Category: Affordable Sports 
Price Range: £35,105 to £35,105
Quick, rides well, not a typical Vauxhall.
A bit on the large side, cheapish interior, rear wing a bit lairy.
The VXR8 is a fast, powerful but usable saloon and provides a lot of muscle-car fun for not very much money.
For a car with its performance, the ride is compliant, perhaps too much so for some people's expectations and tastes.
The driving position is very good, with plenty of electric adjustability in the enveloping bucket seats, and there's a reach- and rake-adjustable flat-bottomed steering wheel to give you more flexibility. However, rear visibility is rather poor, obscured by that huge rear wing, which cuts out about a third of the available view out of the back.
However, there's plenty of room in the spacious cabin, with lots of space for adults in the back to stretch out in the three rear seats.
The boot is also very spacious, with 496 litres-worth of bootspace, almost as much as the Vectra and the new Mondeo.
Dials are clear and backlit in red, including a bank of three small, sporty dials at the top of the central console recording oil temperature, oil pressure and battery voltage. The switchgear isn't anything special, though.
A central control unit features a multi-function display panel for the sat nav, audio unit (which accepts MP3 discs and CDs), and Bluetooth phone connection.
