This week I'm mainly driving a Vauxhall Vectra Diesel

[Simon Davey]

I can nearly qualify this review for Neil's Fast Saloons. Except it's a gutless diesel so it's not fast. And it's a hatchback.

I've been lent a lovely shade of blue Vectra whilst the X5 goes through it's decomissioning and is taken away to be auctioned. But the niceness of the colour is where it stops. I think everything else about the car that I have so far experienced is dreadful. The lifeless steering with at least an inch of play each way in the straight ahead. The snappy nasty turn in once past the horrible steering. The uncomfortable seats with nasty controls. The dreadful engine, drony, gutless, bag of spanners. The gearbox that struggles with the nasty engine and reminds me of American slush, it loses so much direct go. Good job it's got a steptronic! Controls that are anti-intuitive. Indicators that have a life of their own. A rear wiper that is insistent on when it comes on itself. A stereo that is both difficult to use and horrible to listen to. The brakes are okay though.

Makes me realise that I've been pampered too long with cars that are designed well, go well, stop well, feel good, etc.

Roll on Thursday!

Simon