I've seen a few Chevrolet cars going cheaper than you'd expect. I don't know if it's some ploy by the Americans to try and flood the UK market, but anyway it doesn't seem to be working if it is because the Epica is still pretty uncommon from what I've seen. I like it that way, not too many around, means I don't look like a sheep driving whatever Vectra everyone else is in.
So the Epica has some downsides beyond the cheap price tag. It's not quite as efficient as I'd like, and that stings a bit when filling up. It wasn't a big concern for me as I don't do too many miles, and the car is mostly for ferrying the kids to school and sports events and so on.
More important for us was space, with all sports kits we lug around - try having three kids who like three different sports! The interior fabrics might look a little bit cheap, but to be honest they've been so teared and muddied by football boots and hockey sticks and god knows what else that it doesn't matter much anymore. The boot behind is a nice big size too, although the hockey stick usually has to come in the car.
A couple of handy features are the automatic sensors on the headlights and the windscreen wipers. Especially the headlights as it means you'll never be pulled over for having them off when pulling away from the petrol forecourt.
Fuel economy is good but not quite the 46mpg it's supposed to get. I would really have liked a Chevrolet Epica with a smaller engine because I really don't need the 2 litres for anything.
I don't know why I bought a Chevrolet Epica. I always have to have a car that's a little bit different. Previously this has meant owning South Korean motors or once even a Lada. So when I wanted a Ford Mondeo-type car, I thought I'd got for the American (although actually produced in Korea, apparently) Chevrolet Epica instead. But different doesn't always mean better!
The only way I can review the Epica is to compare it to a Mondeo. Everyone has a Mondeo, no-one has an Epica, but the Mondeo is probably just better. The engine is a 2.0 and it's kind of powerful and can handle motorways pretty well. But it kind of rolls away in a boring way and doesn't excite me very much. It's also really refined and quiet, but personally I don't like this. The handling is my least favourite aspect of the car, it's unresponsive and dull.
Extremely practical, and actually cheaper than the Mondeo, the Chevrolet Epica probably won't disappoint most people. But the fuel efficiency is poorer, the handling is more dull, the performance isn't great and the seats are actually very uncomfortable. So I wish I'd been boring and bought a Mondeo instead!