Vauxhall Vectra 1.8LS Review

Overall Rating

Vauxhall Vectra 1.8ls 2004 39,000 miles.

I have read multiple reviews of the Vectra over the last month or so and each seems to contradict the last; very confusing and conflicting reviews.

Here is mine:

I had always considered a Vectra too big therefore consuming too much fuel and costing far too much to run. I thought they looked good but would be too pricey. I thought a car of Vectra size would be sluggish and have the turning circle of an HGV, I thought they would be insurance group 5673!!

However, 3 weeks ago I test drove one as I had seen a real bargain! £3490 for an 04 plate car with 39k miles, air con, remote central locking, CD/radio .I had to try it at least.

The car seemed perfect for me. The steering was responsive, the car looked good, it had enough power .I bought it!

After owning the car for 10 days these are my conclusions.

Steering and handling - responsive and agile for a big car. The turning circle of the car is great considering the length. It banks well at speed and gives you a good feeling of road holding.

Power and acceleration - it seems to be sluggish from a stop start compared to others in the class but once getting up through the gears and over 2000rpm its full of life and has enough power to jet past aunty Doris in her Kia Piccanto doing 15mph on a 30mph road. If you're looking for power at more speed then the Vectra has that too! On a motorway it cruises at 85mph in 5th gear at 2500rpm and can fly by most cars driven by boy racers without any trouble, drop it down a gear and wave as the go faster stripes become a blur. It's no M3 but it has more power than its credited with!

Road noise and suspension - there is more road noise than I thought after reading many reviews but still extremely quiet. You can whisper when driving on the right road and a person in the boot would hear you! The suspension is OK, but not great. It does glide over most bumps but I feel this is an area that could do with some improvement.

Interior - plenty of room in the front and adequate room in the back. The gadgets as standard are very good but it still has rear wind up windows! The cup holders up front are handy and the arm rest/storage unit is a blessing - hols all you need in terms of sat nave and phones etc and so comfortable to lean on when cruising! The boot is gigantic!! I could live in it - and the cubby holes are handy also. There is a problem with dog guards fitting though. The seats come back to the window so a general dog guard will not fit. After trying 3 dog guards I finally found one that fits! Its £67.99 at Halfords (sale £44.99) and fits onto the rear headrests! Perfect as you can still fit the parcel shelf!

MPG - I get around 32MPG around town which for a big car is good! I drive like any other 28year old man - a cross between Grandad and cousin Chav in his clio sport so a real mixture. I have yet to drive at distance on the motorway but am guessing at around 39-40MPG.

Conclusion: - I would give my car 8.5 out of 10. It has everything I need and does everything I want - but then if you can afford an Audi then get that instead. This car is the perfect £3000-5000 car for what I can afford but it may be different for you. I have given my honest opinion and hope that you make the right choice for you.

Stephen