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THE RETURN OF THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN-SEATER

MODELS COVERED: (5dr mini-MPV 1.6, 1.8, 2.0 & 2.2 petrol, 1.9 diesel [Expression, Club, Design, Life, SRi, Elite, VXR, Active])

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

The second generation Vauxhall Zafira had a massive task on its hands when it arrived in dealerships back in July 2005. Its predecessor had established a template for clever seven-seat mini-MPVs, a template which rivals manufacturers were scrabbling to emulate and improve upon. Bigger and better finished than before, the Mark 2 version of the Zafira moved the car upmarket and onto the shortlists of a whole new group of buyers. As a used vehicle it’s well worth a look.

The Zafira is one of the most significant family cars of the last ten years. It’s the vehicle that changed the way we bought compact MPV-style vehicles, fragmenting the market into five and seven seat models and showing that with some ingenuity, you could pack a lot of practicality into quite a modest wheelbase. It has to be said that this second generation Zafira probably isn’t quite as smart as its forebear. It’s bigger, hinting at slightly lazier design parameters, and the seating system is nowhere near as intuitive. That said, it’s still one of the very best of its ilk and if the purity of design has been diluted a little, the improved driveability and quality more than make up for it. By the time this vehicle was launched in July 2005, the MPV market was starting to split along firm lines depending on numbers of seats. The Zafira, having set the seven-seat agenda back in 1999, then blurred the boundaries again, this vehicle being a five seater for most people most of the time with the remaining pair of chairs popping up on an occasional basis. This hasn’t stopped other car makers trying to better the formula but the sales figures show considerable brand loyalty to the Zafira. The range was augmented in September 2005 with the 2.2-litre Direct petrol engine and then in November with the ripsnorting 237bhp VXR variant. The Active special editions debuted in February 2006 and the Elite was introduced as a plush range-topping derivative in mid 2007.

The one thing you can never have enough of in an MPV-style vehicle is space and sure enough, the tale of the tape reveals that the Zafira succumbed, if not to middle age spread, then at least a little loosening of the belt. This is perhaps understandable given the fact that with utility vehicles like the Meriva mopping up sales in the supermini-MPV class and no recognised full-sized MPV contender, there was a vacuum into which the Zafira would be drawn. Six inches longer, 1.5 inches wider and a shade taller than the outgoing car, the MK2 Zafira retained the seven-seat configuration, with a middle bench seat offering three berths and two seats in the back that also fold flat into the floor. What did change was the amount of legroom on offer to the occupants. Whereas the old car would have been hideously cramped with all seven seats in use, the later model offers a little more breathing space. It’s still not ideally suited to a rugby sevens team and their kit, but for the larger family, it’s close to perfect. As before, the seating system is so versatile that the Zafira can be configured in two, three, four, five, six or seven seat guises with a little practice. Most buyers will run in five-seat format, and in this mode the Vauxhall can cope with 620-litres of luggage – fully 20 more than the old car. Depending on the trim level, the Zafira can also boast up to 30 storage compartments. The ‘Flex Organiser’ luggage bay stowage system that proved a success with Astra Estate buyers was also available on this Zafira.

Zafiras have always held their value better than most mainstream tackle and the range will kick off at £9,300 for a 55-plated 1.6i Life model, with another £400 buying a Club variant. It’s probably worth double checking before you travel to view a car that it really is a second generation model as many of the model names carried over from first to second generation and there are still many sellers of earlier cars asking fairly unrealistic prices. Diesel models begin at £10,750 for a 1.9CDTi 120 Life. You’ll need just over £17,000 to net one of the racy VXR versions but if a growing family has forced you to sell your sports saloon, there’s plenty here to like. Insurance ranges from Group 5 for the entry-level 1.6-litre models to Group 9 for the CDTi 120 and 150 diesels. The VXR skews things a bit with its Group 15 rating but even that is fairly reasonable for the amount of go on offer.

The Zafira is still too new for any major problems yet to emerge, and the Astra mechanicals upon which it is based have proven themselves to be ostensibly trouble free. As with any car that is used to transport families around, check for damage wreaked by youngsters, including broken fittings, rips or stains on the upholstery and scratched plastics. Also ensure that all of the seats fold away smoothly, as it’s easy for dropped items of food or small toys to jam the runners. Check that the suspension is still in good working order – a regular run transporting a six-a-side football team will drastically shorten the life of a set of dampers. The VXR model can be rather hard on front tyres if driven hard and the eighteen inch alloy wheels are prone to damage from pot holes. Otherwise check for the service record and look forward to buying a very capable car.

(approx based on a 2005 1.6 Club). A new clutch assembly will see your dealer clutching £170 of your folding, whilst a new exhaust system retails at £500, although expect to knock £150 off for an exchange front pipe. Front brake pads are £45 a pair and rears are £33. A radiator is around £100, but if you need a new wheel and tyre for a VXR, you’ll be looking at an eye watering bill of nearly £600.

A wide range of engines are offered and this Zafira marked the debut of Vauxhall’s 140bhp 1.8-litre ECOTEC powerplant. This became a mainstay of Vauxhall’s petrol powered engine selection and, compared to the outgoing model’s 1.8 unit, the replacement boasted 14 per cent more power, consumed four per cent less fuel, had improved flexibility and was a good deal more refined. The 140bhp power output means the 1.8-litre engine is one of the most powerful in this class, but it’s far from being a highly-stressed race engine with peaky power delivery. Thanks to advanced valve and cam phasing technology, 90 per cent of the 175Nm maximum torque is available from 2200 to 6200 rpm. This wide range ensures lively performance and exceptional pulling power even at low engine speeds, making everyday driving more relaxed with less need to change gear. Vauxhall pioneered the concept of the performance mini-MPV with the GSi Turbo version of the MK1 Zafira and filling that niche even more emphatically in the MK2 range is the Zafira VXR. From the VXR sub brand of high performance vehicles, this model can call upon a 240bhp powerplant that will rocket the car to 60mph in 7 seconds flat and on to a top speed of 144mph. With 320Nm of torque in reserve, this Zafira has as much muscle as a Porsche Boxster S. If the growing family means that you’ve had to shelve plans for a sporty car, here’s the perfect antidote. With a honeycomb grille, a larger front bumper (with a central air intake) and fog lights, the VXR has serious rear-view mirror presence. Deep sill extensions, twin tailpipes and 18-inch alloy wheels ensure that bystanders know what they’re looking at. The interior features Recaro sports seats and a sports steering wheel and gear lever. Most buyers, however, opted for the CDTi diesels and both the 120 and 150bhp versions have a lot to be said for them. Until you drive the two Zafira diesel models back to back, it’s tough to appreciate how much quicker the 150bhp installation is but for most customers the cheaper 120bhp unit was the better buy. Both are fitted as standard with a six-speed manual and the 120bhp car will get to 60mph in 12 seconds while the 150bhp model will detain you for 10.2. Top speeds are pegged at 116 and 126mph respectively and combined economy figures are 46.3mpg for the 120 and 45.6 for the 150. Carbon dioxide emissions vary little, the 120bhp Zafira putting out 165 grammes per kilometre travelled and the more powerful model a scant 2 grammes more. Opt for the automatic on the 120bhp car and the figures become a good deal less impressive.

The Zafira rapidly became the benchmark mini-MPV in its original iteration and it remains so today. Other manufacturers offer bigger or sportier people carriers but the brand equity built up by Vauxhall is still reaping big rewards. A CDTi diesel model would be our pick.

THE GRIFFIN ASSUMES THE LOTUS POSITION

MODELS COVERED: (2 dr roadster 2.2 petrol [base, Lightning Yellow])

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

The Vauxhall VX220 may well be remembered as the greatest car that nobody bought. That might be something of an exaggeration, but after a year’s manufacture, Vauxhall had managed to shift a mere 458 units, many of these dealer demonstrators and press vehicles. Although the public was aware that the VX220 was ostensibly a Lotus Elise with a nicer engine, it still ignored the roadster - due in no small part to that Griffin badge worn on its beaky nose. After all, what would you rather own, a Lotus or a Vauxhall. For those who are immune to such badge snobbery, a used VX220 is a cut price way to get your high performance jollies.

The Vauxhall VX220 debuted at the 70Th Geneva Motor Show in March 2000 and marked a completely new direction for the company. Marketed as the Opel Speedster in Europe, the sleek roadster wowed the crowds but many pondered its raison d’etre. Yes, Vauxhall need the car to sex up its rather staid image a little, but what was the point of a luxurious Lotus Elise? In the end, the VX220 didn’t turn out like that. Of its approximately 2500 components, it shares precisely 141 with a Lotus Elise which, in purely numerical terms, makes it a more distantly related to the lithe Lotus than a Rover 45 1.8 is. It’s stripped out interior was, thankfully, devoid of the air-conditioning, electric windows and multiple cupholders we’d feared. Nevertheless, the writing was on the wall from the outset. The target customers didn’t care about the historical connotations of the VX designation. In its first UK road test, Car magazine opined, "It’s the snob value that will really decide its fate. If the VX220 doesn’t succeed, despite how good it is, Vauxhall will have, in the most literal sense, only itself to blame." And so it proved. Despite critical acclaim, the VX220 stayed rooted to showroom floors. A Lightning Yellow special edition and offers of interest free credit failed to spark sales. Perhaps the initial advertising campaign featuring Griff Rhys Jones is a pair of Y-fronts had scotched any slim hope the VX220 had of success. In the end it was good old brand equity (or lack thereof) that did for the VX. Sales in Europe of the Speedster have always been healthy but in this country it seems we just don’t buy an aspirational Vauxhall. The 2.2-litre engine was discontinued in the spring of 2004 leaving the riotous 200bhp 2.0-litre Turbo model to carry on single-handed until the 220bhp VXR220 arrived a few months later. The VXR220 turned out to be a short-lived model with the last examples sold in the first months of 2005.

It would be easy to dismiss the VX220 as nothing more than re-bodied Elise. The two cars were, after all, developed by the same people. Easy, but incorrect. In reality, the two cars are defined by their engines. In place of the 1.8-litre 120bhp MGTF unit found on the standard Elise, the VX220 is powered by an altogether more potent 2.2-litre 145bhp powerplant borrowed from the Astra Coupe. That meant re-tuning the chassis and upgrading the brakes to include servo assistance, ABS and EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution). What hasn’t been changed is the basic Lotus concept. This is still a lightweight, high performance, no compromises sportscar for enthusiasts to use on an occasional basis only. Don’t go expecting it to be an everyday roadster like a Toyota MR2 or Mazda MX-5: it’s far too noisy, uncomfortable and impractical for that. These aren’t words you would normally use to describe a production Vauxhall – but then there’s never been a production Vauxhall quite like this one. There certainly haven’t been many Vauxhall sports cars that cost more, the unhelpful new asking price punching it clear of the Elise. If you do opt for the Vauxhall, you certainly won’t feel hard done by. You’ll probably receive kudos from true car enthusiasts who appreciate the fact that you weren’t so superficial as to be swayed by a badge.

Whereas the Lotus Elise boasted used values firmer than a Vinny Jones handshake, the VX220 hasn’t shared its cousin’s good fortune. With residual values expected to languish around 51% after three years the VX220 represents an ideal way to get a top-drawer sportster at MX-5 money. Prices start at £10,000 for the first of the 2000 W plated models. Don’t be talked into paying much over the odds for a Lightning Yellow edition. Insurance is a distinctly reasonable Group 16.

Although many VX220 used models show low mileages on their odometers, don’t let that lull you into a false sense of security. The VX attracts an even lower quotient of posers and boulevard cruisers than the Elise and you should assume that a goodly proportion of its mileage has been spent with the hammer firmly down. That said, the 2.2-litre engine seems to be an extremely hardy unit, better able to shrug off the miles than a Rover K-series 1.8 and many of the teething problems that afflicted the Elise were ironed out with the VX220. So it is that there’s no rattly pedal box or flabby gear selection issues. The hood has been known to leak and you should check the mounting points for signs of damage. Otherwise run the normal set of checks you’d use on a car that’s suspected of having a hard life. Check the tyres and suspension, make sure the owner has used synthetic oil, ask whether it’s been used on track and inspect the corners of the bodywork where it swoops out of sight. Finally a word of warning. The aluminium tub of the VX220 is superb at protecting its occupants, but even an apparently superficial crash can effectively write your VX220 off, such is the cost of a replacement. Therefore you should avoid so called ‘damaged repairables’ at all costs.

(approx based on a 2000 VX220) This is where those who thought they could run a lightweight sports car taking advantage of typically cheap Vauxhall spares prices come unstuck. Should you misjudge a parking manoeuvre and nerf one of those compound headlamp units you’ll be looking at a bill for £556. Likewise, if you pride yourself on being the last of the late brakers approaching your favourite roundabout, you’ll have to pay for your adrenaline rush. Front pads are £138 a pair and rear £82. A radiator is £192, as is a starter motor, whilst should your alternator blow its brains out, make alternate plans for the £435 needed to replace it.

Whatever faults, inconveniences or costs you’ll have to contend with elsewhere, this is where the VX220 cranks the equation way over onto the positive side. On the right road, in the right conditions it seems as if the Queen’s highway has metamorphosed into an oversized go-kart track for your personal enjoyment. The 2.2-litre engine is usefully torquey, and you’ll be able to leave it in third gear around town without complaint or recourse to the clanking gear selector. With a rest to sixty time of 5.6 seconds and a top speed of 136mph, the VX220 destroys B-roads. It will also return an average of over 34mpg, a testament to its light weight. The handling is an education for those who have become used to more bloated fare. The steering is telepathically rapid, there’s almost no body roll whatsoever, and you can feel every grain, pebble and dimple in the road surface through the seat, the steering wheel and reverberating from the underside of the aluminium tub chassis. Drive on looser surfaces and you’ll feel like you’re sitting inside a tin shed under fire from the buckshot cavalry. With surprisingly narrow tyres, the handling of the VX220 in extremis is more forgiving than an Elise but no less entertaining. Hairy-chested oversteer has largely been dialled out of the chassis in favour of benign gentle understeer. The driving position is extreme; you’ll be virtually sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you. At first it feels odd, but it soon becomes extremely comfortable. Step from a VX220 into, say, a Porsche Boxster and you’ll feel like you’re sitting on a barstool. Getting in and out gracefully with the roof in place remains an art beyond all but the most supple.

There aren’t too many genuine five star cars that are available at a bargain price on the used market. The VX220 is probably the best way to take make our label preoccupation work in your favour. Track down a well-looked after example and you will feel superior every time you see a Lotus Elise come the other way. Smugness has never been so rewarding.

SIGN OF THE TIMES
Vauxhall Are Persevering With Their Unusual Signum. But Will A Facelift & Some Improved Engines Be Enough To Rejuvenate Its Appeal? Jonathan Crouch Decides...

Creating a new class of car is always a gamble. There tend to be three inevitable results. Either you get in first and it pays off big (think Renault Espace) or you’re first to market but someone subsequently does it a whole lot better (hello Toyota Picnic). Alternatively, you fall spectacularly on your face and everybody laughs at you (Suzuki X90). Vauxhall claim their Signum is exactly this – an entirely new class of car. But the British buying public are yet to be convinced.

So will the latest package of improvements do the trick? Well, certainly, a lot of effort has been made. First, and most obvious, is the latest nose-job, similar to that lately visited on the humbler Vectra. As facelifts go, it’s strikingly good, reminding us that the original car wasn’t one of Vauxhall’s better styling efforts. Next, Vauxhall’s marketers have addressed the question of value. There are now four trim levels – Exclusiv, Elegance, Design and Elite – more sharply priced from £18,225. All models feature colour screen satellite navigation as standard. The Elegance and Exclusiv both get chrome-effect air vent controls, while the Design gets rain sensitive wipers, part leather trim, an anti-dazzle rear view mirror, automatic headlights and ambient interior night lighting. Elite models feature full leather trim and electronic climate control.

"It’s all rather civilised, much like flying window seat in Club class"

Under the bonnet, a 250bhp 2.8-litre V6 24-valve turbocharged petrol engine is now the top dog, and is offered in both Design and Elite trim levels mated to a six-speed auto gearbox in the Elite and a six speed manual in the Design. Further down the range, buyers of 2.2-litre models can expect to find a six-speed manual gearbox, while the Euro4-compliant 3.0-litre CDTi diesel packs a sizable 184bhp. Most petrol buyers choose between the advanced 140bhp 1.8 and 155bhp 2.2-litre petrol units, while those in search of performance can opt for the 175bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which slots in below the new 2.8-litre 230bhp turbo V6. Diesel drivers mainly choose between 120 and 150bhp 1.9 CDTi units. These slot in below the 177bhp 3.0 CDTi V6 diesel that tops off the range. But what of the car itself? Vauxhall continue to contend that it’s neither saloon, MPV nor estate, offering ‘something extra’. But what? Well, for around a £1,000 premium on top of a comparable Vectra, you get a five-door executive hatch based on the extended Vectra estate platform that offers an extra dash of versatility. One of the key features that Vauxhall seem very proud of is the Signum’s so-called FlexSpace seating concept. This allows the outer rear pair of seats to slide back and forth, allowing a trade off between legroom and luggage capacity. What’s more, these seats can also recline to a 30-degree angle. Although it makes a big play of its spaciousness, the Signum works best as a four, rather than five seater. The central berth in the back is rather hard and Vauxhall don’t recommend it for anyone over 5’10" tall but it does have its uses. The cushion flips through 180-degrees, revealing cup holders and storage boxes. It can also accommodate the Travel Assistant, another Vauxhall invention that’s standard on the range-topping Elite but costs a little extra on other variants. The Travel Assistant offers the two rear seat passengers a pair of folding tables, a fridge, a litter tub, cup holders, a 12v power outlet and a holder for a portable DVD player. It’s all rather civilised, much like flying window seat in Club class. There are even overhead lockers in which to stow oddments, Vauxhall providing five flock-lined, silicon-damped storage compartments up top for small items such as sunglasses and mobile phones. The Vectra platform has actually proved quite a good foundation from which to sprout the Signum. Fundamentally wide, it allows a number of features to be built into the chunky centre console which subsequently means that the buttons don’t need to be the size of pinheads, something you’ll appreciate when trying to adjust the controls. Vauxhall have helped by mounting a number of controls on the steering wheel, itself infinitely adjustable. Although some of the plastics may disappoint those who expect a genuine premium car, it’s nevertheless on a par with cars like the Volvo S80 and – whisper it – modern Mercs. Will the most recent package of improvements be enough to transform the Signum’s market standing? We suspect not. Vauxhall may have hoped to plunder a big market with this car but it hasn’t turned out that way. Nevertheless, it remains a hugely under-rated model that now, more than ever, deserves a second glance from those about to pay through the nose for a premium brand. A feeble specification and restricted versatility? Or a car that won’t impress the neighbours but offers both? Just how much is badge-engineering worth to you?

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Vauxhall Signum range PRICES: £18,225-£27,250 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 8-15 CO2 EMISSIONS: 159-242g/km PERFORMANCE: [2.0T petrol] Max Speed 137mph / 0-60mph 8.4s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.2 Direct petrol] (combined) 34.9mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side & roof airbags / ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm 4636/1798/1466mm

DO YOU THINK IT’S SXi?
With sharper steering and firmer suspension, the SXi Corsas are sporty superminis without the prohibitive costs of a performance hatch. Steve Walker reports…

The hot hatchback arms race of the past few years has resulted in the fastest models now routinely nudging and surpassing the 200bhp barrier. It’s a sign of the times that nothing with much less than 150bhp will gain any sort of respect from the gaggle of Burberry-clad youths loitering outside your local McDonalds Drive-Thru. Given this current state of affairs, one could easily forget that cars with the potential to launch you from idle to illegal in the blink of an eye aren’t the sole purveyors of driving enjoyment. This is a fact of which Vauxhall hope the Corsa SXi models can remind us.

The reason fast small cars have become so much more powerful is that they aren’t all that small anymore. The extra weight of all the safety measures and electronic gadgetry that today’s market demands means that shifting a modern supermini around is no longer a job for engines of a fragile disposition. Doing so at the substantial rate of knots normally associated with a proper hot hatchback really does take some gumption on an engine’s part. Anyone insisting on this brand of genuinely serious performance will be disappointed by the Corsa SXi models we look at here and they should probably save up for the step up to one of the quicker SRi models or a barnstorming Corsa VXR derivative. What the SXi trim level aims to do is replicate some of the fun of a hot hatchback without the less enjoyable expense. Let’s get the power struggle out of the way first and in the case of some of the powerplants on offer, ‘struggle’ is the operative word. The SXi trim is offered with a choice of two petrol engines and a diesel starting at £10,300. The entry level unit is a 1.2-litre 16v that generates its 79bhp maximum power output at a lofty 5,600rpm. This engine is fine for shopping duties and dropping the kids off at school but buyers seeking a sporty drive are likely to find it a little underwhelming. The 1.4-litre petrol option is £500 more and a little bit better with 89bhp to call upon. The 0-60mph sprint takes 11.8s here rather than 13s in the 1.2 and fuel economy is just 1mpg inferior to the smaller petrol at 47.9mpg. There’s a £700 price jump from the 1.4 to the 1.3-litre CDTi diesel but if you’re attracted to the SXi by its sporty dynamics rather than by its sporty looks, it’s a jump worth making. With 89bhp, this common-rail diesel unit has an identical power output to the 1.4 but that power is available 1,600rpm lower in the rev range at 4,000rpm and there’s 200Nm of torque from 1,750rpm compared to 125Nm at 4,000rpm in the meatiest SXi petrol. This makes the 1.3 CDTi a far more enjoyable car to drive, despite a 0-60mph performance figure that is virtually identical to the 1.4. It also gives the added benefit of 61mpg average fuel economy.

"The differences between these SXi Corsas and the less sporty models in the range extend well beyond mere cosmetic add-ons"

The diesels are definitely the more satisfying units but you do pay for the privilege and if you’re only interested in the Corsa SXi for its looks, the petrol alternatives shouldn’t be disregarded. The Corsa SXi models are differentiated from their less athletic brethren by 16" alloy wheels, a chrome exhaust pipe and front fog lights, while the interior benefits from sports seats with figure-hugging side bolsters and a leather steering wheel. It’s a nice package that tallies well with the dynamic styling of the latest Corsa, particularly the 3-door versions with their coupe-like sloping roofline. The differences between these SXi cars and the less sporty models in the range extend well beyond mere cosmetic add-ons. The SXi models feature modified suspension and steering to help them live up to their sporty billing. The standard Corsa is a fine handling supermini with well-weighted and accurate steering thanks to the speed-dependent electronic power steering system (EPS). The SXi models, however, feature the more advanced VPPS (Variable Progressive Power Steering). As well as giving the steering a heavier feel at higher speeds to enhance driver confidence, this set-up also adjusts the steering ratio in response to the way the wheel is turned. As the steering angle increases, the steering gets quicker so that there’s more scope for small directional adjustments around the straight ahead and a sharper feel on the turn-in. In situations were tight, low speed manoeuvres are called for, the steering adjusts again, reducing the effort required and making lighter work of the whole process. This clever steering set-up on the Corsa SXi is matched to uprated springs and dampers for a firmer ride and improved body control when cornering, as well as a ride height that’s lowered by 20mm to give the car a more purposeful stance on the road. The package gels together very impressively, making the most of the Corsa’s already impressive dynamic attributes. The ride may be a little too firm for some tastes and buyers in doubt should sample one of the smoother, less sporting derivatives before taking the plunge but it definitely adds to the experience from the point of view of the keen driver. The quality of materials used is leagues ahead of the old Corsa and like the Astra, there’s the bulletproof feeling of build quality that’s as good as anything in the sector. Just about the only criticism of recent Vauxhall interiors was that, although well built, they didn’t offer a whole lot of slick design to catch the eye. The Corsa changes that particular script with translucent ambient lighting on the centre console switchgear, one of those ‘surprise and delight’ features that adds the all-important showroom wow-factor. The round air vents, the stereo and big satellite navigation screen (available on high spec cars only) give the Corsa’s dash a far more modern, integrated look than the somewhat piecemeal integration of technology of the old car. The Vauxhall Corsa SXi successfully sportifies the standard Corsa package, sharpening up the driving experience in a manner that will appeal to those who enjoy spending time behind the wheel. The petrol engines will occasionally have you longing for more power to fully exploit the lithe chassis but the diesels are almost punchy enough to make you question whether those 200bhp hyper-hatchbacks are absolutely necessary. More importantly, none of the SXi engine options will break the bank in terms of upfront, insurance or running costs and that’s the key to the Corsa SXi – affordable fun.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Vauxhall Corsa SXi range PRICES: £10,300-£13,290 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 3-5 CO2 EMISSIONS: 139-142g/km PERFORMANCE: [1.7CDTI] 0-60mph 10s / Max Speed 118mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.3 CDTi 90] (urban) 48.7, (extra urban) 74.3 (combined) 61.4mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: ABS, seatbelt pretensioners, twin front airbags WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3990/1710/1490mm

CLASS ACT
Vauxhall’s Corsa is a supermini with ideas above its station. Just as well that the 1.4-litre 16v engine can punch above its weight too. Andy Enright reports

It used to be very simple. Superminis were once a distinctly perishable commodity. They were built of thin plastics, tinny metal and were powered by engines that did the trick for city driving but which were useless for anything more demanding. In recent years that has changed but it’s taken the launch of the latest Corsa to really punt things to another level. Like big cars but hate big bills? Try one of the latest Corsa 1.4-litre models for size.

The 90bhp 1.4-litre 16v engine features Twinport technology which builds on the standard four-valve technology of Vauxhall’s ECOTEC engines. Fuel savings are achieved by a special intake manifold in combination with a high rate of exhaust gas recirculation. The advantages of Twinport technology are achieved through a combination of fuel injection and exhaust emission control by a three-way catalytic converter. This reduces technical complexity and consequently the cost to the customer, making the Twinport solution particularly attractive for superminis like this Corsa, as power output and efficient fuel consumption are maintained. Talking of which, this Corsa will achieve a combined fuel figure of almost 48mpg which makes it probably the pick of the petrol models, although the 1.3-litre turbodiesel features identical performance figures, the same power output and another 13.5mpg on top of the consumption figure. Still, you do need to pay another £700 for the privilege and much of that fuel saving comes courtesy of the six-speed gearbox fitted as standard to the diesel car. In this 1.4-litre you’ll have to make do with a mere quintet of cogs to stir but it’ll still get to 60mph in 11.5 seconds and run on to 107mph. The emissions figure of 124g/km isn’t too shoddy either, especially when considering the amount of weight the Corsa has piled on down the years. First 855kg, then 999kg and now 1,085kg; the Corsa certainly has piled on the pounds since its 1993 launch, managing to supersize itself over the course of three generations. It’s by no means unusual either, rather like the nation’s telly-addict offspring, our superminis have been growing steadily porkier before our very eyes with today’s Peugeot 207, Renault Clio and Fiat Punto all weighing-in far heavier than in earlier iterations. This isn’t simply redundant bulk, the product of too many or after school McDonalds detours. The extra weight is accounted for by increased dimensions that facilitate greater interior space and superior safety measures to meet tightening legislation, not to mention the technology and all-round quality that we now demand in our small cars. As the weight has crept up, the engines have had to become stronger and more efficient too. A key measure of how things have changed is the torque figure for this 1.4-litre petrol engine. When the Corsa was introduced in 1993 its 1.4-litre engine managed 60lb/ft of torque. The current car’s 92lb/ft clearly demonstrates that while weight has crept up by 27%, the ability to haul that bulk has outstripped that growth by a factor of two, the current Corsa 1.4 boasting 54% more pulling power. You also get better fuel economy, more space, more equipment and a massively improved safety provision. You’ve got to love the progress.

"The 1.4-litre unit is the best of the petrol engines in the current Corsa line up"

Both three and five-door bodystyles are available and the difference between the two versions is pronounced. The three-door offers a coupe-like silhouette with a side window line that falls away from the roof at the rear to maximise the sporty look without minimising rear headroom. As it is, headroom in the back isn’t spectacular and the low window will have adults ducking down to see out but legroom is quite adequate. The five-door is a very different looking car that yields more space for back seat passengers. Both models give generous space in the front seats with a very comfortable driving position courtesy of the height and reach adjustable steering wheel and the supportive seating. The quality of materials used is leagues ahead of the old Corsa and like the Astra, there’s the bulletproof feeling of build quality that’s as good as anything in the sector. Just about the only criticism of recent Vauxhall interiors was that, although well built, they didn’t offer a whole lot of slick design to catch the eye. The Corsa changes that particular script with translucent ambient lighting on the centre console switchgear, one of those ‘surprise and delight’ features that adds the all-important showroom wow-factor. The round air vents, the stereo and big satellite navigation screen (available on high spec cars only) give the Corsa’s dash a far more modern, integrated look than the somewhat piecemeal integration of technology of the old car. Vauxhall offer a particularly wide array of trim options for buyers to personalise their model range but it’s all very tastefully done with quality materials throughout. The 1.4-litre engine is offered in Club, SXi and Design trims in both the three-door and five-door body styles, with prices ranging from £10,105 to £12,375. An automatic gearbox is also offered but this should really only be selected if you’re planning on subjecting the Corsa to a particularly onerous commute on a regular basis. Normally the diesels would be better in this regard but seeing as none of the diesel models are offered with the self-shifter this is as good as it gets. If you’re set on buying a petrol Corsa, this is the engine to choose. Bigger is usually better when it comes to petrol engines in superminis and this one is no exception. Although I’d still probably recommend the 90bhp 1.3-litre diesel if pressed to make an editor’s pick, this 1.4-litre is a very capable alternative.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 16v Twinport range PRICES: £10,105-£12,375 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 4-5 CO2 EMISSIONS: 124g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 11.5s / Max Speed 107mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 47.9mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: ABS, seatbelt pretensioners, twin front airbags WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3990/1710/1490mm

CHARGE COOLER
Vauxhall’s Astra TwinTop 2.0T Offers A Beguiling Blend Of Panache And Performance. Andy Enright Reports…

Powerful cabriolet cars haven’t always had the best reputation. There’s something about lopping a vehicle’s head off that often does some very strange things to its dynamics. Reluctant to blunt performance with too much weight in the way of chassis strengthening, some manufacturers have released their wares hoping that the performance figures will sell the car with owners only subsequently finding out that their pride and joy has the torsional rigidity of a cowboy builder’s conservatory.

Unless you’re a serious performance junkie, torsional rigidity may not be something that’s kept you awake at night. A modicum of flex in a vehicle’s structure doesn’t hurt, but overall, you don’t want too much torsion in your car’s body. Why not? Low rigidity results in vibrations and degrades handling performance. A decent handling car relies, to a greater extent than many realise, on suspension designs that optimise tyre and road contact under all conditions. Introduce too much torsion into the equation and the maths gets tricky really quickly. In short, the wheels are no longer where they are supposed to be relative to each other. In these cases, even well-engineered suspensions don’t stand a chance. This problem tends to affect cars that have been cheaply converted into drop tops. Cars that were designed from virtually a clean sheet of paper to be convertibles usually have the right amount of torsional strength built into their chassis. Cars like the Vauxhall Astra TwinTop for example. Drive the TwinTop 2.0T and you’ll feel a little more flex than in its hatchback sibling but not much. Drop a wheel deliberately into a pothole and you’ll feel a little kick in the steering and spot the rear view mirror vibrate momentarily before composure is regained. It’s an impressive showing for a car with its roof in the boot. What’s more, this model encourages enthusiastic driving. No, it’s not going to give the VXR hatch a run for its money on a hillclimb route, but the 2.0T model is plenty quick enough to entertain, getting to 60mph in a vanishing 8.3 seconds and running on to a top speed of 146mph. You’ll want to put the roof up for that sort of endeavour though. It’s one of the better engines that Vauxhall produce and, for what it’s worth, I think it’s a more impressive engine than the one that powers the VXR hatch - a car that feels as if it’s got a few too many ponies for its own good under the bonnet. With 197bhp on tap and a relatively lag-free turbo installation, the 2.0T unit is tractable, reasonably melodic and built like a tank. Blow one of these things up and you probably merit some sort of award.

"The Astra TwinTop 2.0T places the emphasis on driving enjoyment. Most coupe-cabriolets which are more often all about posing"

Priced at £21,525 on the road, the 2.0T isn’t pocket change but compares favourably with cars like the entry-level Volvo C70 coupe-cabriolet which runs around £5,000 more and is down on power as well. Only one trim level is offered, Design, although this comes with all manner of goodies including 17-inch 10-spoke alloys and a sports steering wheel as well as other styling features to add a dynamic edge. Rain-sensitive windscreen wipers, an anti-dazzle rear view mirror, automatic lighting control and a windbreak are also all standard. There’s even an automatic pop-up roll-over protection bar, making the lines even sleeker without compromising safety. The TwinTop has some great genetics to back it up. The old Astra Convertible may have relied on a relatively low tech fabric roof, but a combination of sleek Bertone styling, a range of surprisingly punchy engines and some very attractive pricing ensured that it was a big seller. It may not have been the sharpest drive but it was blatantly populist and curiously endearing. The Astra TwinTop moves the game on by offering a folding roof that’s composed of three main sections instead of the usual two piece affair. This means that you don’t need to fold two huge pieces of metal into the car’s rear end, avoiding the strangely misshapen looks of some coupe-cabriolets. At the press of a dash-mounted button, the two overhead sections of the roof stack on top of the glass rear window and hinge backwards into the boot, offering the usual benefits of added security and safety of a hard topped car with the wind in the hair feel of a convertible. What’s more, the Astra TwinTop isn’t merely an Astra hatch that’s had an angle grinder taken to it. As we’ve already explained, the body was designed from the ground up as a convertible and Vauxhall reckon the two cars share at most 30 per cent of their body parts. With excellent chassis rigidity when the roof is in place, driving dynamics approach those of the lauded Astra hatch. Designed at GM Design Europe in Germany, the Astra TwinTop goes into battle against the likes of the Peugeot 307 CC and Renault Megane CC although at almost 4,500mm in length, it’s usefully bigger than both of these French rivals. The styling is also better resolved thanks in no small part to that clever folding roof arrangement. The rear end carries over the petal-shaped lights of the Tigra and luggage space is better than you might expect, even with the roof stowed. Utility is enhanced by 'Easy Load', a feature raising the horizontally stacked parts of a folded roof at the push of a button, making cargo easily accessible. Great when you’ve got an armful of shopping in other words. How well this car does relies on how customers perceive its value proposition against the Ford Focus coupe cabriolet and Volkswagen Eos. With the far slower 2.0-litre FSI version of the Eos costing more than the turbocharged Astra, it’s fair to say the Vauxhall has the VW’s measure but the Ford is a tougher rival. Grab a seat and tuck into your popcorn. This one could get interesting.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Vauxhall Astra Twintop 2.0T PRICE: £21,525 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 16 PERFORMANCE: Top Speed 146mph / 0-60mph 8.3s FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 29mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front & side airbags / ABS / ESP/ automatic rollover bars WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE ?: Length/Width/Height 4488/2055/1415mm

THE FLYING V
The qualities of the current Vauxhall Vectra are well documented but it faces tough competition from some talented rivals. Vauxhall hopes that the most recent improvements will be good enough to sustain sales. Steve Walker reports…

For all its good points, of which there are many, the Vauxhall Vectra still labours under its repmobile image. The stereotype persists that these vehicles are the preserve of company car drivers who spend their lives pounding the country’s motorway network, doggedly intent on gaining promotion and the resulting passport into some compact executive wheels. Is it deserved? You could have argued the case for Vectra models of old but today’s car is a far more rounded piece of work. It is still purchased largely by fleets and company car user-choosers but they’re getting much, much more than a crude motorway mile-muncher.

You can see how preconceptions surrounding the Vectra and its ilk can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Faced with the raft of practical mini-MPVs, trendy compact 4x4s and desirable sporting models available today for similar money, private buyers who would have immediately plumped for a medium range family saloon a few years ago can easily have their heads turned. Mis-held ideas of the Vectra as staid fleet fodder can prompt private buyers to look elsewhere and the effect is that the majority of models you see on the road actually are company cars. So what’s the truth where the Vectra is concerned? The current model has been subjected to a reasonably thorough facelift for a start. We were told that the car’s styling was completely new from the A-pillars forward but on viewing it, there was the sneaking suspicion that the front end had been sighted somewhere before. It had, the Vectra appears to have been driven into the back of an Astra family hatchback at extremely high speed. The resulting concertina-effect sees the bonnet, lights and grille of the smaller car now protruding from the front of its larger sibling. This is no bad thing of course: the Astra has been hailed for its bold, sharky looks since launch and today’s Vectra inherits them. The large headlights jut upwards into the bonnet and the grille, married effectively to the under bumper assembly, provides real presence on the road. At the back, the bumper has been reworked on some models and the range of wheel designs has also been given a good going-over.

"It’s a fairly well-established fact that the Vectra can match any car in the medium range sector on grounds of refinement and comfort"

The Vectra’s cabin has long been a haven of tranquillity. Ever since the launch of the original version of the current car, it has provided a suitably relaxing environment for marathon motorway trips and this facelifted model has upped the anti. ‘Soft touch’ is revealed as the key phrase as you run a finger over the surfaces, press the buttons and flick the switches in the tried and tested manner. The old cabin was a little too grey for many tastes but upgraded seat fabrics and trim inserts, a smaller, more sports-orientated steering wheel and a jazzed-up instrument panel all help to make the current model a more interesting place to be. The range of trim, body and engine options is massively diverse but Vauxhall have always gone large in this area. There are saloon, five-door hatchback and estate bodystyles, along with trim levels that draw increasingly heavily from the options list as they ascend from Exclusiv through Life, Design and sporty SRi to the ultimate Elite (luxurious) and VXR (quick) models. Even the Exclusiv option that props the others up gives you air-conditioning, six airbags and a driver’s seat with eight adjustments that furthers the Vectra’s reputation for comfort. Skipping up the range a little, the Design option yields climate control, rain-sending wipers and auto headlamps - which presumably are dark sensing. It also gives estate buyers an electrically opening tailgate. In the engine room, it’s business largely as usual but there have been some noteworthy changes. The petrol line-up now opens with a 140bhp 1.8-litre 16v powerplant, then there’s the tried and tested 2.2-litre with 145bhp and the 173bhp 2.0-litre Turbo engine that’s offered with the more frenetic models. All of these are carried over from the pre-facelift Vectra but the range-topping petrol model isn’t. This is now a 2.8-litre turbocharged V6 making 227bhp when offered with Elite trim, mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox. The same powerplant churns out 276bhp in the performance-orientated VXR which will fire you from 0-60mph in 6.1s. The diesel range remains totally the same but Vauxhall have some accomplished oil-burners in their ranks. The 120 and 150bhp versions of the 1.9-litre CDTi models are predicted to be the biggest sellers but those craving more torque can upgrade to the mighty 174bhp 3.0-litre CDTi. The entry-level 1.8-litre might be the unsung hero in all of this with its 173g/km CO2 emissions, 40mpg economy and a 9.9s 0-60mph sprint. It’s a fairly well-established fact that the Vectra can match any car in the medium range sector on grounds of refinement and comfort. The trick for engineers working on the current facelifted car was to retain those respected qualities while injecting more by way of driver involvement and improving the car’s dynamic abilities. It sounds a fine balancing act but they may have pulled it off. There’s more steering feel and better chassis control in today’s Vectra but the crown jewels of that silky ride and the whisper-quiet cabin remain intact. In fact, Vauxhall claim that refinement is actually improved as well. The current facelifted Vectra has addresses the criticisms levelled at the original model. It should be more rewarding to drive and the styling has a more distinctive and sporty edge. The standard of the car’s ride and refinement were never in doubt and although equipment levels look generous, pricing remains tight. There’s substantially more to the Vauxhall Vectra than many people’s repmobile preconceptions will allow them to discover but their loss is the photocopier salesman’s gain.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Vauxhall Vectra range PRICES: £14,900-£25,775 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 9-18 CO2 EMISSIONS: 154-271g/km PERFORMANCE: [2.2i petrol] Max Speed 133mph / 0-60mph 10.0s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.2i petrol] (urban) 23.7mpg / (extra urban) 42.2mpg / (combined) 32.8mpg WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm 4596/1798/1460mm [4dr]

SIGNUM FORCE
Vauxhall’s Muscular CDTi 150 Diesel Engine Is Fast Becoming A Highlight Of Their Powerplant Portfolio & Suits This Signum Well. Andy Enright Reports

If automotive history has taught us anything, it’s that playing safe pays. Bold, challenging designs like the original Fiat Multipla, the Renault Avantime and the Subaru SVX all fell flat on their faces while cars like the Toyota Corolla sold like hot cakes. Vauxhall have traditionally been held as one of the more conservative manufacturers but they too have built brilliant cars that have failed to take the market by storm – the VX220 – and safe designs such as the original Vectra that have always found a ready market. The Signum sees Vauxhall teasing the edges of many buyers’ comfort zones. Striking and impossible to pigeonhole, the Signum has been significantly sweetened since the addition of Vauxhall’s powerhouse CDTi150 diesel engine. Is it now a more palatable prospect for those traditionally too timid?

The Signum causes furrowed brows like few other new vehicles. Neither saloon, MPV nor estate, the Signum could conceivably fall between these stools, satisfying few customers and selling in similar numbers to the car that most closely approximates its design ethos - the Renault Vel Satis. There are certainly styling cues around the truncated back end that are reminiscent of the big Renault and the Vauxhall even borrows an engine from it in the shape of the range-topping 3.0-litre CDTi V6 diesel. The latest Signum, however, has been subjected to a facelift and the resulting sleek, angular front end should help it gain the attention of showroom browsers. Although the 3.0-litre CDTi is an awful lot of engine, it comes at quite a price, which is why the CDTi150 unit makes a whole lot more sense and could be the latest Signum’s trump card. As the moniker suggests, the CDTi150 unit fronts up with 150bhp – more than enough to make a positive first impression. It will accelerate to 60mph in ten seconds flat although flogging a diesel car off the line is in no way indicative of its muscularity through the gears. It’s here where this particular Signum excels, feeling virtually as gutsy as the 3.0-litre V6 despite a whopping 61bhp deficit. It’ll run on to a top speed of 131mph but the best part is that it’ll also return a combined fuel economy figure of 46.3mpg. More importantly, this engine can generate a stump-pulling 315Nm of torque. That’s a lot of muscle under your right foot. It makes this Vectra feel stronger in the mid-range than cars like the Jaguar XJ6, the Porsche Boxster S and the Subaru Impreza WRX. That’s an awful lot of muscle at your beck and call and there’s an automatic option to help marshal it.

"The Signum causes furrowed brows like few other new vehicles"

Prices start at £20,550 for the Exclusiv trim level, rising to £21,395 for the Elegance, £22,085 for the Design and topping out at £24,535 for the Elite. All models, including the entry-level Exclusiv, receive satallite navigation while standard equipment on the Elegance runs to six airbags, cruise control, multi-adjustable front seats, a trip computer, anti-lock brakes, a CD autochanger, rear window sunblinds, and 16-inch alloys. Even on the first steps of the Signum podium, Vauxhall have gone to great lengths to make it feel special. If you opt for the Design model, you’ll find 17-inch rims, rain sensing wipers, lowered suspension, platinum interior detailing, sport seats, part leather trim and dark tinted glass for the back passenger windows. The range-topping Elite adds the Travel Assistant, electrically adjustable heated front seats, full leather, different 17-inch alloy wheels and a colour monitor with split-screen facility for the sat nav . Vauxhall also offer some intriguing options such as swivelling headlights – dubbed Adaptive Forward Lighting. Based on a stretched Vectra chassis, the Signum may claim to offer something new but in certain respects sticks to a well-worn formula. Vauxhall have twigged that cars that offer additional versatility such as the Zafira and the Meriva are the ones that are cornering increasingly big shares of their respective markets. Part of the reason for this is because they have offered a level of utility that many rivals in general, and Ford in particular, have been unable to match. Meanwhile the more mainstream models, whilst maintaining share against the rest, have seen the total market size nibbled away. Therefore it made sense to attempt to offer innovative and versatile cars in as many shapes and forms as possible and the Signum is a new take on this recipe. One of the key features that Vauxhall seem very proud of is the Signum’s so-called FlexSpace seating concept. This allows the outer rear pair of seats to slide back and forth, allowing a trade off between legroom and luggage capacity. What’s more, these seats can also recline to a 30-degree angle. Although it makes a big play of its spaciousness, the Signum works best as a four, rather than five seater. The central berth in the back is rather hard and Vauxhall don’t recommend it for anyone over 5’10" tall but it does have its uses. The cushion flips through 180-degrees, revealing cup holders and storage boxes. It can also accommodate the Travel Assistant, another Vauxhall invention that’s standard on the range-topping Elite but a mere £200 on the Elegance and Design trim levels that constitute the Signum line up. The Travel Assistant offers the two rear seat passengers a pair of folding tables, a fridge, a litter tub, cup holders, a 12v power outlet and a holder for a portable DVD player. It’s all rather civilised, much like flying window seat in Club class. There are even overhead lockers in which to stow oddments, Vauxhall providing five flock-lined, silicon-damped storage compartments up top for small items such as sunglasses and mobile phones. The Vectra platform has actually proved quite a good foundation from which to sprout the Signum. Fundamentally wide, it allows a number of features to be built into the chunky centre console which subsequently means that the buttons don’t need to be the size of pinheads, something you’ll appreciate when trying to adjust the controls. Vauxhall have helped by mounting a number of controls on the steering wheel, itself infinitely adjustable. Although some of the plastics may disappoint those who expect a genuine premium car, it’s nevertheless on a par with cars like the Volvo S80 and – whisper it – modern Mercs. At first, we were a little unsure of exactly who would buy the Signum. In truth we still are but with this CDTi150 engine under the bonnet, at least the car makes plenty of sense. It’s an intriguing proposition and will doubtless provoke the occasional ‘Eureka’ moment among those who fall through the gaps in more tradition vehicle marketing. One suspects that as good as it is, the Signum CDTi150 will always be filed under Speciality Interest.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Vauxhall Signum CDTi150 range PRICES: £20,550-£24,535 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 10-11 CO2 EMISSIONS: 165g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 131mph / 0-60mph 10s FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 46.3mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side & roof airbags / ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm 4636/1798/1466mm

SEVEN UP WITH A DASH OF PUNCH
Vauxhall’s Zafira Is Quick Enough For Most With 2.2-Litre Power. Andy Enright Prepares To Be Corrupted…

Vauxhall certainly changed the rules when they introduced the Zafira mini-MPV. Vehicles of this class weren’t supposed to have seven seats and boast car-like handling, but the Zafira did. Just when it looked like the rest of the market might be catching up with the car’s tricks, Vauxhall rewrote the rules by offering a bigger, better second generation version. Equipped with the 150PS 2.2-litre 16v Direct petrol engine, it’s almost worth starting a family for.

The 2.2-litre engine used in this Zafira also powers larger Vectra and Signum models and with 150PS of punch, is causing a few late nights at rival companies as chin-stroking engineers are issued with mini-MPVs, big engines and shoehorns. Prices are down on 2.2-litre versions of the MK1 Zafira (which is nice – and rather unusual), starting at £17,175 for the Life, £18,900 for the SRi, £19,350 for the well-appointed Design variant and £20,350. The 2.2-litre sixteen-valve engine that constitutes such a major attraction produces a smooth band of torque, and feels relaxed and unstressed even when the Zafira is loaded. Capable of reaching 60mph in ten seconds, it’s got the get up and go to embarrass many a warm hatchback on its way to a 124mph maximum. At the same time, you should expect to average around 34mpg allied to reasonable Group 9 insurance. In other words, about 2mpg more than before, three insurance groups lower and, incidentally, lower CO2 emissions (at 197g/km). All with more space and for a lower price. Can’t be bad. So why should you buy a Zafira rather than arch-rivals like the Citroen C4 Picasso, the SEAT Altea or Ford’s Focus C-MAX? Well the first reason is a pretty simple one: whereas these cars can seat only five, the Zafira can swallow seven. Yet the Vauxhall is still mini-MPV size, only half-a-foot longer than most competitors. Other rivals like Renault’s Scenic or VW’s Touran can be specified to seat seven but you have to pay extra.

"The 2.2-litre 16v engine feels relaxed and unstressed even when the Zafira is loaded …"

Six inches longer, 1.5 inches wider and a shade taller than the outgoing car, the latest Zafira retains the seat configuration of its predecessor, with a middle bench seat offering three berths and two seats in the back that also fold flat into the floor. What has changed is the amount of legroom on offer to the occupants. Whereas the old car would have been hideously cramped with all seven seats in use, the latest model offers a little more breathing space. It’s still not ideally suited to a rugby sevens team and their kit, but for the larger family, it’s close to perfect. As before, the seating system is so versatile that the Zafira can be configured in two, three, four, five, six or seven seat guises in a matter of seconds. Most buyers will run in five-seat format, and in this mode the Vauxhall can cope with 620-litres of luggage – fully 20 more than the old car. Depending on the trim level, the Zafira can also boast up to 30 storage compartments. The ‘Flex Organiser’ luggage bay stowage system that has proved a success with Astra Estate buyers is also available on the Zafira. It is to the Astra that the Zafira owes many of its exterior design cues. Whereas the old Zafira was clearly related to the Astra Mk IV, the current model looks for all the world like a MkV Astra Estate that’s been attached to a garage airline. A particularly interesting feature is the optional panorama roof. With four large glass panels, this system offers passengers a light, airy atmosphere in the back, while tinted glass and a powered shade protect against dazzle. A centre console running the length of the ceiling has a number of overhead compartments. The car has been designed to accommodate a wide variety of human shapes and sizes: most should be able to get themselves comfortable. There’s height adjustment on the driver’s seat and reach and rake adjustment on the steering wheel. On a practical note, you’ll find a large glovebox, two cupholders in front of the gearlever and a drawer under the passenger seat. Other nice touches include the nets on both front seatbacks. The only real interior criticisms are the small door pockets and a general lack of colour. On the road, steering feel has improved noticeably over the old Zafira and other aspects such as the gearchange have been finessed. Ride quality and body control have improved dramatically from the previous model, thanks in no small part to a completely redesigned suspension system. The torsion beam rear axle also helps packaging, being especially compact, and allowing for a flat floor with no suspension intrusion. The key reason to choose the Zafira 2.2 is that lovely sixteen-valve engine. As for versatility, well it beats five-seat rivals hands down and could even make more sense for a medium-sized family than either a full sized MPV or the traditional Mondeo-sized affair. The 2.2-litre Zafira attracts a breed of buyer who had never previously considered a mini-MPV, it’s that good. Worth starting a family for? We’ll leave that up to you!

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Vauxhall Zafira 2.2 16v Direct range PRICES: £17,175-£20,350 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 9 CO2 EMISSIONS: 197g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 124mph / 0-60mph 9.9s FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 25.0mpg / (extra urban) 44.1mpg / (combined) 34.4mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front & side airbags, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4467/1781/1670mm

A MATTER OF CORSA
If you associate the Vauxhall Corsa with middle of the road mediocrity, you may need a sit down after checking out the latest version. Andy Enright reports

I must admit, if I was in the market for a supermini, one of the old Vauxhall Corsas would never have made my shortlist. It’s a cutthroat market and while the Corsa covered all the bases adequately, there was just too much excellence among the opposition to make it stand out. That said, I realise that I’m an exception and the Corsa was the UK’s best selling supermini of 2005, easily outselling the likes of the Renault Clio, the Ford Fiesta and the Peugeot 206. Even with this level of success, Vauxhall realised it wouldn’t take long for the public to twig that the Peugeot 207, the Fiat Grande Punto and the Renault Clio III had easily overtaken the Corsa in terms of talent. Something needed to be done but rather than play a conservative hand, Vauxhall, for the very first time, set out to endow the Corsa with some genuine flair.

It’s a move they had already made with the latest generation Astra, a car that offered such a quantum leap in styling and build quality over its predecessor that it seemed that a generation was somehow missing between the two cars. Similarly, if you’re a dyed-in-the-wool Corsa buyer, the latest model will be a rude awakening. The reason why is that Vauxhall were one of the very first manufacturers to really buy into spreading so-called ‘utility’ models right across their range. The introduction of the super practical Zafira and Meriva models means that those who want to do the flipping and folding thing with the seats have cars specifically designed for the task, freeing up models like the Astra, and now the Corsa, to get on with the business of looking rather good.

"No longer just a shopping trolley, the Corsa now has real impact…"

Compare this approach to that of, say, Peugeot who didn’t have a small MPV to speak of and had to develop the 307 family hatch as a sort of compromise. Sales stagnated while the combined weight of Zafira and Astra registrations have helped Vauxhall to a buoyant set of sales figures. The latest Corsa is offered in two different body styles. The five-door version features a more conservative profile with a flatter, longer roof section while the real scene stealer is the three-door version. No longer just a shopping trolley, the Corsa now has real impact. The front end features a deep Vauxhall V-grille with aggressive air intakes under the bumper and a pair of headlamps that smear back along the wings. Bigger than the model it replaces, the Corsa shares a platform with Fiat’s Grande Punto, the benefit of a rather complicated relationship between Fiat and General Motors that’s too convoluted to go into here. Suffice to say, you may be reminded of the pretty Fiat when you spot the window by the A-pillar and the rather unconventional door outlines. Climb inside and, if you’re used to the Astra, you’ll feel immediately at home here. The quality of materials used is leagues ahead of the old Corsa and like the Astra there’s the bulletproof feeling of build quality that’s as good as anything in the sector. Just about the only criticism of the Astra’s interior was that, although well built, it didn’t offer a whole lot of slick design to catch the eye. The Corsa changes that particular script with translucent ambient lighting on the centre console switchgear, one of those ‘surprise and delight’ features that adds the all-important showroom wow-factor. The round air vents and big satellite navigation screen (available on high spec cars only) give the Corsa’s dash a far more modern, integrated look than the somewhat piecemeal integration of technology of the old car. Four petrol engines and two diesels are on offer. First up on the petrol menu are the 1.2-litre and 1.4-litre units. Also available is a 189bhp 1.6-litre VXR variant that will certainly give the Clio Renaultsport 197 and the Honda Civic Type-R something to think about. Able to hit 60mph in around 7 seconds and with a 140mph top speed, this should be the first Corsa to really appeal to hardcore car enthusiasts rather than pimply teens. There’s also a 150PS version of the same engine in a slightly more affordable SRi version. No modern supermini can get by without a decent diesel engine and Vauxhall fortunately have two at their disposal. The 123bhp 1.7-litre diesel spearheads the line up, with a budget 1.3-litre CDTi acting as the entry level option. Like its progenitor, the Corsa is built in the same Zaragoza factory in Spain but breaks from tradition in offering a resolutely high tech approach. Halogen Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL) alters the beam of the headlamp according to speed and steering input, allowing the Corsa to see further round dark corners. There’s also an innovative Enhanced Understeer Control (EUC) function and convenience features such as MP3 compatibility and Bluetooth phone connectivity. Variable progressive sports power steering aims to offer finger light steering at parking speeds with a properly meaty feel when you’re really in the groove. Despite its strong sales figures, Vauxhall needed to give the Corsa a good whack up the backside and the latest model shows the benefits of this corporal approach. Smarter, prettier and a whole lot more sophisticated, the Corsa could well dominate sales charts for quite some time.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Vauxhall Corsa range PRICES: £9,000-£15,625 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 1-16 CO2 EMISSIONS: 124-190g/km PERFORMANCE: [1.3CDTi] 0-60mph 11.9s / Max Speed 107mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.3CDTi] (combined) 61.4mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: ABS, seatbelt pretensioners, twin front airbags WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3990/1710/1490mm

HATCH ATTACK
Vauxhall’s Astra had to shake off its predecessor's image as a dull car to drive. Jonathan Crouch reckons the 1.8SRi version should take a few plaudits for the change…

It’s been a long time since Vauxhall has made a mainstream model as well received by enthusiastic drivers as the latest Astra. ‘Go Drive’ is, for once, an appropriate advertising strapline. If you’re to do so, your model of choice may well be the 180bhp 1.6T SRi. Assuming of course you’ve the necessary £18,000 budget and can afford the hefty insurance. For most of us who can’t, yet still want to ‘Go Drive’, the 1.8-litre Astra 1.8 SRi featured here will be the weapon of choice.

For substantially less (£16,300 to be exact), you get a familiar 125bhp petrol powerplant that’s 2s slower to sixty (9.8s) and 14mph slower flat out (123mph) than the engine fitted to this car’s pricey stablemate. You get reasonable group 8 insurance and virtually the same subtle bodykit fitted to the 1.6T. You also get five-door practicality - either as a hatchback or, for about £1,000 more, an estate - though there’s also an identically-priced three-door Sport Hatch option. It is worth pointing out, however, that the more modern 1.6-litre turbo is half a mile per gallon more economical than the 36mpg you get in the 1.8 and churns out 185g/km as opposed to the 187g/km of the less powerful car. This takes the edge off the 1.8-litre SRi’s price advantage but a £2,000 saving still sounds a fair deal to us. Vauxhall has tweaked the Astra’s cosmetics a little, with sharper-looking front and rear lights, a revised front bumper, more chrome splashed about the grille and the choice of piano black or matt chrome interior finishing. Sport Hatch models also get a honeycomb front grille. As befits its sporting nature, this SRi features lowered suspension, sports seats, sports instruments, front fog lights and a matt chromed centre console. Mind you, many ‘sporting’ Vauxhalls have featured such things in recent years, yet serious drivers have ventured out in them only to be bored and disappointed. Not so this time. Cornering roll is minimal, which encourages you to throw the car into corners with greater gusto. You can do so later too, thanks to meaty brakes which are so powerful you’ll thrill at their bite. Watch other road users apply their brakes and then sail past them, relying on the SRi’s astonishing powers of retardation. Gearboxes are not a Vauxhall strongpoint and this close ratio example certainly could be slicker. It is however, one of the company's better efforts. The steering's responsive too, with plenty of feedback when you want it, yet usefully light when you don't.

"Unless you really need the extra performance of the 1.6T, this 1.8-litre SRi ticks most of the boxes…"

Of course, we've had stiff suspension set-ups on Astras before - but at a cost; a ride that shook the fillings out of your teeth. Here, thankfully, its different. In fact, the SRi's ride is arguably class-leading, thanks to the way it handles poor surfaces with accomplished ease. This is complemented by impressive levels of refinement; you feel you could drive this hot hatch all day without getting tired of it. The driving position helps in this regard, second to none in the class, with height adjustment on both the driver's seat and a height and reach-adjustable leather-trimmed chunky three-spoke steering wheel. The pedals are perfectly aligned and the sports seats supportive, with bucket-like side bolsters. So far, so good. Certainly, you don't need to go very far to realise that you're at the wheel of an uncommonly well-engineered car. One thing that Vauxhall trust will be immediately apparent is the Astra’s ride quality courtesy of an advanced suspension system. It’s the first car in its class to feature Continuous Damping Control (CDC), electronically controlled shock absorbers that continuously adapt to the road surface and the driver’s style. It’s all part of what Vauxhall dub the Astra’s ‘Interactive Driving System’ (IDS) that can integrate all of the electronic functions in a way that’s a good deal cleverer that you might think. For example, the ESP stability control system now beefs up the damper forces first before applying the brakes to the front wheels during extreme cornering manoeuvres making for a more sensitive and less intrusive intervention. Despite all of these high tech touches, the Astra still uses a relatively simple beam axle at the back instead of the sophisticated multi-link layouts used by Volkswagen and Ford. The forgettable styling that has historically characterised this car has also been banished. Vauxhall’s bland effort last time round with this model range cost them dear when the dynamically-styled Ford Focus was subsequently launched. "That Astra was the answer to my prayers", one Ford marketing man told me at the time. The men from the Blue Oval are unlikely to be as smugly self-satisfied this time around. That’s not to say that practicality has been sacrificed at the altar of styling. Clever packaging and a long wheelbase have helped to maximise the car’s interior space, helped in no small part by the fact that the exterior tale of the tape shows the Astra is one of the biggest cars in it’s class. That sloping roofline looks as if it’ll pinch rear headroom but look a little closer and you’ll notice the sloping line that catches the eye is but a chamfer and the actual roofline arcs higher. Rear headroom is in fact better than the old-shape car and legroom and shoulder room is in another league. A Vauxhall spokesman claimed that the interior of the new Astra fitted like a glove, but as few people we know are shaped like hands, this would seem to present certain problems. Not so. Big doors and surprisingly upright side windows give an airy feel to the interior, although anybody familiar with the look and feel of the latest Vectra’s cabin won’t find much to excite them with the Astra’s fascia. A good package then, both as an overall car and in this particular guise. Unless you really need the extra performance of the 1.6T, this 1.8-litre SRi ticks most of the boxes and shouldn’t be overlooked, even if you’d normally have a snobby attitude to the Vauxhall badge. Try it before you knock it. You might well be pleasantly surprised.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Vauxhall Astra 1.8 SRi PRICE: £16,300 - £17,050 - on the road CO2 EMISSIONS: 180-192g/km INSURANCE GROUP: 8 PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 123mph / 0-60mph 9.8s FUEL CONSUMPTION: (average) 36mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front & side airbags / ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [5dr] Length/Width/Heightmm 4249/2030/1460mm

HOLD ‘EM AND FOLD ‘EM
Vauxhall Aren’t Gambling With The Latest Diesel Zafiras. They Know They’ve Got Aces In Their Hand. Andy Enright Reports

There’s an entirely understandable logic that dictates that if you’re about to buy a practical car you should choose a practical engine. Vauxhall always made great play regarding the racy turbocharged versions of their Zafiras but when was the last time you saw one on the road? Of far greater significance are the more prosaic but relevant diesel engines fitted to the latest Zafira and Vauxhall can serve up a pair of aces.

Both engines are 1.9-litre common rail diesel units. Buyers choose between an entry-level 120bhp powerplant or for those in a hurry, there’s the 150bhp version. Prices open at £17,290 for the CDTi120 in Life guise and top out at £21,340 for a CDTi150 in Elite trim. To save you reaching for a back copy of a car magazine, that works out less than the old model. When you consider what an improved vehicle the latest Zafira is, it’s easy to see why Vauxhall’s competitors are looking a little nervy. Both engines feel lively and flexible with little of the lag and surge that afflicted the power delivery of early turbodiesel units. They aren’t the quietest diesel engines I’ve experienced and if refinement is a priority, cars like the Corolla Verso D4-D and Honda FR-V 2.2 i-CTDi are markedly superior. Soundproofing in the wheelarches and underbody could also be a little better. Until you drive the two Zafira diesel models back to back, it’s tough to appreciate how much quicker the 150bhp installation is but for most customers the cheaper 120bhp unit will be the better buy. Both are fitted as standard with a six-speed manual and the 120bhp car will get to 60mph in 12 seconds while the 150bhp model will detain you for 10.2. Top speeds are pegged at 116 and 126mph respectively and combined economy figures are 46.3mpg for the 120 and 45.6 for the 150. Carbon dioxide emissions vary little, the 120bhp Zafira putting out 165 grammes per kilometre travelled and the more powerful model a scant 2 grammes more. Opt for the automatic on the 120bhp car and the figures become a good deal less impressive.

"These diesel engines are reliable, economical and flexible"

Given that the Saab 9-3 Sports Saloon shares these two powerplants, it’s easy to appreciate that they punt a Zafira up the road with no little verve. Mid range torque is predictably good and the gearlever is fun to snick around the gate. Ride quality and body control have improved dramatically from the old Zafira, thanks in no small part to a completely redesigned suspension system. The torsion beam rear axle also helps packaging, being especially compact, allowing for a flat floor with no suspension intrusion. The one thing you can never have enough of in an MPV-style vehicle is space and sure enough, the tale of the tape reveals that the Zafira has succumbed, if not to middle age spread, then at least a little loosening of the belt. This is perhaps understandable given the fact that with utility vehicles like the Meriva mopping up sales in the supermini-MPV class and no recognised full-sized MPV contender, there was a vacuum into which the Zafira would be drawn. Six inches longer, 1.5 inches wider and a shade taller than the outgoing car, the latest Zafira retains the seven-seat configuration, with a middle bench seat offering three berths and two seats in the back that also fold flat into the floor. What has changed is the amount of legroom on offer to the occupants. Whereas the old car would have been hideously cramped with all seven seats in use, the latest model offers a little more breathing space. It’s still not ideally suited to a rugby sevens team and their kit, but for the larger family, it’s close to perfect. As before, the seating system is so versatile that the Zafira can be configured in two, three, four, five, six or seven seat guises in a matter of seconds. Most buyers will run in five-seat format, and in this mode the Vauxhall can cope with 620-litres of luggage – fully 20 more than the old car. Depending on the trim level, the Zafira can also boast up to 30 storage compartments. The ‘Flex Organiser’ luggage bay stowage system that has proved a success with Astra Estate buyers is also available on the Zafira. Don’t believe the hype that the Flex7 system is instantly intuitive. Some reference to the manual and a certain degree of practice is required before you can say you’ve mastered the seating system. It is to the Astra that the Zafira owes many of its exterior design cues. Whereas the old Zafira was clearly related to the Astra Mk IV, the current model looks for all the world like a MkV Astra Estate that’s been attached to a garage air line. A particularly interesting feature is the optional panorama roof. With four large glass panels, this system offers passengers a light, airy atmosphere in the back, while tinted glass and a powered shade protect against dazzle. A centre console running the length of the ceiling has a number of overhead compartments. Built in a £300 million state-of-the-art facility in Bochum, Germany, the latest Zafira is built to a zero defect principle and the results are apparent inside the cabin. Although it doesn’t feel quite as bulletproof as the Astra inside, it’s still a very impressive effort. With the exception of overall refinement, there’s little to generate complaint. Expect to see these diesel models at the top of the mini-MPV sales chart.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Vauxhall Zafira CDTi diesel range PRICES: £17,290-£21,340 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 7E-9E CO2 EMISSIONS: 165-167g/km PERFORMANCE: [150bhp] Max Speed 126mph / 0-60mph 10.2s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [120bhp] (average) 46.3mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4467/1776/1637mm

VAUXHALL GETS A GRIP
Vauxhall is looking to clear the 4x4 slate with its Antara. Andy Enright reports…

Let’s not beat about the bush. Before we get any further discussing Vauxhall’s latest 4x4 we need to lose our inhibitions a bit and get the F-word out there. For all the Antara’s appeal, it’s impossible not to frame it against the last 4x4 Vauxhall sold in volume. Routinely bottom of user satisfaction polls, the Frontera hasn’t given the Antara too much to live up to. It’s been a long time since the Frontera vanished, unnoticed and unloved in the late nineties, and Vauxhall is a very different company. One brief look at the Antara is enough to confirm this.

It’s neatly proportioned in a manner not dissimilar to class leaders like the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V. Indeed without its badges, most would identify this as a Japanese car, the intricate detailing, extensive use of chrome and clever packaging making it look anything but a European or American 4x4. The fact that it shares most of its parts with the Chevrolet Captiva will only add to the confusion until it becomes clear, with a little investigation, that this model was developed at the GM Daewoo design centre in Incheon, Korea. Suddenly it all starts to make a lot more sense. Drop into the cabin and it’s undoubtedly a Vauxhall product though. The centre console features switchgear that’s familiar to Astra owners. The stereo controls are even broadly similar to a Cadillac BLS, such is the global reach of General Motors these days. Three circular air vents dominate the fascia, sitting beneath a unit that houses the satellite navigation, if it’s specified, or the stereo controls and on-board computer, if it isn’t.

"Expect the Antara to become extremely popular"

Unlike the Captiva, which can be specified in seven seat trim, the Antara is strictly a five-seater. With the rear seats folded, there’s 1,420 litres of luggage space available and even with them in place, the Antara isn’t shy of capacity. The loading aperture is quite narrow, however, the tailgate fitting between the two big rear light clusters. The design is clever in reducing the perceived bulk of what is a surprisingly spacious vehicle. Viewed in isolation, the Antara looks to be about the size of a RAV4 or a Grand Vitara but the tale of the tape shows that it’s a much heftier piece of metalwork. For a start, it’s fully 4,570mm long, compared with the 4,415 of the Toyota and the 4,470mm of the Suzuki. Even comparing it to the Vauxhall Zafira, we find the mini-MPV breaking the tape at just 4,467mm. That figure should be taken with a pinch if salt though, as the Antara has a lot more bonnet than the Zafira and the wheelbases are around the same. Perhaps engineering the Flex7 seating system into the Antara would have been too big an investment. What the Antara is definitely not, however, is a challenger to the likes of Jeep or Range Rover. Although it does boast four wheel drive, ground clearance is limited and although it does come fitted with a hill descent function, there’s no low range transfer case. In fact, for most of the time the Antara runs in front wheel drive mode only, the electromagnetically operated electro-hydraulic clutch sending up to fifty per cent of drive to the back wheels when the going gets slippery. Customers get to choose between an entry-level 138bhp 2.4-litre petrol unit and a 148bhp 2.0-litre CDTi diesel, both fitted with a five-speed manual gearbox as standard. If you hanker after an automatic, you’ll have to buy the diesel and then pay a supplement. Prices start at around £20,000 and there’s a choice of E, S or SE trim levels. The 148bhp oil burner looks set to be the most popular choice. Although the engine does its best work in a relatively narrow band between 2,800 and 4,000rpm, if you’re quick with the stick, you can make very respectable progress - breaking ten seconds to 60mph and going on to a fairly academic top speed of 112mph. Drive in a more measured fashion and the combined economy figure should approach 33mpg. So, by this point you’ve got to grips with why Vauxhall has launched the car, what engines you get and where this compact 4x4 fits into the overall scheme of things. The next question is, what does ‘Antara’ mean? At first I figured it was one of those vaguely Greek sounding made-up words that creative agencies are paid a fortune to come up with but it is, in fact, the equivalent of a verse in Hindustani classical music. Vauxhall was even beaten to the punch as a trade name, Antara being a prescription drug designed to lower cholesterol, so perhaps an even pricier agency should have been commissioned when tasked with naming the car. Although this Antara can’t guarantee to combat the effects of an artery-clogging fry-up, it at least encourages a rather more active lifestyle. As with the Corsa, the Antara can be specified with the optional FlexFix system, a clever slide-out bike rack which emerges from under the rear bumper. This was pretty tricky to package in the Antara thanks to the rear wheels being driven but Vauxhall has managed it. There are also roof rails fitted that will easily accept a ski box or additional bikes. The Antara isn’t the most capable nor the most innovative 4x4 on the market but what it does offer is neat styling, decent build quality, a badge that people trust backed up by a massive dealer network, tried and tested engines and an affordable price tag. With neither Ford, Renault, Peugeot, Citroën nor Fiat producing a credible alternative, the Antara looks set to rack up some respectable sales. While the Vauxhall’s biggest rival may be its cousin, the Chevrolet Captiva, it nevertheless looks set to banish memories of the unfortunate Frontera for good. For that, if nothing else, it should be welcomed with open arms.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Vauxhall Antara range PRICES: £19,995-£26,320 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 11-13 [est] CO2 EMISSIONS: 198-238g/km PERFORMANCE: [2.0 CDTI] Max Speed 111mph / 0-60mph 10.3s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0 CDTI] (urban) 31.7mpg / (extra urban) 41.5mpg / (combined) 37.7mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front & side airbags, ABS, ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width mm 4570/1850mm

QUALITY COUNTS
It’s hard not to be impressed by the latest Corsa, reviewed here in CDTi diesel form. Andy Enright reports…

Although Vauxhall probably won’t thank me for reminding them, you don’t have to wind the clock back too far to the days when the Corsa represented everything that was run of the mill about the company. At its best, Vauxhall can produce some wonderful cars. When they’re freewheeling, you get vehicles like the old Corsa, barely average in most every regard. The company’s issue had long been that it did the niche products well but the potentially big revenue earners were never anything to get excited about. In recent years this has changed, and the latest Corsa hammers that point home with real exuberance. The diesel model seen here unceremoniously elbows aside its established rivals in aiming at the supermini top spot.

Before we start getting too harsh on the old Corsa, lets not forget that it’s only petrolheads like us that turn our noses up at it. The vast majority of the public found it perfectly acceptable and even made it the UK’s best selling supermini of 2005, easily outselling the likes of the Renault Clio, the Ford Fiesta and the Peugeot 206. Even with this level of success, Vauxhall realised it wouldn’t take long for the public to twig that the next generation of superminis such as the Peugeot 207, the Fiat Grande Punto and the Renault Clio III would put a number on the Corsa and have responded with a serious broadside. Three diesel engines are offered, as are two body styles and a host of trim levels that aren’t actually too difficult to get to grips with. The engines comprise a 75bhp 1.3-litre CDTi unit and a 90bhp version that uses much the same oily bits, with a flagship 125bhp 1.7-litre CDTi rounding off the range. The figures for the 1.3-litre 90bhp car that most customers will end up choosing are very creditable indeed. While it’s no ball of fire, getting to 60mph in 11.9 seconds, midrange poke is more than acceptable. Engine refinement isn’t quite as good as with its big brother.

"The Corsa diesel is genuinely knock your socks off impressive"

Recompense comes in the form of excellent fuel economy, registering the same 61.4mpg figure as the 75bhp version. Vauxhall has deliberately configured the Corsa’s trim, transmissions and pricing structures so that 75bhp and 90bhp engines are never offered in the same body style, with the same gearbox and in identical trim, making it hard to gauge how big the step up in price between the two engines is. Trim levels run through Life, Club, SXi, Design and SRi. The 75bhp engine available in the first two trims, the 90bhp in the next two and the 125bhp is offered in the last two. Opening price for the 75bhp engine is £9,810 which will buy you a three-door Life with a five-speed manual, whereas you’ll need £11,490 to get your hands on a CDTi 90, in this instance in three-door SXi trim with a six-speed manual box. The five-door version features a more conservative profile with a flatter, longer roof section, while the real scene stealer is the three-door with its sweeping roofline and big C-pillars. The SRi mimics the looks to the VXR hot hatch and starts from £14,235. No longer just a shopping trolley, the Corsa now has real impact. The front end features a deep Vauxhall V-grille with aggressive air intakes under the bumper and a pair of headlamps that smear back along the wings. Bigger than the model it replaces, the Corsa shares a platform with Fiat’s Grande Punto, the benefit of a rather complicated relationship between Fiat and General Motors that’s too convoluted to go into here. Suffice to say, you may be reminded of the pretty Fiat when you spot the window by the A-pillar and the rather unconventional door outlines. Climb inside and, if you’re used to the Astra, you’ll feel immediately at home here. The quality of materials used is leagues ahead of the old Corsa and like the Astra, there’s the bulletproof feeling of build quality that’s as good as anything in the sector. Just about the only criticism of the Astra’s interior was that, although well built, it didn’t offer a whole lot of slick design to catch the eye. The Corsa changes that particular script with translucent ambient lighting on the centre console switchgear, one of those ‘surprise and delight’ features that adds the all-important showroom wow-factor. The round air vents and big satellite navigation screen (available on high spec cars only) give the Corsa’s dash a far more modern, integrated look than the somewhat piecemeal integration of technology of the old car. Other smart ideas include ‘chameleon-style’ Velcro and zip-off dash and trim parts that can be changed to alter the personality of the Corsa’s cabin. Like its progenitor, the Corsa will be built in the same Zaragoza factory in Spain but breaks from tradition in offering a resolutely high tech approach. Halogen Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL) alters the beam of the headlamp according to speed and steering input, allowing the Corsa to see further round dark corners. There’s also an innovative Enhanced Understeer Control (EUC) function and convenience features such as MP3 compatibility and Bluetooth phone connectivity. Variable progressive sports power steering aims to offer finger light steering at parking speeds with a properly meaty feel when you’re really in the groove. Few industry observers would have put money on the Corsa turning out this good. None would have tipped it to be a class leader but in the diesel models, Vauxhall may well have exactly that. The response should be interesting.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Vauxhall Corsa CDTi diesel range PRICES: £9,810-£14,235 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 3-6 CO2 EMISSIONS: 128-132 g/km PERFORMANCE: [1.3 90] 0-60mph 11.9s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.3 90] (combined) 61.4mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Full UK specifications to be announced. WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3990/1710/1490mm

A BIG VAUXHALL EXCLUSIV!
The Signum Was A Touch Too Exclusive For Vauxhall’s Liking So They Introduced The Entry-Level Exclusiv To Make Things A Bit More Inclusive. Go Figure. Steve Walker Reports…

What makes Vauxhall’s Signum Exclusiv so exclusive? Is it the fact that Vauxhall’s executive hatch hasn’t exactly set the sales charts on fire since its launch in 2003 and remains a relatively uncommon sight on our roads? Is it the colour satellite navigation system and 18" alloy wheels? Or could it be that mysterious missing ‘e’? Whatever the reason, if the Exclusiv model finds willing owners in large numbers, it’s exclusivity will be reduced as Vauxhall’s coffers swell. Perversely, the success of this special edition will be judged on how effectively it fails to live up to its name.

A brief appraisal of the facts would seem to suggest that the Signum Exclusiv has the potential to help reverse the trend of less than outstanding sales levels that has effected the wider Signum range. At £18,225, it’s cheaper than the more basic Elegance model and Vauxhall haven’t been backwards in coming forward brandishing an armful of extra equipment for the car. There’s little doubt that satellite navigation, sat nav to its friends, is one of the technologies of the moment in the motor industry. Systems are becoming more accurate, easier to use and, crucially, more cheaply available in mainstream cars. The Signum Exclusiv ensures its place on the bandwagon that should never get lost by fitting Vauxhall’s colour screen sat nav system as standard. Vauxhall point out that: "…some manufacturers cheekily ask £5,000 for extras such as satellite navigation and alloy wheels" and while their pricing estimate is definitely more Rolls Royce than Rover, they do have a point - satellite navigation is usually fairly expensive when fitted as an option. At this point we should probably point out that all Signum models get satellite navigation, it’s just that the system in the Exclusiv has a colour screen instead of the monochrome one. It’s definitely the colour sat nav that adds the most value to the Signum Exclusiv package but there’s lots of other stuff in there to seduce buyers as well. The 18" alloy wheels do much to upgrade the Signum’s external appearance and there’s even the option of going large and having 19" rolling stock for only £200 extra. Also outside, there are roof rails and halogen fog lamps while the interior is upgraded with platinum-effect inserts on the doors and facia. Elsewhere, the Exclusiv benefits from all the equipment that’s standard on the other Signum models including six airbags, the adaptable flex-space seating system, cruise control and air-conditioning. Even with all this in tow, the Exclusiv is £650 less than the Elegance derivative.

"…Vauxhall haven’t been backwards in coming forward brandishing an armful of extra equipment for the car."

The Exclusiv model’s £18,225 to £20,550 price range encompasses three engine options. The 3.0-litre diesel and 2.8-litre Turbo petrol engines that inflate the Signum’s asking prices to pepper the £25,000 mark are not offered and neither is the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine. What you can have in your Exclusiv is a 140bhp 1.8-litre 16v or a 2.2-litre 16v petrol unit or one of the two 1.9-litre CDTi common-rail diesels. The pick of the available engine line-up is probably the 150bhp 1.9-litre CDTi. It trumps its 120bhp underling by breaching the 60mph barrier from standstill in 10s as oppose to 11.2 and returning an average fuel consumption of 46mpg – close enough to the less powerful CDTi unit so as not to matter. Both the diesels produce their power in the middle of the rev range where engines do most of their work but the progressive, higher-revving delivery of the petrol units may be preferable to some. The 1.8-litre petrol engine is quicker to 60mph than the 120bhp CDTi, which costs £2,000 more, but fuel consumption of 40mpg is less impressive. The 2.2-litre petrol engine is the most rapid over the 0-60mph sprint, posting a time of 8.8s which will leave many a sporty hatchback trailing and the 35mpg economy figure is reasonable. For just £600 in addition to the 1.8-litre petrol unit, the 2.2 looks the best bet for the keen driver. On the road, the Signum Exclusiv benefits from sports suspension: it’s still more of a competent, comfortable drive than an exciting one but it can be enjoyable on the right route. On long trips, whether you’re at the wheel or in the back benefiting from the impressive legroom, the Signum appears to eat up the miles and you should arrive in fine fettle. The optional automatic gearbox actually complements the car’s character very well and for £1,300 may be preferable to the manual box. These are good qualities for an executive car to display but is the Signum an executive car in the traditional sense? Looking at the Signum and driving it, especially an Exclusiv model with the big wheels and the high equipment levels, it’s hard not to form a positive opinion. The car’s problem is that, when viewed in context of the wider market, it’s a little difficult to get a handle on what it is and who it’s aimed at. Vauxhall had considerable success with the Omega some years back. This was a 4-door executive saloon and people bought it. If the Signum is a replacement for the Omega designed to compete for similar buyers, why has it taken the shape of a hatchback-come-estate with the flex-space seating system as found in Vauxhall MPVs? Saab, another inhabitant of the General Motors stable, recently pulled out of the 5-door market altogether citing their opinion that buyers where not interested in 5-door executive cars as the main reason for their actions. It makes Vauxhall’s creation of an executive hatchback based on the Vectra seem a rather unorthodox move. On the plus-side, a facelift has drastically improved the Signum’s front end making it much sportier than before and this can only be good for sales. Put all the whys and wherefores to one side and the Signum Exclusiv looks a decent bet. It deserves to defy its naming and become a roaring sales success but for many, the relative exclusivity will be a key part of the appeal. When you look at the equipment on offer, there’s good value contained within the Exclusiv package and the Signum itself has comfort and attractive styling on its side.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Vauxhall Signum Exclusiv range PRICES: £18,225-£20,550 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 10-11 CO2 EMISSIONS: 162-194g/km PERFORMANCE: [2.2 16v]Max Speed 131mph / 0-60mph 8.8s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [CDTi 120] (combined) 47mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side & roof airbags / ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm 4636/1798/1466mm

SIG OF THE PUMP
The Vauxhall Signum usually escapes the attention of mainstream executive car buyers but the 250bhp 2.8-litre Turbo engine could help it make a bigger impact. Steve Walker reports…

Vauxhall can quite justifiably claim that their Signum inaugurated a completely new market sector when it was launched back in 2003. Unfortunately, demand for ‘executive hatchbacks’ didn’t really materialise in the manner hoped and the other marques scrambling to jump aboard the Signum’s rather lonely bandwagon have been noticeable by their absence. Soldiering on in its market sector of one, at least the Signum can lay claim to 100% of sales and a certain leftfield appeal to attract buyers disillusioned by the copycat mainstream. With the lusty 2.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine installed, the big Vauxhall becomes an even more intriguing proposition.

With 2.8-litres of capacity divided between six-cylinders, variable valve control and a twin scroll turbocharger, the Signum’s range-topping engine is a serious piece of kit. It’s the same unit that delivers the 276bhp punch in the Vectra VXR and that has found its way into various range-topping Saabs. In this instance, it’s producing 250bhp, enough to get the Signum through the 0-60mph time trial in 6.8s and to bounce the car off its artificial limiter at 155mph. To put this performance into perspective, the Signum 2.8T is quicker than a Volkswagen Golf GTI and on a par with the Honda Civic Type-R. If you want to go faster in one of the German compact executive models that the Signum aims to wrestle sales from, you’ll need a BMW 330i, an Audi A4 3.2FSI or a Mercedes C350, all of which command price-tags that pepper the £30K barrier. The 2.8-litre Turbo Vauxhall Signum is available from £23,200.

"Vauxhall’s Signum appeals to buyers willing to look beyond the mainstream"

It’s unfair to make these kinds of comparisons without mentioning the big D and the there’s no doubt that depreciation is a major Achilles heel for the Signum in this company. The German models are significantly better investments over a typical ownership period but company car users who can stomach the fuel consumption and CO2 taxation hit of a big petrol-engined estate car could make a case for the Signum. If you’re interested, you can expect an average return of 25mpg and to be taxed on emissions of 260g/km but that boy racer beating performance and creamy V6 growl might be consolation enough. The Signum’s unorthodoxy stems primarily from its layout. The flagship model in the Vauxhall range, it aims to offer greater interior flexibility than your common or garden compact executive estate. After years spent pedalling the Omega saloon and largely failing to break into the German-dominated big time, Vauxhall surmised that competing head-on against such products without a prestige badge to break the ice with buyers was a fruitless exercise. This is why the Signum hatchback offers something different. It sits on an extended Vectra estate chassis and features the clever FlexSpace seating concept. This allows the outer rear pair of seats to slide back and forth, allowing a trade off between legroom and luggage capacity. What’s more, these seats can also recline to a 30-degree angle. Although it makes a big play of its spaciousness, the Signum works best as a four, rather than five seater. The central berth in the back is rather hard and Vauxhall don’t recommend it for anyone over 5’10" tall but it does have its uses. The cushion flips through 180-degrees, revealing cup holders and storage boxes. It can also accommodate the Travel Assistant, another Vauxhall invention that’s standard on the range-topping Elite but costs a little extra on other variants. The Travel Assistant offers the two rear seat passengers a pair of folding tables, a fridge, a litter tub, cup holders, a 12v power outlet and a holder for a portable DVD player. It’s all rather civilised, much like flying window seat in Club class. There are even overhead lockers in which to stow oddments, Vauxhall providing five flock-lined, silicon-damped storage compartments up top for small items such as sunglasses and mobile phones. The Vectra platform has actually proved quite a good foundation from which to sprout the Signum. Fundamentally wide, it allows a number of features to be built into the chunky centre console which subsequently means that the buttons don’t need to be the size of pinheads, something you’ll appreciate when trying to adjust the controls. Vauxhall have helped by mounting a number of controls on the steering wheel, itself infinitely adjustable. Although some of the plastics may disappoint those who expect a genuine premium car, it’s nevertheless on a par with cars like the Volvo S80 and – whisper it – modern Mercs. Standard equipment runs to colour screen satellite navigation, 17" alloy wheels, air-conditioning, six airbags and an eight-way adjustable