Vauxhall Viva UK colour guide

The Vauxhall Viva – known as the Karl in Europe – costs from £7,995 and the model will slot in below the Corsa and Adam to become the company’s cheapest city car.

For anyone put off by its siblings, it might well come as a blessed relief. The Corsa is sporty, but cramped inside, and the price of even the entry model will be too rich for many. The Adam is more expensive still – it’s over-styled for conservative drivers and not as practical as it needs to be.

We’ll see how well the Viva addresses these criticisms when we publish our full review in the summer. In the meantime, here’s carwow’s definitive guide to the colours in which it’s set to ship, with pictures, prices and words of advice for every option.

For a breakdown of what different paint finishes mean, read our car paint types guide.

Solid finishes

Solar Red – £0

This is the only option that doesn’t attract a premium. Fortunately, it looks great – and it’s the perfect fit for the Viva with its budget motoring personality. It’s not as striking as the more expensive finishes, but it enhances the chrome trim, as well as the black B-pillars on the SL models. Regular trips to the car wash shouldn’t be necessary, but you’ll need to keep it gleaming if you want it to look its best.

Brilliant finishes

Summit White – £275

Opt for white, and this is your only choice. It’s the cheapest colour upgrade, and although it isn’t full metallic, its semi-opaque finish gives the car an extra dimension and makes it look more expensive. White is very fashionable on any vehicle so you shouldn’t have any problems when it’s time to sell it on. The paint should also keep residual values high but you’ll need to wash it frequently.

Metallic finishes

Fresh Green – £545

An unusual colour, but not one that looks out of place on a small city car. It’s closer to lime than traditional green, so you may stand out in traffic a little more than you’re used to. It looks better in person than it does in pictures, so you could have trouble re-selling the car – at least until potential buyers see it in the flesh. Keep it clean and polish it well to help it look its best.

Mushroom – £545

Imagine light silver with hints of beige. That’s Mushroom; a colour that talks to conservative drivers. Just different enough to convince yourself the upgrade was money well spent, it helps you stand apart from the crowd while staying below the radar. It should be easy to find a buyer when you want to move on, but although it won’t need washing as often as traditional silver, darker colours will take less looking after.

Titanium Grey – £545

Expect to see this on a lot of Vivas: it enhances the chrome trim, which in turn makes the car look elegant and more expensive. There’ll be lots of competition when you come to resell it, but demand should still be high for such a popular colour. It won’t need washing on a regular basis, but needs keeping clean if you want it to look its best.

Carbon Flash – £545

This is the only black in the Viva line-up. It should rival Titanium Grey for popularity, so take care of the car as there’ll be lots of competition on the second hand market. Black is unforgiving when it comes to showing scratches – even minor ones. However, keep it scratch free, properly cleaned and regularly polished, and it’s one of the most striking colours on any car.

Blue Ray – £545

Blue Ray – like Fresh Green – could turn out to be another acquired taste. It has the same vibe as Mushroom, being subtly different to the usual crop of colours. Unlike Mushroom, though, it doesn’t make the car look more classy. It’s not bad per se, but it looks rather bland on the Viva. Some may like that, but we think it’ll be harder to sell through the classifieds and residual values won’t be as high as they would for other colour choices. Regular washing will be essential.

Sparkling Blue – £545

Richer and deeper than Blue Ray, Sparkling Blue helps the Viva look more expensive. Its metallic finish looks especially good in the sun, putting emphasis on the black B-pillars and – if you opt for the SL trim – the tinted windows. Cleaning the car won’t become a regular chore and you shouldn’t have any problems finding someone to buy it when you’re ready to upgrade.

Sovereign Silver – £545

Filter the beige out of Mushroom and this is what you’re left with. Sovereign Silver is stylish, and although it’s a little bland you shouldn’t have any problems finding a second hand buyer. It looks great on a sunny day and ought to hide scratches pretty well. It might also cut down on trips to the car wash, as we suspect that it’s one of those colours that just looks good when it’s covered in road grime.

Mystic Violet – £545

An unusual colour but one that works well on the Viva. Although not a ‘look at me’ option, it should help it stand apart from most other cars on the road. It’s a classy shade, and one which is well worth the £545 asking price. It won’t be as popular as other options so selling the vehicle on maybe more difficult, but the colour itself won’t hurt residual values. Regular trips to the car wash won’t be necessary.

What next?

If you like the look of the Vauxhall Viva then have a read of our full, aggregated review. If you’d like to see how much money you could save on one, view the Viva in our car configurator. If you’d like to see more options, head over to our deals page to see our latest discounts.