, remote central locking, twin airbags and antilock braking. Air-conditioning was standard on all but the 1.4, and the two larger-engined cars boast alloy wheels and side airbags.

With 275 litres of boot space and a split-fold rear seat, the Lacetti hatch offers a little bit more than a supermini but still falls short of a Golf or Astra. The estate has 400 litres of boot space with the back seats in place, and with used prices virtually identical to the hatch, it makes for an inexpensive load carrier.

Owners report few reliability problems, and the fact that you can buy a two-year-old estate with 20,000 miles on the clock for around £4,500 from a private seller makes it a genuine bargain.

Owner's view

I bought the car when it was two years old for £3,500. It’s lovely to drive and good on fuel.

Steve Pope, Bideford, Devon

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