The draw of a value brand largely rests on one thing: the price, which can sometimes seem thrillingly low, especially when it’s attached to an unexpectedly long equipment list.
And so it is with the Epica, a family saloon a fraction smaller than a Mondeo whose pricing starts at £13,595 and includes six airbags, air conditioning, cruise control, a CD player with MP3 socket, remote audio controls, alloy wheels, power mirrors – and plenty of space. The cheapest Mondeo, with less kit and a 1.6 engine rather than the Epica’s 2.0, costs £15,200.
Not long ago that price advantage would have been paid for with out-moded technology and suspect quality, but you can’t say that of either the Epica or its Skoda Octavia rival. You might be surprised to learn that the Chevrolet has multi-link rear suspension, a generous percentage of high-strength steels in its body that also helps to reduce weight, a common-rail diesel engine, six airbags and the option of a six-speed automatic gearbox.
Truly unusual is that the entry-level engine – only two are offered, in fact – is a 2.0-litre petrol straight six mounted transversely across the nose, a layout shared only with Volvo’s top-of-the-range S80 executive saloon and big V70 estate. So the base Epica promises some civility from its powertrain, even if it’s coupled to only a five-speed manual ’box.
But it’s the four-cylinder turbodiesel we test here, the shrewder buy for high-mileage users chasing economy, along with the £1100 six-speed auto and the more luxurious LT trim level.