Vauxhall continues to expand its small car range, with the release of the latest Viva. It will sit alongside the Adam and Corsa in Vauxhall's lineup, and shares their 1.0-liter ECOTEC engine.
At the heart of Vauxhall's new small car is the brand's 1.0-liter, three cylinder ECOTEC engine. Although its 74 hp (55 kW) of power won't set the world on fire, the engine is extremely efficient – in the Corsa it achieves 65.7 mpg (3.6 l/100km) on the combined drive cycle. That equates to just 102 g/km of CO2, and it's worth bearing in mind that these figures are from the engine in its 94 hp (71 kW) guise, so expect a slight improvement on those figures in the Viva. The engine is coupled to a five-speed manual transmission.
Despite its diminutive 3.68 meter (12.07 ft) length, Vauxhall claims that the Viva will seat five in comfort. The car's styling borrows cues from Vauxhall's other small cars, with three strong lines running down down its side to form the "blade" that features on the British brand's other models, including the Insignia and GTC.
Personalization is big in the small car market. No two Mini Coopers are the same thanks to expansive range of styling options and Vauxhall's own Adam can be customized to within an inch of its life. The Viva doesn't quite follow suit, with Vauxhall instead offering a more conventional range of 10 paint colors and wheels ranging in size from 14 to 16 inches.
Stability and traction control are standard on the Viva, along with a "City" mode that lightens the steering for when you're slotting the car into a tight parking spot or dodging shopping trolleys in the supermarket carpark. More advanced safety equipment like lane departure warning are on the options list, as is cruise control, heated seats, a sunroof and a heated steering wheel.
The Viva will go on sale in spring in the Northern Hemisphere, with no word from Vauxhall on pricing yet.
Source: Vauxhall
