Road test: Vauxhall Viva SE

Small cars are big business these days. Vauxhall is so convinced of this that the company has added a third sub-Astra-sized model to its range. It has dusted off the name Viva and made the new five-door car the entry-level model to the brand.

All Vivas get a one-litre 75hp three-cylinder engine and five-speed manual gearbox. Two trim levels, SE and SL, are available, and even entry-level cars, which start at £7,995, are well equipped.

Lane-departure warning, cruise control with speed-limiter, city-mode steering, tyre pressure-monitoring, six airbags and fog lamps with cornering function are all standard, and air-con on SE models costs another £495. SL spec adds climate control, Bluetooth music-streaming, bigger wheels and a two-tone fascia. Prices top out at £9,495.

Many city cars have a flimsy, almost toy-like quality about them but not this one. It feels every inch a proper car, with good-quality materials in the cabin and bags of headroom.

In common with all city cars, you do notice steep gradients and there isn’t much room in the back, but for town use there is easily enough power. It’s tall for a small car but there’s no noticeable body-roll.

Up against cars such as the Toyota Aygo (from £8,595), Hyundai 110 (£8,595), Citroën C1 (£8,345) and Volkswagen up! (£8,765) the new Viva offers excellent value.

Vauxhall Viva SE
Top speed: 106mph;
CO2: 104g/km (99 for ecoFLEX version);
MPG: 62.8