Since its 1995 launch, the Vauxhall Vectra has battled its arch-rival, the
Ford Mondeo, for the top sales slot in the family-car category. The Vauxhall
has always fared worse, as dealers and critics sided with its rival.
In an attempt to bury the damaging criticism, Vauxhall has renamed its car the
Insignia — a change that signals an opportunity for bargain-hungry used-car
buyers. With new Vectras on sales runout, and discounts in abundance,
forecourt used prices have been dropping such that today a generously
appointed Vectra that sold for £20,000 three years ago can be yours for
little more than £7,000.
Since suffering its first mauling in 1995 by Jeremy Clarkson, who found the
Vectra so boring that he couldn’t think of anything good to say about it
during his Top Gear review, Vauxhall has greatly developed the model. Of all
the versions, it’s the final 2005 facelift that buyers should most seriously
consider.
Diesel motorists have the choice of a 1.9 litre four-cylinder with 120bhp or
150bhp, or a muscular 3 litre V6 producing 184bhp. Current fuel-pump prices
erode the diesel economy advantage, but if you cover at least 12,000 miles a
year, the economics are still in your favour. The pick of the crop is the
higher-power 1.9 litre.
The petrol choice is even wider, with 1.8, 2, 2.2 and 2.8 litre units. The
high CO2 output of the 2 litre turbo and 2.8 litre V6 (206 and 262g/km
respectively) will mean owners paying a steep £300 or £440 a year in road
tax from 2009. And it’s not just the annual cost to consider — there’s also
the expected impact on residual value when you want to resell. Skip to the
1.8 or the 2.2, though, and you’ll be in best-buy territory, as road tax is
just £205 a year. In view of the larger engine’s additional performance and
only marginally lesser economy, it’s the 2.2 that’s the sweet spot of the
range.
Choice of body is down to personal taste. The hatch looks sportier, the saloon
more classy, while the estate is a bit of a warehouse on wheels. It’s
capacious, though, its 530 litre boot expanding to 1,850 litres with the
rear seats folded. Second-hand saloons are the cheapest path to Vectra
ownership, as they cost about £350 less than equivalent hatchbacks; estates
typically command a £250 premium.
While the cabin is aesthetically uninspiring, all Vectra models get much the
same spacious interior and particularly impressive front seats. Their range
of adjustments, combined with the steering’s reach and rake movements,
ensure all sizes of driver are well accommodated. Rear-seat space is less
generous, but three adults can manage reasonably long trips without it being
a feat of endurance.
Mechanically, the final Vectra generation has its problems, and while many are
minor (sticking tailgate lock, wipers that don’t park), there are more
serious issues such as automatic transmission failure (diesels) and
unreliable handbrakes, so an independent inspection and a warranty are
must-haves.
There are many cheap Vectras; you just have to be careful to bag a bargain.
CHECK THE FOLLOWING
1.9 DIESEL ENGINE
Seized secondary fuel throttle valves on 1.9 litre are costly to fix
AUTO TRANSMISSION
Can be destroyed on diesel if heat exchanger fails, letting in coolant
HANDBRAKE
Failures are reported; Vauxhall recommends leaving car in gear
SAFETY
Four stars in Euro NCAP testing, but only one star for pedestrian safety
SERVICE INTERVAL
Every 20,000 miles. Check history of low-mileage cars, which may not yet have
had a service
TAILGATE
Sticking tailgate lock not uncommon but fortunately cheap to fix
WINDSCREEN WIPERS
Check that the wipers return to the correct position when switched off
WIRING
The 1.9 diesel has a loom that is known to chafe on the transmission case,
causing a fuse to blow — which disables the car
VITAL STATISTICS
MODEL Vectra 2.2i Elite hatchback
ENGINE 2198cc, four cylinders
POWER 155bhp
TRANSMISSION Six-speed manual
FUEL 37.7mpg (combined)
CO2 180g/km
ACCELERATION 0-60mph: 8.6sec
TOP SPEED 135mph
COST NEW (2006) £20,087
ROAD TAX BAND E (£170 a year)
THE ONE TO BUY
Vauxhall Vectra 2.2i Elite hatchback 2005 55 with 40,000 miles. Pay £7,495 at
a dealer or £6,500 privately
OR FOR SIMILAR MONEY
2005 05 Ford Mondeo 2.0 Titanium X
2005 55 Honda Accord 2.0 VTEC SE
2006 06 Citroën C5 2.0i 16 VTR
2006 06 Mazda6 2.0 TS2
2006 56 Renault Laguna 2.0 16V Privilège
