Vauxhall

Antara

Stylish designs, an exciting drive and excellent versatility are just a few of the plaudits heaped on the Vauxhall Antara. This dynamic sports utility vehicle, packed with class-leading equipment, is guaranteed to stand out in a crowd.

The good

Great practical design

The bad

Not cheap, but not so expensive for the package

Tech Specs

Price from

£21,650

Combined Fuel up to

44.1mpg

0-62 from

9.9 seconds

max speed up to

124mph

co2 from

167g/km

Test Drive

Vauxhall Antara SE 2.0 CDTi 5dr

If you are looking for an excellent all-rounder with superb spec levels and 4×4 capabilities, then Vauxhall could have the perfect vehicle for you.

Admittedly, Vauxhall isn’t necessarily the first name that springs to mind when considering buying an off-roader, but the Antara is definitely worth taking seriously.

During my week-long test drive, I was asked twice what the vehicle was and whether it was a BMW or not, and although there are similarities between the Antara and BMW’s X5, the starting price is significantly more pleasing.

Offering the creature comforts more often found in a luxury saloon, the Antara boasts heated leather seats, a rapid air con system and top notch sat nav system along with bundles of other features.

The cabin is light and spacious with ample room for five adults to travel in comfort. And the generously-sized boot area is complemented by a whole host of smaller storage compartments scattered throughout the vehicle.

In my opinion, Vauxhall hasn’t always been blessed with producing the most striking looking cars, but the Antara is different and guaranteed to turn heads.

It has very sleek streamlined curves, snazzy alloys and I-mean-business roof rails that add a rugged edge to its appearance.

And the vehicle is crammed with outstanding safety and performance features such as intelligent four-wheel-drive which means it is electronically-controlled to switch from two-wheel to four-wheel drive depending on the conditions.

In addition, there are anti-lock brakes, descent control stability, electronic stability programme, an auto-dimming rear view mirror, tyre pressure monitors, very sensitive parking sensors – that can at times be a little too sensitive – and plenty more.

The drive itself is also impressive and thanks to the high-seated driving position, the driver benefits from excellent all-round visibility. The 2.0-litre engine delivered plenty of power and was very responsive, although out on the open road I did find I was looking for a sixth gear at times which didn’t exist.

All in all, the Antara will cause a stir amongst the more established 4×4 manufacturers and maybe some of the companies will re-think their pricing strategy when they look at this vehicle’s outstanding value for money.

For more details visit www.localvauxhall.co.uk