Test drive Opel Vectra sedan 2002 - 2005 sedan
Big Vectra
Even becoming a caravan, this Opel model has not lost the best qualities of the sedan
The first, most vivid impression: a huge internal volume, gigantic for a passenger model Size, especially length. Vectra Caravan was even longer than Opel Omega, which until recently stood a step above Vectra in the hierarchical ladder of a German company. I happened to experience similar sensations for a very long time when the Toyota Camry station wagon, created for the American market, went to the test. It was also a large car, with a traction engine and a suspension tuned to the New World market. That is extremely soft. Since then, I admit, I had been misconception, believing that all the station wagons behave on the road in this way. Opel Vectra Caravan made me look at this class of cars in a completely different way. It turned out that a large station wagon can give the driver a lot of pleasant minutes while driving. There is no worse than the sedan to pass turns and remain inside equally comfortable and quiet.
There would be suitable tires
From a technical point of view, Vectra Caravan shared the platform with the current Opel flagship - the Signum model. This means an enlarged wheelbase compared to the sedan (up to 2.83 m), a harsh, in my opinion, suspension and the same set of engines and gearboxes. The car in the test was equipped with a 2.2-liter gasoline engine of the Direct Ecotec series. This is the first Opel power unit with direct fuel injection. Its design uses an intake manifold with variable geometry. As a result, effective combustion of gasoline is achieved. This is in theory. In practice, the dynamics of the car improves - acceleration to 100 km/h at the modification with automata takes 11 seconds, and the efficiency and traction characteristics are increasing. Vectra wagon requires an average of 8.8 liters of fuel per 100 km of run. In general, despite the automatic transmission and far from the most significant digits of the engine volume, I did not experience any problems with overclocking. By the way, the machine is very good. It was specially created for the Vectra family, so its settings seem ideal for this particular car. The box has all the current properties - an adaptive character, the function of manual switching of the Active Select ranges (works in moderation quickly), the winter mode.
In general, everything in Vectra Caravan turned out to be extremely simple - he sat down, started the engine, transferred the lever to position D, pressed the gas and went. No stress or unnecessary anxiety. The machine smoothly starts from the place and quite briskly gains a move. At this moment, you can only rejoice at the torn from the stream, glancing in the rear view mirrors. By the way, they could be a little more. Vectra Caravan diving in turns equally easily. Maybe a little more than the sedan is rolled, but this is almost imperceptibly. From the point of view of controllability, there can be no complaints, everything is in order with the hardness of the body. Stability guarantees the design of the chassis with a front suspension of the Mcpherson type mounted on the subframe and the rear multi -link circuit.
It’s not scary if you overdo it in a turn with speed. All last generation Vectra is regularly equipped with an interactive driving system (IDS). It combines ABS, CBC systems (the distribution of brake forces when passing the rotation), help with emergency braking, braking adjustment and TCPLUS anti -wings. Smart electronics quickly recognizes the beginning of the sliding and instantly brakes the necessary wheels - so that the car reliably follows the trajectory. Moreover, at the same time, the pads can touch three wheels at once, that is, Vectra will not save even before a real ice, there would be tires suitable
Flexible organization
However, running qualities are not even the most important thing in this car. The trunk is a highlight. To begin with, it is divided horizontally with a folding curtain. Everything that fits between her and the floor should not exceed 530 liters. Why am I? Yes, to the fact that the same amount of luggage fits into the trunk of a rather big Mercedes S-class. But this is only half the space of Vectra Caravan! Having removed the curtain, the cargo compartment can be scored under the roof itself, that is, twice as large. And if you still fold the back row of seats (the headrests are not required to be removed at the same time, they easily crawl past the backs of the front seats), then the useful internal volume of the luggage compartment will increase to 1850 liters! That is, in the normal sense in Opel, the refrigerator will calmly fit in a height of more than one and a half meters or a couple of boxes of TVs with a diagonal of 25 inches. Decent indicators. 
The biggest problem for the owners of the station wagons has always remained the fasteners of luggage. After a long road, especially if you go assertively, the whole load is often mixed, which, you see, is extremely inconvenient. To separate the grains from the chaff, Opel developed a special Flexorganizer system. I remember a few months ago, when the station wagon only made her debut, I laughed for a long time at the phrase from a press release: they say, this fastener provides a reasonable ordering of the placement of various objects in the luggage compartment. But in fact, it is! The system is based on parallel bars that stretch on the sides of the trunk. A variety of nets and partitions are attached to them, with which the compartment can be divided into many zones. For example, take half the space for the dog, and divide the remaining place between the provisions and things. Very convenient. And most importantly, a person’s friend will definitely not eat food and does not stain clothes or bags. 
Moreover, Opel offers to choose one of two sets of standard trunk equipment. The Organizer version consists of elastic nets that break the cargo compartment into several compartments. The kit also includes side nets and four hooks for fastening, for example, bags with purchases. Using the Travel kit, you can prepare the luggage department for traveling during vacation. Using the dividing partitions and the crossbar from the back can be placed, for example, boxes with drinks. In general, the elements of the Flexorganizer system are designed in such a way that all of them can be hidden under the folding curtain of the luggage compartment that protects the thing from prying eyes. And this is not counting three secret clothing departments: one under the floor and pairs in each of the side walls.
As for access to the trunk, then there will be no problems at all. Small loading height and the unpainted upper part of the bumper will save the owner of Vectra Caravan from exhausting physical exercises to lift weights and worries about the preservation of varnished enamel. Plus, in the bad weather, when the back door of the station wagon is quite sprayed with mud from under the wheels, you will not even have to touch it. Unless, of course, order an electric drive included in the list of options. Owners of boats or horses will appeal to a folding towing hook or a towbar. When it is not used, it can be hidden without unnecessary efforts under the bumper, thereby not violating the harmony of the appearance of the station wagon sticking out from under it with excess details. In general, the creators of Vectra Caravan claim that their car can easily drag a trailer weighing up to 1800 kg.
It is far from Europe
Finally, more pressing things. The main competitors of Vectra Caravan - VW Passat, Volvo V70, Renault Laguna. The station wagon costs a little more than the sedan and will cost the future owner $ 24 330 - 34 620, depending on the configuration. Warranty - two years without mileage restriction. Interior mileage - 15,000 km. The normal term by Russian standards. However, in Europe for Vectra gasoline, a German manufacturer sets it twice up. And for diesel modifications that are not delivered to our country, and at all 50,000 km. Imagine, you will have to call on the service no more than once a year. And on a diesel - once every two, or even in three years! Are the quality of gasoline and roads here and there also differ, that is, twice? Eh, apparently in everything the geographical position of Russia, half climbed into Asia ... Brief technical characteristics of Opel Vectra Caravan
Engine volume, cubic meter. See: 2198
The number of valves for the cylinder: 4
Power, l. with. at about./min.: 155/5600
Max. Torque, Nm/at about. min.: 220/3800
Acceleration to 100 km/h, p.: 10.1 (11.0)
Maximum speed, km/h: 212 (208)
Average fuel consumption l./100 km.: 8.1 (8.8)
Fuel tank volume, l.: 61
Dimensions, mm.: 4822x1798x1500
In brackets are given data for the version with automatic transmission
Sergey Ilyinsky
A source: Newspaper "Automobile Izvestia" [No. 3 (49), 2004]
