IT was not too long ago that a relaunched Chevrolet brand became the rising stars of the massive global General Motors group.

Hard on the heels of the Cruze saloon and hatch pairing, an estate car - the SW - made its UK appearance in autumn 2012.

And there was a lot of great things about the estate version that was to help Chevvy make a lot of new friends.

First of all the estate looked great and came with all its curves in all the right places. Chunky looking from the front with its split grille set-off with the familiar golden bowtie badge in the centre, it gave an immediate impression it was well up for the job of coping with the most demanding of transport needs for the more active of families.

Viewed from the side, the car's gently-rising concave shoulder line was offset by the rear-sloping roof which was fitted with a pair of rails to transport bulkier goods which even the near 1,500-litre load capacity of the Cruze SW couldn't cope with.

But not only did the Cruze look good from the outside, it was much the same story inside. There was a nice soft-touch feel about the cabin, with other neat touches like a multi-function leather-trimmed steering wheel, blue back-lit instrument dials and easily-accessed centre console switches.

Three models were available from launch in three specification levels. Kicking off the range was a 122bhp, 1.6-litre petrol offering in both standard LS or mid-range LT trim.

A larger, 137bhp 1.8-litre petrol variant was also available in LT trim and was the first Cruze SW to feature an automatic gearbox.

However, the most popular model proved to be the 1.7-litre VCDI turbocharged diesel with its punchy 128bhp matched by an impressive 300Nm of torque available from 2,000 revs.

Featuring extremely green credentials, thanks in part to its stop/start technology, it was good for to 62.7mpg on the combined cycle, while low CO2 emissions of 119g/km and BIK figure of 17 per cent, made it an attractive proposition for private and business users alike.

Available in LT spec, it also came in range-topping LTZ Nav trim which, for used car buyers, is worth looking out for as it added goodies such as electronic climate control, 17-inch alloys, satellite navigation system, Bluetooth and rear-view reversing camera.

Out on the road the Cruze SW followed very much in the footsteps of its saloon and hatchback siblings. Safe yet practical, it has stood up to the test extremely well.

The powerful engine mated to its silky-smooth gearbox is a perfectly-matched combination for both rural and urban work alike and has proved a dependable family-sized companion that ticks an awful lot of boxes.

A 2012 12-plate 1.7-litre VCDI in LT trim will cost between £6,830 and £8,500, while an LTZ version will have a premium of between £800 and £1,300.

Similar spec 2013 models sporting a 13-plate were also fitted with a revised 110bhp engine which increased fuel economy to 72.4mph. Expect to pay from £7,910 to £9,720 for one of these, while one in LTZ Nav trim will cost anything from between £9,175 and £11,270.