Vauxhall Tigra Range Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Vauxhall Tigra range
Prices: £15,055-£17,240 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 8-13
Emissions: 124-185g/km
Performance: [1.8i] 0-60mph 9.2s / Max Speed 127mph
Fuel Consumption: [1.3 CDTi] (urban) 48.7mpg / (extra urban) 72.4mpg / (combined) 61.4mpg
Safety: Twin front and side airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, side impact beams, ABS.
Dimensions: length/width/height 3921/1685/1364mm

BACK WITH AN OPEN AND SHUT CASE

Our Rating: 6.7 / 10

You may remember the first Vauxhall Tigra. You may well have even bought one. Forget about it now. Here’s one that’s actually worth having. By Andy Enright

Admissions time. I never was much of a fan of the original Tigra. A Corsa with a cutesy body, it did nothing particularly well yet sold in huge numbers to a clientele who valued looks over almost every other attribute. As a result there’s quite a bit of brand equity in the Tigra name. When Vauxhall decided to launch a new sporty tot, there really was only one option when it came to its moniker. Virtually everything else, however, is different.

Whereas the old Tigra was rather optimistically dubbed a 2+2 coupe, the latest version is an unashamed two seater. Its profile looks much like a Peugeot 206CC to which somebody has taken a plane and chamfered all the curves into edgy angles and gives a clue as to the car’s party piece. At the press of a button, the hard top folds into the boot, turning the little coupe into a full convertible. Everybody, it seems, is getting in on the folding hard top act, with Renault, Peugeot, Lexus, Daihatsu and Mercedes all offering vanishing tin tops and many more manufacturers lining up to introduce their own.

The two petrol engines that are available are both sixteen-valve units. The 90bhp 1.4-litre version opens proceedings and the punchier 125bhp 1.8-litre car is only available. There’s also a 1.3-litre diesel version. Trim levels range from Air through special edition Sport Rouge to Exclusiv.

There’s little doubt that the Vauxhall feels a polished product. The interior quality is a long way ahead of its rivals and the hood is very slick. The cabin features wheel-mounted audio controls, a metallic finished fascia and a tiltable steering column. Both seats are height adjustable and an electronic display panel is standard on all models. The standard car comes with 15-inch alloys, a CD stereo, anti lock brakes, twin front and side airbags and sports suspension. Trade up to the Sport Rouge version of the Tigra and Vauxhall include a natty red roof, 16-inch wheels, a silver targa roofbar, a stereo that can handle MP3s, a remote controlled alarm and an alloy-effect centre console. Aluminium pedals, a leather-trimmed sports steering wheel and front fog lights are also included. A leather pack is offered as an option with seats, head restraints and door trims finished in hide and ESP is also an option for those looking to safely explore the limits of the Tigra’s handling.

Vauxhall have the benefit of other’s mistakes to draw upon in developing the Tigra. Many of the early coupe-cabriolet models looked the part but were cursed with woeful luggage space. This time round, the Tigra doesn’t attempt to wedge in a pair of useless vestigial rear seats, instead offering a useful boot of 320 litres. Even with the hood cassette, in place there’s 250 litres available – more than enough for a weekend’s light luggage for two.

There’s a good deal of thoughtful attention to detail. The heated rear window features a special scratchproof glass and the tiny front and rear overhangs make the car easy to park. One thing has continued from the previous Tigra model. This is still a car that will sell on the strength of its looks. The 3D ellipsoidal headlamps and wrap-around tail lights have the requisite bejewelled looks and the wedge shape that rises from front to rear helps the Tigra avoid the pram look that afflicts many small convertibles. The rear section of the Tigra’s roof st