Opel Vectra

At a glance: three generations in 20 years

The model replaced the Opel Ascona and sat between the Kadett/Astra and the larger Omega in the Opel range. Its name was coined by Manfred Gotta, the naming specialist behind several car names of the period, and the first car was styled under Wayne Cherry, then head of design at Opel. All three generations were front-wheel drive as standard, with transverse engines and a choice of manual and automatic gearboxes.

Opel built the car at several plants: Rüsselsheim in Germany was the main one, Luton in England for the Vauxhall Vectra B until March 2002, and Ellesmere Port, Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine and GM Egypt for the Vectra C. In Brazil and other Latin American countries, Chevrolet sold the Vectra under its own badge, and in Australia and New Zealand the Vectra C was a Holden.

First generation (1988–1995): saloon, hatchback and 4x4

The Vectra A was launched as a saloon in October 1988 for the 1989 model year, followed by the hatchback in March 1989. The same underpinnings were used for the Calibra coupé, presented in late 1989. In Britain the car was sold as the third-generation Vauxhall Cavalier until 1995.

Petrol engines ran from a 1.4-litre of 55 kW (75 PS) to a 2.0-litre of 96 kW (130 PS), with a 2.0 16V of 110 kW (150 PS) in the sportier GT and GSi models. From January 1989, the 2.0 engines could be ordered with four-wheel drive. In September 1992 Opel added a limited 2.0 Turbo 4x4 with 150 kW (204 PS), and a 2.5-litre V6 of 125 kW (170 PS) followed. Diesels were slow by today's standards, with 42 to 60 kW (57 to 82 PS).

A facelift in September 1992 brought a new grille and stronger safety equipment, and driver airbags became available from 1993. The four-wheel-drive versions were more expensive to maintain and repair than the front-wheel-drive cars.

Second generation (1995–2002): the first estate

The second generation was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in October 1995 for the 1996 model year. The saloon and hatchback were joined by the Caravan estate in September 1996. There was no four-wheel-drive version, and the clutch was now hydraulically operated. Its best year was 1997, with 140,964 cars built.

The diesel range started with a 1.7-litre turbodiesel from Isuzu, followed by Opel's own 2.0 DI and 2.2 DTI direct-injection engines built in Kaiserslautern. A facelift in early 1999 brought one-piece headlamps and revised bumpers. The second generation was criticised in Britain for its ordinary driving manners, but on the track it was a winner: John Cleland took the 1995 British Touring Car Championship in a Vauxhall Vectra.

Third generation (2002–2008): Epsilon platform, Signum and OPC

The Vectra C made its debut at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show, with production starting in March 2002. It was built on GM's Epsilon platform, shared with the Saab 9-3. The five-door GTS hatchback arrived in September 2002 and the estate in October 2003, with a longer wheelbase. The Signum, a more upmarket five-door hatchback, shared the estate's 2,830 mm wheelbase.

Trim levels in most markets were Essentia, Elegance and Cosmo. The third generation was larger, stiffer and better equipped than the B, with optional adaptive damping (IDS Plus) from 2004 and a five-speed automatic with Active Select manual mode. Aluminium was used for some parts to save weight.

Petrol engines started with a 1.8 of 90 kW, later replaced by the 103 kW (140 PS) Z18XER, and included a 2.2 of 108 kW (later the 2.2 Direct), a 2.0 turbo of 129 kW and a 3.2 V6 of 155 kW. The Fiat-designed 1.9 CDTI diesel delivered from 74 to 110 kW (100 to 150 PS), and a 3.0 V6 CDTI topped the diesel range. After the facelift of 2005, a 2.8 V6 turbo with 170 kW and later 185 kW (250 PS) became the top engine, and the OPC reached 206 kW (280 PS) in its final form.

Dimensions, space and boot

The car grew with each generation: by our count, the third-generation saloon is 261 mm longer than the first hatchback, and the post-facelift estate adds another 228 mm. The Vectra A hatchback was 4,350 mm long; the Vectra C saloon and hatchback measured 4,611 mm and the post-facelift estate 4,839 mm. The estate is the practical choice, with a long, flat load floor and the longer wheelbase also used for the Signum's roomy rear seats.

Fuel economy and reliability by generation

The 1.9 CDTI diesels are the most economical versions and the best choice for high mileage. The 1.8 petrol is a simple, economical engine for short trips. The V6 petrol engines and the OPC are much thirstier and need regular timing-belt and cooling-system maintenance. On a used Vectra C diesel, owners' clubs most often point to the EGR valve and the intake swirl flaps, and to the dual-mass flywheel on manual cars. Rust is a bigger issue on the older Vectra A and B than on the C.

ANCAP crash test and airbags

The Vectra C was tested by the Australian ANCAP programme in 2003 as the Holden Vectra. It scored 12.10 of 16 points in the frontal offset test and 15.76 of 16 in the side impact test, with pedestrian protection rated poor. Electronic stability control was optional at that time. The older Vectra A offered a driver airbag only from 1993.

Rivals and the Insignia successor

In its class, the car competed with the Ford Sierra and later the Ford Mondeo, the Volkswagen Passat, the Peugeot 406 and the Renault Laguna. It sold well in Germany and the UK: in 2007, its best British year, the Vauxhall Vectra was the tenth best-selling car there. In motor racing, Fabrizio Giovanardi won the BTCC titles of 2007 and 2008 in a Vectra.

Production of the Vectra C and Signum ended in July 2008, and the Opel Insignia replaced both in November 2008. The Insignia took over the Epsilon platform and won the European Car of the Year award for 2009. You can compare its size with today's cars using the 1cars size comparison tool, put it next to a rival in the comparison tool, and see the rest of the brand's range in the Opel catalogue.