Category: Large Family 
Price Range: £15,100 to £26,680
Drive, comfort, safety equipment, fleet favourite.
Image, styling, fleet favourite.
Latest chassis revisions make a much better Vectra, but it still lacks the Mondeo's pizzazz.
Despite the drubbing the Vectra has historically received at the hands of the motoring press - most notably Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson - it is a car which has always sold well, featuring prominently among the nation's top 10 best-sellers. Admittedly this has had much to do with the generous discounts Vauxhall affords companies that buy fleets of the things, but sales of around 180,000 Vectras since 2002 must prove it as a sensible business buy, if nothing else.
The Vectra has received a mid-life facelift for 2005, which makes it all-new from the A-pillar forward over 2002 models. Rounded double-optic headlights and prominent chrome 'V' grille give the Vectra a family face closer to the latest Astra and Tigra. Deeper front and rear bumpers on most 2005 models sharpen up the looks further.
The new model is decisively bigger than the old, has a roomier, more modern interior and more sophisticated suspension for a more comfortable ride. Hatchback, saloon and load-lugging estate models are offered, as well as the specced-up Signum (see separate road test), with slightly different styling, more rear legroom and two armchair-like rear seats rather than a flat bench.
Engines for 2005 are 1.8, turbocharged 2.0i, 2.2i direct injection (replacing the normally aspirated 2.0) petrol units, plus 1.9 CDTi - with 120bhp and 150bhp outputs - and 3.0 V6 CDTi turbodiesels.
New for 2005 is the performance flagship VXR model, with a turbocharged 255bhp V6, tuned suspension and much more aggressive styling, complete with 18-inch alloys.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Vauxhall Vectra
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