Vauxhall Tigra Review
Published: 9th July 2005
Vauxhall Tigra
How It Drove - Performance
The Vauxhall Tigra 1.4i Sport is powered by a 1364 cc 16v Twinport ECOTEC-4 petrol engine which produces 90 PS @ 5600 rpm and a maximum torque figure of 125 Nm @ 4,000 rpm enabling it to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 12.4 seconds and continue to a top speed of 112 mph.
We are reliably informed that the 1.4 litre engine is the better option over the 1.8 litre, which offers little advantage for the £850 price premium. The 1.8 model is a quicker car, a whole 3 seconds from 0-62 mph, but the Tigra isn’t about out and out speed - it is about having fun and you can have oodles of it with the smaller engine which is smoother and has good low down pulling power. Another plus point is the quoted combined fuel consumption figure of 47 mpg, which is 10 mpg more than the 1.8 litre engine. If fuel consumption is of paramount importance then the 1.3 CDTi 16v is a better choice returning 61.4 mpg on a combined cycle
Only if you lazily climb uphill without changing down a gear or want to attempt manic overtaking would you find the 1.4 Tigra underpowered. The 1.4 litre engine in our opinion feels perfectly matched to the car it cannot be described as blisteringly quick, but it is good fun and with the roof down you can experience the excellent engine and exhaust note.
The 5-speed close-ratio manual gearbox is well matched to the 1.4 litre engine and we particularly enjoyed the short throw action which ensured quick, smooth and precise changes.
How It Drove - Ride/Handling
The Tigra is a very easy car to drive and enjoy - whatever you throw at the Tigra it remains stable and predictable. Body roll is minimal as is the inevitable scuttle shake that convertibles tend to suffer from.
The electric power assisted steering is well weighted and allows for relatively fast crisp cornering. Vauxhall have made a number of changes to the Corsa chassis which underpins the Tigra. The suspension has been lowered by 5 mm at the front and 20 mm at the rear - plus, the track has been widened by 28 mm at each end. Contributing to the handling characteristics of the Tigra are sports inspired dampers and the high torsional rigidity (8859 Nm/degree). Specially reinforced steel pipes in the side sills and doors as well as sturdy cross members in the under body behind the seats ensure high rigidity even when the roof is open.
Our test car sat on optional 17” five-spoke alloys wheels 205/45 a £200 option on the Tigra Sport, and the ride although relatively firm remained supple on all but the poorest of road surfaces with just enough kick to remind you that you are driving a roadster.
The set up of disc brakes all round, ventilated front and solid rear worked well and the ABS isn’t too intrusive.
We would have liked to have seen ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) as standard rather than a £360 option that is not to say that the Tigra does not handle well, just that in our opinion safety systems should not be optional.
/ 