Chevrolet Tacuma Range

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