Holden Vectra Reviews

Holden Vectra was designed and built by Opel, the German division of General Motors. Some models were assembled by Holden in Australia with some changes to suit Australian driving conditions as well as Australian drivers' tastes. The Vectra was medium sized when launched in Australia in June 1997. From March 2003 it

When the arrangement between Holden and Toyota fell over, ending Holden’s access to the Toyota Camry, the company turned to its European cousins for a replacement mid-sized car. The Vectra was relatively new even in its homeland when Holden went calling, so it was a very current model when it arrived here as part of Holden’s Euro thrust.Along with the smaller Astra the Vectra has helped Holden develop a Euro image with an Aussie flavour, one that has worked well with local buyers. The Astra has been an outstanding success and the Vectra has done some solid business.Following in the tyre tracks of the Apollo, Holden’s rebadged version of the wide-bodied Camry, the Vectra presented a fresh contemporary face to the Australian car buying public.Designed and developed by Opel the front-wheel drive Vectra was every bit the contemporary European. It was a hit in its home market where it quickly became the top seller in its market segment, and backed that up here with a solid performance against the Camry, Magna and Ford Mondeo.While it wasn’t an adventurous design it was pleasant and easy on the eye, its aerodynamically shaped rear view mirrors that flowed from the bonnet a stand out feature of the exterior.It was a similar story inside where the sweeping dash was well laid out with easy-to-read gauges and controls organised sensibly within easy reach of the driver.Unfortunately, while the interior was airy and welcoming it wasn’t as roomy as the Apollo it replaced, which meant it wasn’t as roomy as its main rival.If you ran the tape over the Vectra you would find that it was 318 mm shorter than the Apollo and 63 mm narrower.Although Opel offered three body styles, sedan, wagon and hatch, Holden offered only offered the sedan and hatch versions here. Both the four-door sedan and five-door hatch could be had in base GL or upmarket CD versions.Holden chose two engines from the vast range of engine options Opel had on offer. The base engine was a 2.0-litre double overhead camshaft fuel-injected four-cylinder unit which produced 100 kW at 5600 revs and 188 Nm at 3200 revs, the other a 2.5-litre double overhead camshaft fuel-injected V6 boasting 125 kW at 5800 revs.Although the four-cylinder wasn’t quick it was smooth and refined, which was perhaps more important to the market for this type of car.Its performance was hampered somewhat by the tall gearing Opel preferred for the standard five-speed manual gearbox, which restricted its straight line zip – it took 9.7 seconds for the 0-100 km/h sprint – but it was a decent highway performer where the gearing was much more suitable.A four-speed auto was optional, which made the Vectra a little more comfortable round town where you didn’t have to work the gears.A well-proven combination of MacPherson Struts at the front and a multilink independent rear set-up gave the Vectra safe and assured handling. Disc brakes featured at each corner with ABS standard across all models.Despite being the entry level model the GL was well equipped. It came standard with cloth trim, driver’s side seat height adjustment, height adjustable seat belt anchorages, childproof door locks, 60/40 split-fold rear seat, AM/FM sound, adjustable steering column, full instrumentation, alarm, ABS, traction control and a driver’s airbag.When you stepped up to the CD you also got standard air-conditioning, power windows, cruise control, trip computer, and alloy wheels.In the main the Vectra is quite reliable and robust, but it does have a few problems that regularly crop up.Rough running and stalling are known problems with the Vectra and the usual causes are the crank sensor on the engine, which can be erratic in its timing output or the IAC, which fails allowing the idle speed to drop too low the engine then stalls.The JR Vectra has now reached the mileage a major service is needed, including a timing belt change. Ensure the belt has been changed on cars that have accumulated more than 100,000 km.The interior trim stands up quite well, but the paint is known to fade and oxidise. Red is the worst colour and it becomes an annoyance when you have to wash and clean the car regularly to keep it looking pristine.With a well-balanced chassis, and ABS and traction control standard, the Vectra has a good primary safety package. Add to that a standard airbag for the driver, height adjustable seat belts and the total safety package is commendable.In the 2004 Used Car Safety survey the Vectra was rated significantly better than the overall fleet average for occupant protection, and average in its impact on the occupants of the other car.Clint Ebessen’s parents gave him the 1998 Vectra they bought new. They wanted something small, but which also had plenty of room, and were impressed by the road test reports at the time. Clint says it’s quiet and comfortable and he loves the electric features like the radio, which increases in volume as the speed increases. It has had its problems, however, including regular episodes of power loss, which was fixed with updated software; the idle speed control failed which would cause the engine to stall.Craig McErvale bought a Vectra new and says it had its good points, but that they were heavily out weighed by bad ones. Firstly he says it was economical around town and on the highway, was very sure footed, and had great mid-range torque and was always keen to overtake. Gearing for town and traffic driving wasn't good and the seats were too hard with little support. Combine this with no footrest made you very fatigued after a couple of hours behind the wheel. Quality issues soured his experience with the Vectra. After the first year the engine developed a ping and the only way to get rid of it was to use premium unleaded, six months later the engine 'dropped' a lifter, and it made a horrible noise until the oil pressure built up. The worst thing, however, was when the red paint oxidised within two years. Eventually Holden repainted the car.• Neat European styling that doesn’t date.• Nicely appointed, airy interior.• Well balanced handling.• Comfortable ride.• Economical four cylinder engine• Tall gearing better suited to highway than town.• Fading paint.Safe and solid mid-sized car that handles well, but is plagued by some niggly quality problems.

When the production agreement between Holden and Toyota fell over, ending Holden's access to the Apollo-badged Camry, the company turned to Europe for a replacement mid-sized car.  The JR Vectra was relatively new, even in homeland Germany, when Holden went calling, so it was a current model when it arrived here.  It helped Holden develop a Euro image with an Aussie flavour, which has worked well with local buyers.MODEL WATCHHolden's front-wheel drive Vectra, designed and developed by Opel, was a hit in its home market and backed that up here with a solid performance against the Camry, Magna and Ford Mondeo.Easy on the eye, its aerodynamically shaped rear-view mirrors flowing from the bonnet were a stand-out feature of the exterior.  Inside, the sweeping dash had easy-to-read gauges and controls organised sensibly within easy reach of the driver.While airy and welcoming, the interior wasn't as roomy as the Apollo/Camry.  The four-door sedan and five-door hatch could be had in base GL or upmarket CD versions.Holden chose two engines from the vast range of Opel options.  The base engine was a 2.0-litre double overhead camshaft fuel-injected four-cylinder unit that produced 100kW at 5600 revs and 188Nm at 3200 revs. The other was a 2.5-litre double overhead camshaft fuel-injected V6 boasting 125kW at 5800 revs.The four-cylinder wasn't quick, but was smooth and refined, perhaps more important to the market for this type of car.  The standard five-speed manual gearbox restricted its straight-line zip to 9.7 seconds for the 0-100km/h sprint, but it was a decent highway performer.A four-speed auto was optional, which made the Vectra a little more comfortable around town.  Disc brakes were at each corner with anti-skid standard.The well equipped GL had cloth trim, driver's seat-height adjustment, height adjustable seat-belt anchorages, childproof door locks, 60/40 split-fold rear seat, AM/FM sound, adjustable steering column, full instrumentation, alarm, anti-skid brakes, traction control and a driver's airbag.When you stepped up to the CD you also got standard airconditioning, power windows, cruise control, trip computer, and alloy wheels.IN THE SHOPTHE Vectra is reliable and robust, but rough running and stalling are known problems. Usual causes are the crank sensor on the engine, which can be erratic in its timing output or the IAC, which fails, allowing the idle speed to drop too low. The engine then stalls.  The JR Vectra has reached the mileage when a major service is needed, including a new timing belt.CRUNCH TIMEWITH a well-balanced chassis, anti-skid brakes and traction control standard, airbag for the driver and height-adjustable seat belts, the Vectra safety package is commendable.OWNERS' VIEWSClint Ebessens' parents gave him the 1998 Vectra they had bought new.  He says it's quiet and comfortable and he loves electric features such as the radio, which increases in volume as speed increases.  Episodes of power loss were fixed with updated software and the idle speed control failed, which would cause the engine to stall.Craig McErvale bought a Vectra new and says it had good points, but they were heavily outweighed by bad ones.  After the first year the engine developed a ping and the only way to get rid of it was to use premium unleaded. Six months later the engine "dropped' a lifter and it made a horrible noise until the oil pressure built up.  The red paint oxidised within two years. Eventually Holden repainted the car.THE BOTTOM LINE11/20 SAFE and solid mid-sized car that handles well, but is plagued by some niggling quality problems.LOOK FORNEAT European styling that doesn't dateNICELY appointed, airy interiorWELL-BALANCED handlingCOMFORTABLE rideECONOMICAL, four-cylinder engineTALL gearing better suited to highway than townFADING paint

Built in Europe, Vectra is a stylish car available as a five door hatch or a four door sedan in 2.2-litre four cylinder or 3.2-litre V6.Recent price and spec' adjustments make Vectra a more tempting package than when it came out.The 2.2-litre four is now in CD grade at $31,990 plus on roads for the five speed manual while the five speed auto is an extra two grand.On paper power deficit compared with competition doesn't translate to on road due to good torque and gearing. Peak output is 108kW/203Nm.Engine has twin cams and balance shafts, 16 valves and a dual mass flywheel which help smooth things out as well as improve response.Will run well on standard ULP, better on premium.Surprisingly economical for a biggish, heavyish car with 8.0l/100km easily achievable.Automatic test car was excellent all rounder, particularly in city driving. Auto fully taps engine output, adapts and changes smoothly. Has a sequential mode for "manual" shifting.Ride and handling dynamics have typical European feel with comfort and control under most conditions.There's a firmer feel to the steering and brakes but it's much better than the mushiness of other makes.Puts you in touch with the car.Electronic controls (traction, brake and cornering) for dynamic functions are not overly intrusive.Seats are comfortable offering plenty of adjustment and support.Three in the back is a tight squeeze but five three point belts are welcome.Big boot and plenty of storage in the cabin.Love the styling, some don't but there are radical and conservative thinkers all through society.Upgrades for '04 are difficult to spot – clear side repeater lights, rear indicator lenses and some body coloured bits on the low spec' cars.Oops, nearly forgot the new colours and a bit more flash on the dash.Interior is stylish too, the dash layout particularly pleases as it breaks new ground, moves away from generic/boring.CD model is well equipped, pretty well nothing is left off the menu, check air con.VerdictGood looker, well specified and priced, needs more poke to stay with competition.

With the medium-sized segment in Australia shrinking from 9 per cent of the total market to around 7 per cent, Ford has decided not to bring in the second-generation Mondeo.And that will leave Vectra a free run to challenge the four-cylinder Toyota Camry and Mazda6, which control the medium segment.The Vectra line-up consists of the 2.2-litre CD sedan and hatch, the 3.2-litre CDX and the highly specified V6-powered CDXi.Vectra will not be marketed as a price point range bridging a gap between the Astra and Commodore. With the entry model 2.2-litre ZC Vectra specified and priced $4110 more than the 3.8-litre VY Commodore Executive, Holden is looking to impact on other luxury imports. Holden chairman and managing director Peter Hanenberger says: "There is no doubt this car has the qualifications necessary to attract luxury import buyers and to make its competitive presence felt in the medium and prestige segments."Mr Hanenberger says the new Vectra is far more than a re-engineered version of the former series which, at its peak, attracted 9500 buyers in 1999 and claimed 20 per cent of the medium segment."It is the result of new thinking - a very smart car that widens the appeal of our front-drive product portfolio and in many ways indicates its future direction," he says.The new Vectra is half a size larger than its predecessor and boasts interior dimensions that are close to those of the first series Holden Commodore.On top of standard high equipment levels, the new Vectra will come with four channel anti-lock brakes, corner braking control and electronic brake force distribution, and a new electronic stability program on the top model.Holden engineers had significant input into ride, handling and steering settings after criticism at the world release of the car in Barcelona last year.Mr Hanenberger said a pre-production car was flown to Australia and changes requested to meet Australian conditions and driving habits had been adopted in Europe. Vectra introduces General Motors' new styling architecture which melds what Holden calls "the shock of the new" with more familiar styling cues.The new car is a wide-shouldered design which emphasises the curved belt line which sweeps rearward from the vertical and jewelled, clear headlamps.It is a distinctive design which well could point to the styling of the next-generation Commodore.Holden claims Vectra's interior is a full size larger than the previous series, due to some good work in the area of space efficiency.Steering wheel reach and rake adjustment, eight-way adjustable seating and a sliding centre armrest allow simple tailoring of preferred driving positions.Controls are sensibly grouped according to logical operating principles and white instrument graphics on black backgrounds are easily readable.Both the four-cylinder and V6 engines employ four valve technology and drive-by-wire accelerators and benefit from on-board diagnostic computers.The 2.2-litre, four-cylinder, lightweight-aluminium engine now provides 108kW of power and 203Nm of torque, only fractionally more than the 2.2-litre motor used in the former model but with dramatically improved emissions.The 3.2-litre DOHC V6 replaces the 2.6-litre V6, lifting power from 125kW in the former model to a handy 155kW. The new motor puts out 300Nm of torque - 50Nm more than before.Both engines can be teamed with five-speed close ratio manual transmissions or a new five-speed automatic which adjusts shift points in line with driving style and conditions. The adaptive automatic is fitted with Tiptronic-style manual gear select function.The 2.2-litre Vectra CD sedan and hatch are equipped with five-speed manual or optional five-speed automatic and 16in alloy wheels.The CD comes with anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, emergency brake assist, cornering brake control and traction control.Further standard features include driver and front passenger airbags, side airbags, airconditioning, variable assist power steering, power windows and heated exterior mirrors, nine-speaker sound system with CD, cruise control, fully adjustable steering column and driver's seat.The 3.2-litre V6 CDX hatch comes with automatic transmission as standard, front fog lamps and 16in wheels.Extra interior features include wood-grain capping, velour trim and trip computer.The 3.2-litre V6 CDXi has five-speed manual or optional five-speed, 17in low-profile tyres, sports bumpers, rear spoiler, performance exhaust and sports suspension, and new-generation stability program.Interior features include heated leather sports seats, dual-zone climate control airconditioning, refrigerated glove box and satin chrome instrument detailing.

The VE Commodore won't hit the road until early 2006, but the new Vectra holds all the clues, inside and out, on the direction for Holden's next local hero.The Vectra has a crisply creased body, dominant headlamps and a dash that's straightforward and down to business.This Euro look is no surprise, because Opel in Germany did the design work before Holden's engineers tweaked the car for Australia.As a result, the Vectra, like every other EuroOz contender on the Holden lot, is great to drive and feels quick and competent.But – a huge but – Holden has changed direction with the Vectra.It's now pitching it as a medium-sized luxury car, not a family friend, with a price to match.That means at least $34,990 to put one in the garage, or $49,990 if you want the V6-powered CDXi liftback with all the fruit, including an automatic gearbox.Holden believes it can win customers with the car, but isn't getting carried away. Its sales prediction for the ZC Vectra is only 4000 cars, well down from more than 7000 last year.The change takes it away from the $20,000-something mid-sizers into tougher territory, where the Mazda6 made record sales last month. Even the classy local Camry and Magna find it tough to compete.The Vectra has size on its side. The cabin is now as big as the VL Commodore and the boot is huge and usable.It also has all the gear you'd expect in a car for this price: four airbags and anti-skid brakes, air-con, CD sound, remote central locking and electric windows and mirrors.The model range runs from the CD sedan and hatch with 2.2-litre four-cylinder engines to the CDX hatch with a 3.2-litre V6 and automatic gearbox, predicted to be the most popular choice, with V6-powered and fully loaded CDXi hatches at the top of the family.The Vectra was late arriving in Australia, after early predictions of a 2002 launch date.It made showrooms in March after delays, and Holden admits it included a "resubmit" to get the suspension tuning where the local engineers wanted it. The engines have also been tweaked for local drivers and fuel, using the Commodore-based "launch feel" benchmark to ensure they step away smartly and have crisp performance up to the local limit at 110km/h.The new Vectra is a culture shock. It looks different, has a different philosophy in some important areas, and is aimed at new buyers.It stands out from the pack – even the latest Mazda6 and the all-new Subaru Liberty – and not just for its styling.The Vectra is big inside, gets along smartly – with the V6 power in our manual CDXi hatch – and has been tuned nicely for Australian roads.But it's the little things that make the difference to the way the car drives.The blinker and wiper switches use a fiddly new one-touch system that takes a while to get used to.All the buttons in the centre console look the same. You have to flick a switch to choose between the front and rear electric windows, and opening the boot takes a trick.Why? What's the benefit to the customer?Holden says owners will adjust to the changes, but we were still making mistakes with the blinkers after a week. And we will never really "like" the dashboard layout.But the Vectra is a reflection of a new design direction in Germany, and another example of the engineers making changes for the sake of change. And because they can. And because it's new technology.The BMW 7 Series has taken the same approach and there has been a backlash from customers. We wouldn't be at all surprised if there is something similar in Vectra-land.But enough, because the Vectra is good to drive, with crisp response to all the controls.The engine is lively and has good overtaking power, the suspension rides bumps but still gives excellent cornering grip and feel, and the brakes are good.It's almost a match for the Mazda6 as a driver's car, and our V6 test car had the advantage of mid-range torque to make life a little easier.The five-speed manual in the test car was a slick gearbox and we've also tried an auto that worked well.We liked the cabin space and the three-adults back bench, as well as the boot. The Vectra is relatively easy to park, apart from a restricted view through the rear hatch, the headlights are good and it has a noisy horn.The automatic air-con in the test car also worked well and we liked the computer readout in the centre of the dash, including outside temperature and fuel economy – which ran at 10.6 litres/100km during our test.There is a lot to like in the new Vectra, but it also has a few really annoying developments.They could be a slow burn, but Holden is committed. A senior executive told us, "Get used to it. It's the future".So we will, but new doesn't always mean good and we'd have preferred all the positives of the Vectra with just a little of the old-fashioned stuff. And maybe a slimmer bottom line.Still, we've already recommended the car to a couple of acquaintances, including one down-shifting out of a Toyota LandCruiser. That says it all.