General information about the Chevrolet Lacetti

Until recently, we knew this model under the Daewoo Lacetti brand, but delivery that was not put on stream became a stumbling block in increasing its sales. Initially, this model was positioned as a replacement for the aging Daewoo Nexia. Officially, this model came out after the cooperation between the Koreans and General Motors and was called the Chevrolet Lacetti. This model is available in three body types: sedan, hatchback and station wagon. The most popular is the hatchback, which has a prettier and sportier look. The protruding front bumper and side skirts give the car an even more stylish look. In general, the style of the back of the Chevrolet Lacetti is reminiscent of Alfa Romeo. This is not surprising - well-known masters of "Pininfarina" worked on the design of the Chevrolet Lacetti.   

The outwardly declared sporty style is confirmed in the cabin. A metal-look steering wheel and center console, side-supported seats and round, shiny instrument clusters add to the driver's sense of speed. The driver's seat pleases with five adjustments, and the steering wheel is adjusted in height and angle. Even the most basic SE package offers air conditioning and a Blowpunkt stereo system with CD changer. In richer trim levels, four airbags and a leather-trimmed steering wheel are added.  

The only visible disadvantage of the cabin was the lack of seat heating, which is now available on almost all modern models. But there is no heating, and there is not even the possibility to put it optionally. The luggage compartment was not struck by its volume. The capacity of 275 liters is somewhat less than that of many classmates. But the size of the cabin will give odds to everyone else. Almost anyone can freely sit in the back seat without fear of being squeezed.  

In general, sitting behind the wheel is pleasant and comfortable. All levers and buttons are located at arm's length, their purpose is easy to predict. It is necessary to move in reverse on a hatchback with extreme caution - visibility is severely limited by the headrests, and compared to a sedan, the trunk lid is not visible. 

Starting the movement, you can note the softness of the clutch. Reducing the slip coefficient is provided by the clutch in a fairly wide range. Slow reversing is very convenient due to the presence of a pronounced “hump” in the elastic characteristic of the “basket” petals, which compresses the discs even when the pedal is almost released. When driving on snow, it is impossible not to note the work of the traction control system, which allows you to move off almost like in an automatic transmission. Another advantage, of course, is the presence of rear disc brakes, and they are even on the basic configuration with a 1.4-liter engine. Not a single classmate model can boast of such an option. This difference between rear drum and disc brakes is most visible when trying to brake at high speed in hot summers.  

When driving, the engine shows all its strength, working with pleasure at high speeds and easily maintaining low ones. Moving uphill or in a traffic jam is not difficult. At the same time, a special approach is required to the gearbox. The moves are big, and the clarity leaves much to be desired, so it will take some getting used to.  

The hydraulic booster provides the almost standard three turns of the steering wheel from lock to lock. Its general characteristics can be considered quite acceptable - on dry pavement, a sufficient reactive force is felt. The suspension, although not fully adapted to Russian potholes, provides a fairly decent level of comfort. And finally, let's talk about the price. If we take the basic configuration of the Chevrolet Lacetti 1.4 SE, 94 hp, then it will cost about $13,800. For this money in the "golf" class you can pick up only Ford Focus. True, the difference in options will be huge. The Lacetti beats the Focus on air conditioning, power front windows, remote central locking, rear disc brakes and a passenger seat airbag. Adding $200 you can buy a complete set of SX, which is richer in electric and heated mirrors, two power windows at the rear, radio control on the steering wheel and even more stylish interior trim. Adding $900 to the base price, we already have a 1.6-liter engine to which you can add $100 and get a CDX package. Chevrolet Lacetti also has no equal in this price range. If we compare it with European cars with the same equipment, then instead of $ 16,650 we will get an amount 5-10 thousand more expensive. 

If we sum up the close examination of the Chevrolet Lacetti, we can conclude that the recognized leaders in sales (such as Focus, Lancer and Corolla) have a very serious competitor. Apparently, this car will find its buyer among those who were wary of Korean cars.

• Source: http://www.autopeople.ru/forum/chevrolet/chevrolet_lacetti/2080.html