Used Chevrolet Tacuma MPV 2005 - 2009 review

If it's just a five-seater you're after, the Tacuma offers decent room for all on board. While the boot's not huge, the three rear seats can be removed in all except the entry-level version, leaving more than enough room for your Louis Vuitton trunks. There's lots of storage around the cabin, too, and drawers under the front seats.

Overall, in fact, the cabin's a model of good design. The dash is neat and well laid out, with the controls in easy reach. Only the stereo's small buttons disappoint, while the thick rear pillars leave tiny side windows in the boot and limit visibility. This can make reversing around corners more nerve-wracking than it needs to be. Mind you, if a sporty drive and sophisticated handling are high on your list of priorities, this is probably not the car for you; the stiff suspension prevents body roll in corners, but the resulting firm ride can make town journeys less comfortable. Refinement is acceptable with either engine, but you'll hear some wind noise when on the move.

A Tacuma shouldn't be too costly to run. Average fuel economy of 35.3mpg for the 1.6 and 32.8mpg for the 2.0 isn't stunning - but falls only slightly short of a comparable Renault Scenic or Citroen Picasso, two key rivals. The Tacuma is much cheaper to buy, although there's no diesel option.

Servicing costs might sting, and of its nearest rivals, only the Kia Carens is more expensive. The 1.6-litre Tacuma sits in group 8 for insurance, the 2.0 in group 10, which is standard for the class. Only the Renault, with its five-star crash test rating, outsmarts all its rivals with much lower insurance ratings. Reliability data from Warranty Direct suggests that, as a manufacturer, Daewoo (as this Chevrolet was originally branded before 2005) is slightly more reliable than average, and repair costs reasonable. If you're buying a car under three years old, you can enjoy the remainder of the three years' free servicing offer, and a solid warranty.

The best Tacuma has the larger 2.0-litre petrol engine. With 119bhp, it's no racer, but it has plenty of pull from low revs. It's also available with a rather lumpy optional automatic gearbox.

The range also includes a 103bhp 1.6-litre petrol. It's eager to rev and flexible enough, but with five people on board and their luggage, it's a different story.
The 1.6 comes in SX trim, which includes electric windows, air-conditioning, metallic paint and remote central locking, as well as wheel-mounted audio controls. CDX, the only trim available with our favourite 2.0-litre engine, adds climate control and alloys, as well as seat-back tables.