Second Hand Sense: Chevrolet LacettiIt used to be called the Daewoo Lacetti until General Motors decided the products from its Korean arm could do with a little brand lustre.
The result is a car called the Chevrolet Lacetti, but in truth the impact has not been all that much greater. This is because the saloon version of the car has lacked any presence (despite the involvement in its re-design of an Italian car styling studio) and has the lack of appeal that besets many saloon cars.
The hatchback on the other hand has some appeal, but is still the poor relation in a class that includes the Volkswagen Golf and the Ford Focus.
The Lacetti should not be dismissed, however, because while its looks leave a lot to be desired its price is quite desirable and it is a very keen buy on the second-hand market. That is as long as you want a straightforward, no-frills car to get you around and don't care what other people think about your style.
Buyers might also perhaps benefit from being reminded again of the general thrust of Korean marketing. With the exception of Kia, which has moved on to another level entirely, other Korean manufacturers still produce cars that are generally good on specification - better than their competitors in many cases - but come with budget prices.
This is often reflected in things like crash test results and a generally cheap interior finish. In the case of the Lacetti it might look broadly comparable to other cars in the Golf class, but its pricing belongs more to the super-mini class.
But there are horses for courses and the Lacettt is one of them. The more popular model is the 1.4-litre petrol (don't be misled by the 1.8-litre Lacetti featured on Top Gear, in which the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Keith Wood try to burn rubber on a race track) and it is a decent average car. Its best attribute is its price.
The 1.4-litre will amble about happily but it will not take a serious challenge on twisty roads.
Its engine can sound thrashy at higher revs. Its gearbox can also be too notchy. It is not a car that has had expensive engineering lavished on it and you can just about live with the interior. It does have good boot space although its people space is rather more limited.
For a car in its price bracket the Lacetti is reasonably well equipped. Expect to find electric front windows, remote locking, twin airbags, CD player and adjustable steering wheel. Some cars also have traction control and air conditioning. I would recommend the car from 2005 onward for two reasons: it is a better car all round and an almost new one with low mileage can be had for a very good price.
The Lacetti does not have a recall record to speak of, but neither does it have a Euro NCAP crash test profile. Not all cars are tested but a lot of them are, so check their ratings.
A 2005 saloon model with the 1.4-litre engine and the equipment described above and with just 37,000 kilometres on the clock is on offer at one garage for €10,500.
A 2006 hatchback model with 22,000 kilometres on the clock is on offer for €10,950.
FOR: Price, boot space, economy AGAINST: styling, passenger space and no Euro NCAP crash test profile