Vauxhall Viva Review and Prices

The Viva might be small, but it makes the most of the space it does offer. Unlike rivals (including the Up), the Viva only comes with five doors, allowing excellent access to the back seats. Six-footers fit easily in the front and someone of similar size can squeeze in the back, too. Its 206-litre boot is, however, about 50 litres off the best in class.

Keeping things simple, the Viva is only available with one engine – a 1.0-litre petrol with 74hp. It hauls the Vauxhall from 0-62mph in 13.1 seconds – enough to make the car feel fairly nippy around town. It’s not the quietest cruiser on the motorway, however.

It doesn't do anything particularly badly but doesn't have the sparkle of the best in class

Fuel economy of 62.8mpg and CO2 emissions of 104g/km mean the Viva is cheap to run.

Although the basic car does without air-conditioning (a £400 option), it is also well equipped for the class – cruise control, remote-central locking, electrically adjustable door mirrors and a trip computer are all fitted as standard.

If you’re looking for a city car that’s fun-to-drive in town and not a pain on the motorway, then the VW Up is still the class leader. However, it’s significantly more expensive than the Vauxhall, comes with less equipment and only has three-doors as standard. In other words, if value for money is your main concern, the Vauxhall makes a very strong case for itself.