With the saloon model receiving the full five stars in Euro NCAP crash testing, Chevrolet Cruze Station Wagon safety levels should be just as good. The car comes with six airbags as standard while two child seats can be used with the ISOFIX anchoring system. There’s also the usual technical kit to keep the estate car planted on the road including stability control and anti-lock brakes.

Practicality is the main appeal of the Chevrolet Cruze Station Wagon. Along with the large boot there are plenty of little touches that means the estate excels on the practicality front. With the rear seats in place there is around 500 litres of space available in the sizeable boot. This is 24 litres bigger than the Ford Focus estate’s boot and only just beaten by the Volkswagen Golf estate at 505 litres.

Drop the seats, in the 60:40 split, and this increases to a further 1,478 litres. There are plenty of practical solutions dotted around the cabin. Beneath the boot floor are a number of sectioned-off trays to keep items separate. It also has a parcel shelf that is actually usable and not just for aesthetic reasons. This also features separate trays so that items can be placed in it and don’t slide about while driving.

The boot lip is relatively low and wide so there shouldn’t be any problems with getting large, heavy items in or out. The door pockets can easily hold a 500ml bottle and plenty of other small belongings while the passenger gets a thin pocket by their left leg which is ideal for holding a map.