Back in the heady days of the late 1960s my late best mate was often the centre of attention in his gleaming Viva so I wonder what he would have made of today’s
reincarnation of the old Vauxhall favourite.
His souped-up model had the lot including wider wheels and even go-faster stripes and we enjoyed many a motoring adventure on the country roads of Mid Wales and
Shropshire.
Sadly my pal Clive died in a motoring accident many years later but I think he would have been impressed with the makeover Vauxhall has unveiled to his prized
possession – even if it no longer suits the young driver looking for motoring thrills.
The name vanished but is now back in showrooms as a city car segment competitor, representing value for money as Vauxhall bosses recognise the needs of the
cautious, price conscious motorist.
Viva fits the bill perfectly and is the epitome of value for money with prices starting at under £8,000, with even the top-spec model coming to the showroom at less than
£10,000.
Prices start from just £7,995, with even the basic SE getting five seats, electric front windows, cruise control and a trip computer. The top-spec SL gets climate control,
Bluetooth and alloy wheels and you only £2,000 more.
Viva joins Vauxhall’s growing small-car family, which already includes ADAM and Corsa, but is clearly defined from these models by its value, range and dimensions.
Competing in the A-segment, Viva’s rivals include the Hyundai i10, Volkswagen Up, Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 108 and Citroen C1.
There’s no mistaking Viva is a Vauxhall as the latest model in the range to display the company’s sculptured design philosophy. Three strong feature lines swoop down
the sides with the signature ‘blade’, seen previously on Insignia and GTC, slicing through the doors.
The two others run through the front and rear door handles while the front end features a distinctive winged chrome bar that presents the Griffin badge.
This design is a great looking feature but you do wonder what the cost of repairs would be to any damage to the side panels.
Large headlights and taillights are added to create a design that shows a lot of attention to detail for a vehicle in this class.
Under the bonnet of all models you will find the same 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine, with 74bhp and 95Nm of torque while the SE models get ecoFLEX trim, adding low
rolling resistance tyres as well as front and rear spoilers, dropping C02 levels below the road tax threshold.
The one-litre engine is part of Vauxhall’s large-scale engine offensive, which started last year and will bring 17 new powertrains to market before 2018.
The 1.0-litre ECOTEC (75PS) is the base engine of a new generation of small Vauxhall petrol engines. The next more powerful version is the 1.0 ECOTEC Direct Injection
Turbo that has been available in ADAM and Corsa since last year with an output of either 90PS or 115PS.
Later this year, a 105PS version will appear in the new Astra.
Vauxhall says all models will produce 60mpg on the combined cycle though on test it was closer to 50mpg.
Inside there’s plenty of room for four people and a 206litre boot which would not pass the golf club test and is not as good as some of the rivals in class. An important
consideration for many town drivers.
It’s comfortable enough up front, though there’s only tilt adjustment to the steering column which means sliding the seat in and out or up and down is the only way to get
cosy.
It’s always a risk when a manufacturer resurrects a model but the new Viva is so far removed from its predecessor it doesn’t really matter in this case. Many motorists
will not even remember the original favourite.
The three cylinder engine lacks a bit of firepower but this Viva is aimed at a motorist with economy in mind rather than mph.
With ADAM and Corsa already out there Vauxhall will have to be careful not to become recognised as a small car producer.
