MOTORS: VIVA pays homage to history but is designed for modern life

With a familiar name, cheeky looks, generous equipment and a level of quality that confounds at a sub-£8k entry price, the new Vauxhall VIVA has just arrived in Taylor’s of Spalding showroom, just four months after its Geneva Show debut.

VIVA joins Vauxhall’s growing small-car family, which already includes ADAM and Corsa, but is clearly defined from these models by its value, functionality, range and dimensions.
VIVA will appeal to customers looking for value for money, but who are not prepared to compromise on quality.
And unlike many of its rivals, VIVA can accommodate up to five people and has the convenience of five doors.
VIVA will be available on highly-competitive personal contract purchase (PCP) plans for retail customers.
“Short, crisp and full of character, Vauxhall’s new entry-level model is a proper small car and will hold great appeal in this rapidly growing sector,” said Tim Tozer, Vauxhall’s chairman and managing director.
With a name that pays homage to Vauxhall’s original Viva made from 1963 to 1979, the all-new VIVA shares the original’s philosophy of clean lines, durability and practicality. It is designed for modern, everyday life and at 3.68 metres long is practical and spacious providing more than enough room for up to five people.
VIVA is available in ten exterior paint colours with a variety of 15 to 16-inch wheels.
After first appearing in the ADAM ROCKS AIR and subsequently the New Corsa and ADAM, VIVA is the latest Vauxhall to feature the new 1.0-litre three-cylinder ECOTEC engine.
Specially-developed for VIVA and achieving up to 65.7mpg combined with CO2 emissions as low as 99g/km, this 75PS powertrain is smooth, punchy and efficient, and is mated to a slick five-speed transmission.
The three-cylinder engine is made from light aluminium and has better running characteristics and noise emission than some four-cylinder units.
“Our three-cylinder engine in VIVA is the latest addition to a new generation of engines which were developed with the focus on outstanding efficiency, smooth running characteristics and low noise emission,” said Charles J. Klein, Vauxhall/Opel’s Vice President Vehicle Engineering, Europe.
Vauxhall’s all-new five-door VIVA has arrived in showrooms priced from £7,995 on-the-road.
The VIVA range consists of two trim levels: SE and SL, which is a trim name carried over from the original Vauxhall Viva.
There will be Air Con and ecoFLEX versions of the SE trim, giving customers a choice of four well-specified models (SE, SE Air Con, SE ecoFLEX and SL).
Both VIVA trim levels feature a high level of standard equipment – tyre pressure monitoring system, city mode steering, lane departure warning, cruise control with speed limiter and front fog lights with cornering function are standard.
Priced from £9,495 on-the-road, SL trim features electronic climate control, Morocanna seat trim, leather steering wheel and 15-inch alloy wheels.