There are two engines available in the estate version of the Lacetti – either a 1.6-litre or a 1.8-litre petrol engine which produce 108bhp and 121bhp respectively. Neither is particularly good and only offer merely adequate performance – the 1.8-litre is the more popular choice but with the slack automatic gearbox is actually slower than the smaller engine.

With the manual gearbox the 1.8-litre Sport model can cover 0-62mph in 10.1 seconds, but the gear shift is neither positive nor enjoyable to use.

The Lacetti Station Wagon drives predictably and safely, with the suspension geared more towards comfort than handling agility. It’s not a particularly good car on fast, twisty roads and driving on these routes quickly becomes an unpleasant experience. The body leans into corners and the front tyres run out of grip on tight bends. Although body control is poor, the benefit is a smooth ride over rough roads with decent insulation from potholes.