Viva la eco-revolución

Driving the car around the busy streets of London, it was clear to see the attention garnered by both its slick finish and bright green paint job, giving it an unmistakable presence on the road – and also making it extremely easy to find in busy car parks.

Drivers need not fear if such bold colouring is not their cup of tea, as Vauxhall offers the Viva in ten different exterior paint options, ranging from simple ’Sovereign Silver’ and ‘Titanium Grey’ to ‘Mystic Violet’ and ’Sparkling Blue’ which means there should be something to please every taste.

Making room for passengers
Stepping into the front seat the car feels more spacious than from its outside appearance. With a fully adjustable seat and tiltable steering column, it was easy to find a comfortable driving position, with plenty of room for larger drivers that may exercise caution when looking at smaller cars.

It is marketed as ‘designed for modern, everyday life with room for up to five people’ and standing at 3.68 metres long it does offer a fair amount of space for a compact city car. The back seats also offer a surprising amount of space and leg room for rear passengers, and the majority of people up to six feet tall should be able to fit comfortably behind the driver’s seat. While the Viva may be capable of fitting five people, it may not be the most comfortable ride if all five of those happen to be average‑sized adults. It would probably be a safer suggestion to say that it can easily fit a family, or is suitable for carrying up to five adult passengers for shorter journeys around town.

The boot may not offer the kind of space needed for a set of golf clubs, but it provides a decent 206-litre volume to fit a number of bags or holdalls, making the car more than suitable for weekend trips.

Functional interior styling
The Viva’s interior doesn’t quite live up to its glamorous exterior, offering what is probably best described as a functional aesthetic. While not displeasing to the eye, the simple plastics that cover the dash and door panels are not likely to be a major selling point.

However, the utilitarian ‘no fuss’ look is comparable to other vehicles in its class starting at a similar price and is by no means a reason to dismiss the small Vauxhall.

Additionally, the materials do give a clean look and are noticeably sturdy to the touch, giving a robust feel to the vehicle that definitely doesn’t seem cheap.

The front windows are electrically‑operated but the rear ones are not – giving no option of control from the driver’s seat. Additionally, there are limited storage compartments inside, with none available behind the front seats for passengers in the rear.

However, features like an AUX-in port and steering wheel mounted audio controls do make an appearance and are a welcome addition.

Smooth urban performance
When starting a journey the first thing one notices is the surprising pick up from a standstill.

The ecoFLEX comes equipped with an 1.0-litre three cylinder petrol engine with maximum torque of 70lb ft/95Nm, which is capable of reaching a top speed of 106mph and accelerating from 0-60mph in 13.1 seconds.

Off the line the Viva is surprisingly quick and never gave me the feeling of being ‘left behind’ at traffic lights.

Across urban roads it had more than enough power to keep up with traffic and the responsive handling reacted well to any number of sharp turns or lane changes. Combined with its compact size, the light handling also took the stress out of squeezing into tight parking spaces.

Vauxhall claims that the Viva’s engine ‘has better running characteristics and noise emission than some four-cylinder units’, which is down to its key focus on resonance reduction, the integration of exhaust manifold into the cylinder head to further reduce noise and a sound-absorbing cam cover.

This certainly appeared to be true while meandering around town, as the engine noise was minimal and the drive couldn’t be described as anything except smooth.

On the open road
When taken onto more open roads and motorways, the limitations of the small engine do start to show, although no more than would be expected from a car of its size.It is capable of keeping apace with vehicles on UK motorways and accelerating up from 30-40mph urban limits after merging is relatively painless, although, as one may expect, the pick up in the mid range is not world beating.

The engine does start to get more vocal at higher speeds, and wind and road noise are also much more noticeable, but the cruise control worked seamlessly and definitely added to the car’s drivability on open roads.

Good efficiency
The ecoFLEX variant boasts a fuel economy of 52.3mpg in urban driving and 76.3mpg in extra-urban driving – for a combined figure of 65.7mpg – with CO2 emissions of 99g/km.

Through my 152 miles with the car the Viva ecoFLEX managed a real-world average fuel economy of 47.3mpg and, while I acknowledge the majority of this was in the perpetually unfavourable conditions that both the Blackwall and Dartford crossings never fail to produce, I was hoping to break 50mpg and get a little closer to the 60mpg mark.

The performance achieved didn’t quite match the official figures, but still places the Viva in a position of good efficiency and fairly low running costs, which would likely be improved if driven in areas with slightly more favourable conditions.
   
Good green credentials
All in all, the Viva is a practical and fun option that offers good green credentials and punches above its weight in terms of exterior styling, giving a very refined look for its price tag. It will likely be a solid contender for anyone looking for a compact car, especially for use on urban and suburban roads, where the Viva ecoFLEX really comes into its own.

Further Information
www.vauxhall.co.uk