Vauxhall Tigra Road Test

Vauxhall Tigra

Rivals

• Citroen C3 Pluriel, Ford Street Ka, MINI Convertible, Peugeot 206 CC and Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet

What We Liked

• Powered electric roof
• Ride and handling
• Engine and exhaust note
• Practicality
• Styling

What We Disliked

• The powered boot, it takes too long to open and close

What We'd Like To See

• ESP as standard (currently a £360 option)
• Heated seats

Build Quality

Based on the current Vauxhall Corsa the Tigra’s underpinnings are well tested.

Overall build quality is very good and in keeping with a car in this price bracket. The materials used are of a high standard and should prove durable in the long term.

One of our main concerns as with all coupe convertibles/roadsters is the durability of the complicated roof mechanism. The Tigra is protected by Vauxhall’s 3-year / 60,000 mile warranty, so during this period you shouldn't face any expensive repair bills, should it go wrong.

Value For Money

The entry level Vauxhall Tigra is competitively priced at £13,750, comparative entry level models include Ford's Streetka priced at £12,715, MINI One Convertible priced at £13,595 and the Peugeot 206 CC priced at £13,495. Only the Peugeot 206 CC has an electrically operated hardtop but cabin space is cramped compared to the Tigra due to its 2 small rear seats.

Servicing is every two years or a maximum of 20,000 miles, which ever is sooner. Service intervals are determined by an electronic service monitor, and dependent on driving conditions. So, hopefully in the first three or four years of ownership you are only going to have to have your Tigra serviced twice.

Overall Opinion

The new Tigra has been heavily featured in all the women’s lifestyle magazines. So there is no doubt that Vauxhall’s marketing team are targeting the Tigra at a predominately female audience.

In our opinion the Tigra has the same unisex appeal as the MINI Convertible and Mazda MX-5 offering a rewarding driving experience and lifestyle statement.

We enjoyed every mile we spent with the Vauxhall Tigra, yes it has some flaws, but when it comes to smiles per mile, few cars for an entry level price of £13,750 can beat the enjoyment of lowering that fantastic steel roof at the touch of button and then going for a drive.

If you can live with the limitations of just two seats then the Vauxhall Tigra is an enjoyable and practical, coupe convertible with enough boot space for a long weekend or the weekly shop - so what’s stopping you? - it comes highly recommended.

Vauxhall Tigra