Vauxhall Antara Road Test

Vauxhall Antara

Back to the engines - both are mated to a 5-speed manual ‘box as standard, however, there is a 5-speed automatic (with sequential selection) available, but only in conjunction with the diesel engine. Prices for the Antara start at £5 short of £20,000 for the 2.4 E and rise to £27,700 for the Antara 2.0 CDTI, automatic.

The test car was the diesel with the manual gearbox, in ‘S’ trim, costing £22,620. It is no surprise that the engine’s output figures are just the same as when it is in the Chevrolet Captiva, that is to say, 150PS at 4,000rpm and 320Nm of torque at 2,000rpm. How this translates to road speed is, however, a little different but not by much; top speed is 113mph and it takes 10.3 seconds to do the 0-62mph dash.

Vauxhall expects that the automatic version will be more popular than the manually. Personally, I would be one of those opting for the automatic, not because it is easy but because I found the ‘stick-box’ to be a tad too notchy for my liking. Having said that, other people who have driven the car said that they didn’t have a problem.

The solid feel is comforting and the handling was much, much better than expected, which more than made up for any perceived shortcomings. The sports suspension helps with the dynamic stability, making the drive a pleasurable one, whether it be in the town, country or motorway.

As I have mentioned, the lighter 4WD option allows for better fuel consumption. It is always difficult to attain the official figures of 32.5mpg and 41.5mpg for the urban and extra-urban cycles or 37.2mpg for the combined, but it is fun trying. The CO2 emissions are 198g/km, putting the test car in VED Band F (£205) and the insurance is Group 12E.

Vauxhall’s re-entry into the 4x4, SUV market is bound to be a crowd-pleaser and not just with those loyal to the company. Even with so many newcomers to the segment, the Antara just might have the edge in looks alone, but then, it depends on your needs and wish-list. And for those who want to glam it up, there are always the Irmscher styling kits.

Vauxhall Antara