Fancy your own mid-range cruiser
- well-built, refined, comfortable ride, roomy, economical, safe as houses? Price tag for Vauxhall: £1.1 billion. It's hard to see what the money was spent on with this saloon, estate & 5-door hatch replacement for
the Cavalier: it looks very similar. The focus is on cheap running and motorway refinement, not on having fun. Vectra is a car for the fleet market – the turbo-diesel is highly rated as a fleet buy - private buyers are
something of a rarity. Prices range from £14,700 to £22,780.Latest News
Summer '99 saw a facelift for the Vectra; it gained a new grille and clear plastic headlamps, bringing it into
line with the look of the new Astra. The 2.5 GSi, the fastest Vectra ever, went on sale at the same time with a top speed of 148mph and 0-60mph of 7.6 seconds
. The current Vectra will survive until 2001, when an all-new model codenamed the
GM3200 will become available. Network Q has made further customer pledges, including an expanded guarantee to cover wear and tear items such as brake pads and shoes for 6 months, an ownership promise certificate which
holds Network Q retailers accountable for customer mileage, finance, vehicle history and write-off checks; also, there is a guarantee that any upgrades issued to specific
models by Vauxhall since a car's launch will be carried out by the dealer.
Buying Used
Holds value poorly, should be a very cheap used buy. No major problems have been reported, but
Vauxhalls have a consistently poor record on electrical & mechanical problems. Network Q cars offer more peace -of-mind and you also get a 6 month guarantee.
Vectra 2.0 CD
NEW chassis and suspension tuning for a tauter and more comfortable ride and handling balance, improved steering, modified engines for greater economy and driveability, a restyled interior and
visually enhancing body styling job have added new life to the 1999 Vectra. The changes form a much-needed mid-life refresher for the troubled Vectra which has received more than its fair share
of industry brickbats since it was launched in 1995.
The larger sports-styled bodycolour bumpers give the most immediate clue to the changes, while
jewel-effect one-piece headlamp and indicator units generate 20% more light for a clearer view at night. Body colour door handles go with door mirrors increased in size by 12% to cure one of the
Vectra's worst failings. The most radical suspension changes affect 2.0-litre Vectras - which account for some 30% of Vectra volumes: all models get the 2.5 V6's firmer settings for tauter ride
and handling, while the 2.0-litre engine also receives twin balancer shafts for smoother running. Along with individual model changes, the range has been realigned to give a more understandable model line-up.
Previously a limited edition model, the Arctic has now been incorporated into the range, priced just above the lead-in Envoy. The cheapest Vectra remains the 1.6 Envoy at £14,810 on the road, but
extra equipment means all models are now better value. ABS, Trafficmaster, driver and passenger airbags, lumbar support, remote audio controls, tilt steering, a rev counter and tinted glass are
standard across the range. Envoy and LS now have 15in steel wheels as standard, while the GLS and CD (tested here) models now come with alloy wheels as standard. But the burning question is
do the changes make a real difference to the Vectra's perception in the industry? The 2.0 CD at £17,705 on the road in either four or five-door form, with the estate £800 more at £18,505 ready to go.
Fleet appeal
RUNNING cost comparisons don't paint a particularly bright picture for the revised Vectra. The highest running costs of our group of rivals, at 29.47ppm, are almost 3.5ppm more than the
class-leading Renault Laguna 1.8 16v RXE's 26.20ppm and nearly a penny more per mile more than the equivalent Mondeo's 28.67ppm. Clearly the Laguna's price advantage - at £16,700 on the road, it is over £1,000 che
aper than the Vectra - plays a major part in this, but fuel consumption is
also an issue.
The Laguna's impressive 37.7mpg trounces the Vectra and Passat's 33.2mpg on the combined cycle, while even the Mondeo, generally accepted as a frugal car, can't compete with 35.3mpg. The
Laguna's figure gives it a penny per mile advantage - equivalent to a £600 saving over three years/60,000 miles. More
worrying is the Vectra's lowly residual value prediction. At £5,975 after three years/60,000 miles, or 33% of cost new, it is a long way behind the Volkswagen Passat's £7,275/42%, according to CAP
Monitor Future Residual Values, although on a par with the Mondeo's £5,875/33%.
Driver appeal
THE revised suspension and chassis modifications have transformed the Vectra's otherwise
run-of-the-mill chassis set-up. The 2.0-litre CD corners far more crisply than before, while the steering has welcome extra feel; it adds poise and driver appeal previously unknown to the Vectra.
Twin balancer shafts on the 2.0-litre ECOTEC engine mean it is smoother and freer revving. Its 136bhp at 5,600rpm gives a decent turn of speed, too, with a maximum of 131mph and 0-60mph
time of 9.5 seconds. That's enough performance for real enjoyment, especially with the chassis' new-found agility, and with enhanced ride comfort the Vectra now comes close to challenging the
Mondeo and Laguna. As with all Vectras, ABS is standard, though the brakes are unchanged from other models. A firmer pedal and more bite would add reassurance, though ultimate brake
performance isn't bad. Only the gearchange lets it down. After the slick-shifting Mondeo's sweet five-speeder, the Vectra's change feels notchy and obstructive, though it's little better than the
Laguna's. It's interesting to note the 2.5 gets a new cable-operated shift; Vauxhall would be well-advised to adopt this on lesser models.
Comfort and interior
NEW trim with two-tone colour choice and a darker brown dash lift the Vectra's interior over the previous, rather sombre, black cabin. There's more oddments space, too, with a moulded pocket
behind the interior lights and an extra cubby in the facia. Resculpted seats give rear passengers 30mm more leg room, and there are new seat fabrics. The trip recorder has been resited to make
it easier to see. All models come with Vauxhall's excellent wheel-mounted stereo controls. Otherwise the interior is familiar Vectra which means a narrow-looking facia, small windscreen and
a driving position that isn't ideal, despite the rake-adjustable steering column. It's not as spacious as some rivals, notably the Volkswagen Passat and Peugeot 406, but the boot is big in hatchback
form at 16.9cu m (17.7cu m for the saloon), and a 60/40 split rear seat back is standard.
Safety and security
DRIVER and passenger airbags as standard across the range bring the Vectra into line with the Passat and Peugeot 406. ABS, de-coupling pedal box, a novel Active Headrest System to reduce
whiplash injury and a higher rear third brake light all give the Vectra a competitive safety rating. Vauxhall scooped the BVRLA security award for its mid-range cars in 1998, but the Vectra missed
out this time round. Even so, all models come with remote central locking with deadlocks, while the CD adds an alarm.
Equipment and value
AIR conditioning is standard on the GLS upwards, and it complements an equipment list that includes twin airbags, a CAR400 stereo radio/cassette that can be swapped for a single CD
player at no extra cost, alloy wheels, remote locking and front electric windows. The TrafficMaster congestion warning system is also standard, and power door mirrors, wheel-mounted stereo
controls and new cloth trim add an upmarket touch to the interior.
But the Vectra is no bargain compared with rivals. At £17,705 on the road, it is one of the more
expensive upper medium contenders. Though cheaper than the Mondeo 2.0 Ghia, it is less than £250 away from the Passat 1.8 SE with optional air conditioning at £17,950 on the road - to many
a more desirable car all round than the Vectra.
Verdict
WITH its new set of clothes and smart new interior trim, Vauxhall's mid-ranger gets a useful boost -
and not before time. In 2.0-litre form it benefits from enhanced ride and handling and the smoothness that twin balancer shafts bring to the engine. The enhancements help banish some of
the old car's deficiencies, such as lacklustre ride and handling and mediocre refinement, but in some ways they emphasise other fundamental deficiencies - the narrow cabin, so-so interior space and poor driving position.
We feel it's a shame the suspension changes haven't been extended below 2.0-litre models as the dynamic benefits are undeniable. There seems little sense in having two levels of ride and handling
in the 'cooking' models in the range. That said, the extra equipment is welcome. In the CD's case, smart alloy wheels and the body styling modifications have made this mid-range Vectra a classy-looking junior exec.
The rivals
Ford Mondeo 2.0 Ghia - Always a crisp handler, Mondeo is now smoother riding than before,
though not at the expense of chassis crispness. Outstanding cabin, seats and driving position beats Vectra's for space, though the 2-litre 136bhp Zetec engine is punchy but somewhat coarse.
Good value and highly accomplished, with Ford's competitive running cost profile. VW Passat 1.8 SE - Beautifully built and with an image that sits a class above most upper medium rivals, the
Passat is a highly desirable car. Residual values sit easily above most mainstream competitors, though these have reduced now that Volkswagen has sorted its supply problems. Ride and
handling are a little soft in SE form, but equipment, space and quality are all top-notch. Recommended.
Renault Laguna 1.8 RXE - The new 120bhp 1.8 16-valve engine is a cracker, delivering
class-leading performance and economy in the keenly-priced Laguna. In RXE form, it comes with alloy wheels, twin airbags, sunroof and air conditioning, making it one of the best-specced cars in
the business. Trouble is, the RT Sport is almost as well-equipped and costs £1,000 less - the real bargain of the range.
Design Overview
Hatchback, estate or saloon; 6 engines; 9 trim levels
Plus
Reasonable build quality inside & out, large glass area, spacious saloon boot
Minus
Questionable interior colour schemes, poor estate boot, obscured rev-counter
Performance Overview
Heaviness & extremely tall gearing dull the performance of a powerful car
Plus
Very good through gears, very quiet & refined on motorway, powerful
Minus
Terrible in top gear, long gear-throw, delayed rev-response when lifting off throttle
Handling Overview
At home on motorway, changes have improved body control & brio, power steering
Plus
Refined & stable ride, handles safely, firm grip, little roll on estates
Minus
Ride only average in town - can bump a bit; handling is boring & lacks flair
Comfort Overview
Passengers would have to be real moaners to complain, or be sitting on a pen
Plus
Spacious in front & rear, excellent stereo, gimmicky cup-holders
Minus
Improved driving position still imperfect, lack of storage for pens, phones...
Safety Overview
Excellent safety - most of the features you'd expect, plenty of security features
Plus
Pedal box swings out of way for heavy frontal collisions, ABS, twin airbags
Minus
Side airbags cost more (£195) on non-CDX, alarm not standard on base models
Buying Overview
Just about everything here points to a focus on fleet sales
Plus
A frugal consumer - tall gearing & engines; low running costs, well-equipped
Minus
Expensive, even for equipment, plummeting sell-on values, poorly equipped Envoy
