The Epica’s 2.0-litre, common-rail turbodiesel generates a competitive 148bhp and 236lb ft of torque, which Chevrolet reckons will propel the Epica to 62mph in 10.6sec. Our test car slightly bettered this with a 10.2sec time to 60mph.
The automatic transmission – a conventional torque converter unit with six ratios – blunts performance, as you’d expect; the five-speed manual version can reach 62mph in a claimed 9.7sec. But for reasons of gearing the auto has the slightly higher top speed of 127mph to the manual’s 124mph.
This advantage is unlikely to compensate for the substantial difference in CO2 emissions, the manual’s 169g/km jumping to an unfortunate 210g/km for the automatic, while the combined fuel economy figure drops from the manual’s 46.3mpg to 37.2mpg.
On the road, though, this is a modestly agreeable transmission provided you don’t demand too much of it. Gearchanges are smoothed over effectively whether you’re climbing or falling through the ratios, and there are enough of them to harness the engine’s torque for brisk performance.
No one is ever going to mistake it for a petrol-engined car, though. The diesel always issues a light clatter, but this is not so insistent that it annoys. Plenty of modern common-rail diesels are more subtle, however.
The Epica’s ride is slightly curious. It doesn’t absorb individual bumps especially well, but show it a testing country back road and add speed and you’ll discover suspension that’s impressively pliant, coupled to a body structure that feels reassuringly rigid.
Once you get used to the big steering inputs required to counter the front end’s tendency to run wide in corners, you may be surprised to find yourself enjoying a swift back-roads spurt in this car, progress aided by the diesel’s torque, decent stability and reliable grip. But on less demanding roads, or when you’re travelling at moderate pace, its handling merely seems adequate.