Ticks all round so far. How about the performance? Well I first drove the 2.0 litre diesel LT with the six speed automatic gearbox. While I relished in the creature comforts on board, I was not too impressed with this gearbox. 'She doth protest too much' were the words echoing in my head especially on the uptake taking 10.6 seconds to reach 62 mph. Top speed is 127 mph and fuel consumption not too bad at 37.2 mpg on a combined cycle. CO2 emissions are 210 g/km.

So I opted for the entry-level 2.0 litre petrol with the LS trim being a cost conscious mother. Still basking in the amount of specification this model comes with, the comfort of the seats, I was pleasantly reassured with this five-speed manual gearbox and superb six-cylinder engine. 'This is more like it, ' I thought as it raced away trying to reach 62 mph in just 9.9 seconds and claims a top speed of 129 mph. Yet this gearbox was far more responsive and delivered a really good ride. Fuel consumption was marginally less coming in at 34.5 mph on a combined cycle with CO2 emissions down to 205g/km compared with the automatic. Unfortunately I did not drive the 2.0 litre diesel on the manual gearbox. This has the better fuel consumption figures of 46.4 mpg on a combined and the lowest CO2 emissions of 169g/km so I suggest you do look at this option.

Thanks to the Epica, I can see a revival of the traditional family four-door saloon. For here is a car that offers unbeatable value for money without compromising on performance, safety, equipment and handling. The Legend is back.

FemaleFirst - Jacckie Violet