Vauxhall Vectra   Women's view

The Vauxhall Vectra is one of Britains best sellers. Why? June Neary finds out

I wouldnt have considered running Vauxhalls old Vectra. It was just tooWell, just too boring to be honest. In any case, I didnt want to be mistaken for a photocopier rep. This latest version however, is a very different proposition and the revised styling on the latest car makes it more attractive still.

The new lines have given it character and plenty of it, while fresh driving dynamics have made it a far more enjoyable proposition on the twisty stuff. Its spacious inside and the acclaimed Vectra ride quality remains intact. Even if you dont like the latest look, you cant argue with what lies beneath that bodywork. This generation of Vectra has a basic structure that is 60% stiffer than the mkI car.

Youll feel the result in terms of sharper handling, lower levels of body roll and fewer squeaks and rattles. Equally vital of course is the space inside that shape, which is 100mm longer, 50mm wider and 50mm higher. In order to create a more airy feeling inside, the rear seat passengers sit 20mm higher than those at the front which kids should appreciate.

The range of trim, body and engine options is massively diverse but Vauxhall have always gone large in this area. There are saloon, five-door hatchback and estate bodystyles, along with trim levels that draw increasingly heavily from the options list as they ascend from Exclusiv through Life, Club, Design and sporty SRi to the ultimate Elite (luxurious) and VXR (quick) models. Even the Exclusiv option that props the others up gives you air-conditioning, six airbags and a drivers seat with eight adjustments that furthers the Vectras reputation for comfort. Skipping up the range a little, the Design option yields climate control, rain-sending wipers and auto headlamps - which presumably are dark sensing.

It also gives estate buyers an electrically opening tailgate. The hatch and saloon boast decent luggage capacity, the saloon fielding a 500-litre boot with split-folding rear seats, and the Estate offers even more. I liked the way that the front passenger seat tips right forward, creating a long loading length for surf board-type items. In the engine room, its business largely as usual but there have been some noteworthy changes.

The petrol line-up opens with the advanced 140bhp 1.8-litre 16v powerplant, then theres the tried and tested 2.2-litre with 145bhp and the 173bhp 2.0-litre Turbo engine thats offered with the more frenetic models.

All of these are carried over from the pre-facelift Vectra but the range-topping petrol model isnt. This is now a 2.8-litre turbocharged V6 making 227bhp when offered with Elite trim, mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox. The same powerplant churns out 276bhp in the performance-orientated VXR which will fire you from 0-60mph in 6.

1s. The diesel range remains totally the same but Vauxhall have some accomplished oil-burners in their ranks. The 120 and 150bhp versions of the 1.9-litre CDTi models are predicted to be the biggest sellers but those craving more torque can upgrade to the mighty 174bhp 3.

0-litre CDTi.

Since I was familiar with the larger and now sadly departed Omega, I felt at home immediately behind the wheel, given that most of the switchgear was handed straight down. Talking of switchgear, youll either love or hate the one-touch indicator stalk which automatically returns to the neutral position and gives three flashes if you push it to the first click (I hated it). Otherwise, its all good news. The steering wheel can at last be adjusted for reach as well as rake, the seats are comfortable and supportive and there are twin cupholders both front and back.

Rain sensitive wipers, parking radars front and rear, tyre pressure monitors and an electronic child seat detector that disables the airbag are features which were often previously the preserve of upmarket executive offerings. The Vectra has now followed many of its rivals in appropriating these refinements for the mainstream market. This is still no class leader when it comes to handling but its quite capable enough for my needs. Where I thought the car really shone however, was in overall terms of refinement and comfort.

The ride is excellent, the seats very comfortable, the rear seat space capacious and the quietness at speed impressive. The differences over immediate rivals may be small but from Vauxhalls point of view, theyre crucial.

Prices largely mirror those of obvious rivals like Fords Mondeo, Renaults Laguna and Citroens C5. All versions come well equipped with six airbags and youll be in a good position to twist your local dealers arm if you want a bit more.

If I were choosing a car in this class, I could certainly live with the Vectra, very much so. There are plenty of add-ons and extras, which I might be tempted to include, but even without them, the basic package remains smart, comfortable and still quite acceptable to drive. In short, I can see why it sells well.