From Adam to Zafira, Vauxhall has always had the full spectrum of the UK’s motoring public pretty well covered.
That you see so many of them on the roads is testament to their long-standing popularity, and that’s no exception here at Philip Paul, where we scour the region to bring you the pick of a good selection of models from across the range, both in terms of size and specifications.
Because the UK’s main arm of the giant General Motors corporation has always made cars which appeal across a broad spectrum of customers, they make sound second-hand buys for a number of reasons, including:
• Spares are pretty easy to come by and, as a result, also reasonably priced.
• You can usually find a wide selection available second-hand, so you can take time to find the one that’s just right for your needs.
• A wide network of franchised dealers means there’s a good chance those used examples will have been serviced according to the manufacturer’s schedule by previous owners.
• You can find plenty of information online to help you decide which model(s) to particularly look out for.
Here at Philip Paul, we look far and wide for choice used Vauxhalls to offer to our customers, because we know that, by and large, they’ll be getting a car which will serve them well, and will help us in our quest to be Oswestry and the borderlands’ first choice for quality used cars.
We’re going to take a closer look at selected Vauxhalls in our current stock, and using what professional, expert reviewers have said about them, explain why they’re a great buy, whatever size car you’re looking for. Starting with the smallest:
Adam 1.4 i VVT 16v SLAM 3dr, 100bhp, 2014
Here’s a range-topping version of Vauxhall’s small car, introduced as a direct rival to the likes of the Fiat 500. With 100bhp on tap, you can expect plenty of push for this small car, which will hit 100kmh (62mph) from a standing start in a hardly tardy 12.5 seconds, before racing on to a top speed of 109mph (where it’s allowed).
Yet it’ll still return 40mpg around town, with a claimed overall average of 52.3mpg. You get service intervals of every 20,000 miles or 12 months, and a car with a highly creditable four-star NCAP overall safety rating.
Jeremy Clarkson noted that the Adam’s almost infinite capacity to be customised to the owner’s personal preferences is one of its strongest suits. Even if you don’t take to the look of the interior of the car we’ve got, you can give it a few styling tweaks for not a whole lot of cash.
The Adam keeps the on-board tech to a minimum, simply because Vauxhall has realised that most owners will have GPS and so sat-nav type systems on their phones, which can easily be linked into the car’s Intelllink multimedia system, and Vauxhall’s own OnStar emergency help system.
Corsa 1.3 CDTi ecoFLEX Limited Edition 5dr (a/c), 75bhp, 2014
The little Corsa is a big favourite among first-car buyers here at Philip Paul - and this example pairs willing power delivery with frugal fuel consumption, and an emissions level which qualifies it for zero road tax.
In introducing the new model, Autocar’s testers said they’d always loved the current Corsa’s “refinement and maturity”, but the tweaks to this model had given it more responsive steering coupled with an all-round “mature and comfortable” driving experience. It also boasted more generous equipment than the equivalent Ford Fiesta, the same reviewers noted. And the fact that the Corsa was likely to prove cheaper to own and run in the long term sealed the deal for the same reviewer.
Corsa 1.4 i ecoFLEX SE 5dr, 90bhp, 2015
By the time this Corsa had hit the streets, Vauxhall had given it a comprehensive set of tweaks, with a longer front nose and new headlights which, said the reviewer from Parkers car guide, made it look very closely related to the Adam, mentioned above.
The swooping, coupe-like side windows and roofline were retained, however, and the ‘comfort’ suspension was reckoned to have made a big improvement to the ride quality.
The focus switched from performance to efficiency with the revamp, but the car was none the worse for that - and this particular 90bhp version of the 1.4-litre engine was the only one available with an automatic gearbox - although ours here is a manual version.
This is a pretty nippy little motor though, thanks to the engine producing more torque - 200Nm from a relatively low 1,850rpm - achieving a 115mph top speed, and an 11-second time for the 0-62mph acceleration test.
Astra 2.0 CDTi ecoFLEX 16v SRi 5dr (start/stop), 165bhp, 2014
“The fastest, most powerful Astra diesel you can buy”, according to Mark Tisshaw of Autocar magazine, also comes with a nicely-spaced six-speed gearbox for helping you make the most of the 158bhp on tap.
Yet the car can also return up to 62.8mpg overall, and its CO2 emissions of 119g/km qualify it for vehicle excise duty (road tax) levels of just £30 a year.
“Nicely weighted and precise” steering also adds to this Astra’s appeal, while a “classy” interior which “feels like a car from the class above” is something you’re sure to appreciate if you intend using this car for longer trips.
As with many cars close to the top of their model range, this Astra has suffered from heavier depreciation than many cars with lower specs. But this works strongly in your favour if you’re buying second-hand of course, and is why, at just a bit more than two years old, we’re now offering this car with a tremendous saving on the new price.
Meriva 1.4 i 16v SE 5dr (a/c), 120bhp, 2013 (63-reg)
One of the clutch of best-selling cars which set out to make a virtue out of being a small car with the feel of a much bigger one, the Meriva also scores thanks to a “supple ride [which] does a good job of soaking up bumps”, according to Auto Express. The interior will be familiar to anyone who knows of the 2009 and onwards model Astra, except that the Meriva boasts a sliding rear bench seat which can either improve legroom in the back or be removed to increase luggage space.
The Meriva’s tall body might lead you to expect plenty of body roll - but the car has strong grip and a supple suspension which, Auto Express noted, “all add up to plenty of agility.”
Styling-wise, the car carries over strong hints from its luxury hatchback sibling, the Insignia. But of course, the rear-hinged back doors make it easy to get to all five of the rear seats.
It looks and feels upmarket overall on the inside, the same review noted, while this SE-level car has the exclusive FlexRail seating configuration, whereby a pair of rails running the entire length of the cabin allow a variety of movable and secure stowage bins to be fixed to them, in a variety of ways, which should keep the kids happy for hours.
Allied to excellent safety test scores, the Meriva is also equipped with ISOFIX child car seat mountings - so you’ll feel secure in the knowledge that your youngest passengers have been given some serious thought in the Meriva’s design.
You can always find a great selection of hand-picked, quality used Vauxhall models among one of Shropshire’s finest selection of used cars at Philip Paul, Oswestry. So take a look today, let us arrange a test drive in your chosen model, and come and pay us a visit.