There is only one way to tell that this is the 2009 Chevrolet Epica – from the back.
Rarely has a cosmetic facelift been limited to the rear of a car but that seems to be what Chevrolet has done.
The lamp clusters have been rearranged slightly and there’s a new reflective bar connecting them.
The brake lights on the bumpers have also been reshaped.
Up front, this particular car features an Audi-esque oversized chrome frame grille, but this is actually optional.
Without it, the updated Epica’s face is virtually unchanged.
Cabin changes are, at least, visible from every seat.
The strips of wood-like accents surrounding it have made way for a matt silver finish, which supposedly looks trendier.
The gear selection gate also looks different. It’s a zigzag gate design and carries an additional plane for sequential shifting.
In fact, the gearbox is the real highlight to the makeover.
Playing the conduit between the engine and the tyres is a new 6-speed transmission with manual select (up from the previous 5-speed job).
It’s a significant mechanical change.
While 6-speed auto is common for upmarket junior executive cars, it’s unique among the Epica’s competitors.
Epica now has a 6-speed auto instead of a 5-speeder, and Chevy hopes this will give it the edge over rivals.
It’s easy to be tempted into believing that the feature-packed gearbox and the hip, new shiny trimmings in the cabin have transformed the Epica into something of a hotshot sports car.
Well, they don’t.
The new gearbox trims the 0 to 100km/h timing by 0.3 seconds but top speed is actually reduced by 4km/h.
Fuel consumption is also down by just 3 percent on the combined cycle (from 10.5km/L to 10.8km/L).
I suspect this is a little more than just academic knowledge.
Dynamically, it’s the same car that was launched back in 2007 and it’s a willfully undemanding and cushy thing.
The inline-6 2-litre still does things in the same cultured way.
The suspension obviously prefers to smoothen out bumps than endure being hustled along sinuous roads.
The ride is extremely composed.
While the brand has made decent headway in the compact car segment, Chevy is well aware that the Epica is still an outside bet.
Which leads to perhaps the car’s best attribute: the value proposition.
At barely over $70,000 with all its features, it looks really tempting.
2009 Chevrolet Epica 2.0 (A)
ENGINE 1993cc, 24-valves, inline-6
MAX POWER 143bhp at 6400rpm
MAX TORQUE 195Nm at 4600rpm
GEARBOX 6-speed automatic with manual select
0-100KM/H 11.5 seconds
TOP SPEED 195km/h
CONSUMPTION 10.8km/L
PRICE INCL. COE $70,488
