CHEVROLET TACUMA 1.6 SX 5dr (2005)

Tacuma - Cheap as chips, reliable as well

Actually, the cost up front was nice and low (second hand anyway) and back in 2007 I thought getting mid-high 30s mpg was pretty good, but that's been pretty well overtaken these days by other cars, which is on my mind when considering how long to keep my Chevrolet Tacuma. Also the insurance is staying stubbornly high, so I'd like a car in a lower group.

Good stuff about the car is that it has a few little gadgets and stuff that you might not expect from a cheap looking car, like all the windows are electric. I know this isn't a big thing but I do like that the rear wiper has an intermittent setting. I've had three cars before this one and they all had only a constant setting for the rear wiper. Silly detail but it did impress me.

The stereo setup is good, six speakers all round. I've replaced the front pair, along with the stereo unit. That's a point - a lot of cars seem to have a stereo that's sort of integrated into the dash or centre panel, but the Chevrolet Tacuma has a regular sized stereo unit so you can replace it if you want. It's a sort of no-nonsense detail that might look cheap and tacky to some, but I appreciate it.

The plane style tray tables in the back are cute. I mean there's hardly masses of space back there -- not cramped but not a limo -- and if there was a sudden jolt I could imagine a happy meal going everywhere, but for eating at a standstill it's handy for the kids.

As for space inside elsewhere, the Tacuma is good, nice and tall, at least for us, and the boot is really really big, well compared to the profile of the car outside. Easily enough space for our camping holidays.

I don't know if there's a diesel or an LPG version of the Chevrolet Tacuma but I'd go for one if there was. It's good all round and reliable as anything (no major problems so far), it's just using a bit too much petrol for a small car these days.