Vauxhall revives the Viva name after 35 years with a model that will sit below the current Corsa and Adam in the small segment. The name pays homage to the old Viva, that was built between 1963 and 1979. The small segment MPV is also a follower of the old Vauxhall/Opel Agila, built on the same platform with the Suzuki Splash.
The Viva is identical to the Opel Karl produced under the Opel brand. Both Vauxhall Viva and Opel Karl will make their world premiere in March at the Geneva Motor Show. In North America, the car will be released as the next generation Spark under the Chevrolet brand.
Design
The new Vauxhall Viva measures 3.68 meters (144 inches) long and can offer space for five people.
In terms of design, three strong feature lines swoop down the sides with the signature ‘blade’, seen previously on Insignia and GTC, slicing through the doors. The two others run through the front and rear door handles. The VIVA’s front end features a distinctive winged chrome bar that presents the Griffin badge. The car will be available with 10 exterior paint colours and with a variety of 14- to 16-inch wheels.
Drivetrain
Under the hood, we will find the new Ecotec 1.0 liter petrol engine, already used on the Adam and Corsa. The unit will deliver 75 hp and will be linked to a five-speed manual transmission.
Equipment
The standard Viva will be offered with ABS, ESP and Hill Start Assist. Further safety options can be selected including Lane Departure Warning.
Viva shares with Adam and Corsa its City mode that reduces steering effort in urban areas by simply pushing a button. Park Assist alerts the driver to obstacles while parking plus there’s optional cruise control, sunroof, fog lights, heated front seats and heated steering wheel.
Price
The Vauxhall Viva is expected to cost £7,500 in UK and Opel Karl €10,000 in Europe.
