Opel springs Vectra value

06 Sept 2003: When most of the bigger family cars are coming with 1.8 litre petrol engines as the base entry option, it's refreshing to see a new 1.6 litre from Opel that really works well in the new Vectra.

Michael Moroney has driven the car and comes away impressed. Read on to see why

Large family cars have got heavier in recent years. In some ways it's the price that has to be paid for better safety and great convenience. Just think about the number of airbags now in an average car, add the weight of a power steering kit, electric window motors, air conditioning, not to mention better steel structures and its no surprise that modern day cars are much heavier than those of five years ago.

That extra weight has pushed the 1.6 litre engine aside in favour of a bigger 1.8 litre engine, which adds to running and insurance costs in this country. So why haven't car companies looked at better power and performance from 1.6 litre engines? Most haven't, not until now at least.

But now the new Opel Vectra 1.6 litre petrol engine breaks that mould. This engine is well suited to the car, satisfying the need for plenty of torque in what is a heavy car. The engine is similar to that fitted to the Zafira people carrier, and there is not much difference in weight between it and the new Vectra.

The specifications are hard to come by for this engine, but you can take it that it has similar qualities to those found in the Zafira. And the most notable of these is the high engine torque at relatively low engine revs.

Engine torque is more important than raw horsepower when you are at the margins of ability. While in theory the Vectra is in that marginal place, it comes through well, based on the high engine torque figures.

And this can be experienced as good acceleration, and it was a lot better than I had expected it. Don't expect this entry model Vectra to beat land speed records, but I can assure you that it can perform well in normal driving conditions. My test drive has confirmed to me that it will outclass the Volkswagen Passat, with a similar engine, in driving smoothness and ease of acceleration.

I have no official figures on the fuel economy of the car. My test delivered a comfortable 36mpg, that's about as much as you would expect from the 1.8 litre version. So there is no penalty in going for the smaller engine, where there is only a 9% torque difference and it reaches its top torque performance at a lower engine rev rating.

There is a €1,300 price gap between the 1.6 and the bigger 1.8 litre Vectra. That extra price is hardly worth paying, when you get the experience of the 1.6 litre car behind you. It drives very well and it's near impossible to find an acceleration difference between both models.

This new car provides a form of new lease for the Vectra range. Whatever Opel has done with the 1.6 litre engine, it's made some difference. This has to be the best 1.6 litre petrol powered car in this sector, which has been narrowed down to include only the Alfa 156, Audi A4, Nissan Primera, Renault Laguna and Toyota Avensis, as well as the VW Passat as other options.

The new Vectra has a good styling, and while the interior may be somewhat bland, it is a solid car, which is a lot more spacious than the model that it replaces. Many other makes talk down their 1.6 litre version. Opel need not any more as this car is the best value from the new range, and is seriously competitive against the competition.

Northern Ireland buyers will not be offered a 1.6 litre version of the Vauxhall Vectra, as their base model is a 1.8 litre one, but for those who traditionally buy down south with the Opel brand this one is worth considering.