My New Tiger... Grrrr... (Vauxhall Tigra 1.4i 16v)

Member Name: llamalove

Product:	Vauxhall Tigra 1.4i 16v
Date:	30/08/04 (5241 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: looks gorgeous, smooth drive, responsive

Disadvantages: The Tigra lost a star on my rating as visability can be reduced due to the curved shape

Anyone who has been reading my reviews over the summer has probably noticed that I have not been particularly happy with my Corsa. It kind of gave up the day before the last day of term (before the summer hols) and since then I?ve been waiting for a loan, getting it fixed so I can sell it and looking for my new car. For several weeks leading up to my Corsa?s final breath, my fiancé Richard had been constantly asking me questions such as ?What are you going to do about your car Lisa??? ?You need to get your car sorted out before it gives up Lisa?? ?What car are you going to get Lisa??? ?Have you got your loan sorted out yet Lisa??? When it comes to cars Richard is like a 5 year old in a chocolate factory. In his 27 years of life (bear in mind only 10 of them will be driving years) he has had approximately 70 cars! He loves stripping them down, doing them up, showing them off then selling them on. In the last few years, he?s calmed down a bit and he has only had 4 or 5 cars since we?ve lived together. So when I mentioned that I was thinking it was time for me to get a new car I should have expected the constant badgering.

Anyway, I?d had my eye on the Vauxhall Tigra for a long while and really quite fancied one but I thought it looked too good to be in my price range. But Richard had a little look on Ebay and Auto Trader; asked around and found out that if I bought a used one they were not as expensive as I thought. Prices seemed to range from £2000 to £6000. Straight away we noticed that the bigger the car dealer, the more expensive the car so we tried out the smaller ones. We also found out that the 1.6s seemed to be taking a long time to sell whereas the 1.4s were snapped up rather quick. On a quick call to my insurance company I soon found out why and decided I?d have to go for the
1.4 myself (on the subject of insurance it?s really not that bad, I jumped from insurance group 4 to group 10, I?m 25 (but won?t get over 25 discount till next year), have a few naughtys on my license and it cost me about £500 fully comprehensive? from the AA if that helps).

So after lots of searching and test driving I finally decided on the first one I saw. A beautiful 1997 P reg 1.4 16v electric blue coupe with 16inch alloys, electric sunroof, electric windows, twin airbags, power steering and c.d player all for £2700 (well it was £2999 but with a bit of eye lash fluttering?.you know?.) Bargain, gorgeous and I love it.

Compared to my Corsa, there was not much to get used to with the controls. Infact, the Tigra is pretty much a Corsa with a more stylish and sleek body. Being used to my diesel without power steering, the main thing I thought I?d have to get used to was how light it felt and how easy to manipulate. The interior continues the smooth, sleek style and feels very rounded. The back window comes round the sides and quite far over the roof. The seats are comfortable and there is plenty of leg room for ME in the front. I emphasise ?me? as I?m only 5 ft 4? and a half. Richard on the other hand is just under 6ft 8! Not surprisingly, it?s rather uncomfortable for him to drive ? but not impossible. As everything on the Tigra seems to be sloping backwards, the screen and roof are very close to his head which is more of a problem than the amount of room left when his legs are in.

Now, if you think that?s a problem then you should see the back seats. The Tigra is supposed to be a 4/5 seater but you really shouldn?t expect this. It really needs to be considered as a 2 seater (+ young children if you have them). However, on a recent trip out, a friend of mine pulled the short straw and ended up in th
e back ? he managed to get in but as I said about the back window, it came so far over his head that every time we went over a bump or turned a corner, he hit his poor head on it.

There are several things that quite surprised me about the Tigra. Two good surprises and one bad. Firstly, the boot space is phenomenal! Not at all what you would expect from the outside ? big enough for a bit supermarket shop or even for a big sub woofer and amp! The back seat can also fold forward if you need a bit more space for a larger item.

Second is how cool it is inside. As everything is low, the sun doesn?t really heat it up when you leave it in the car park on long sunny days. I?ve got in the middle of the day and it?s been pleasantly cool?and once the sunroof is opened and the windows are down it?s no problem at all.

Now for the downer. It?s my only gripe about the car but it is quite an important one. Visibility! Because of the rounded shape of the shell, the right wing mirror just doesn?t point out far enough. The only way you can see out of it is if you lean right forward with your chest against the steering wheel. From my position, all I can see is the side of the car and my arm. So, each time I pull out to the right I have to turn and look out of the back window (as there are no side windows). It?s something I?m getting used to now and in the day it?s not so bad. But at night I?m still a little worried. As the windows are tinted, it makes the whole thing even harder when it?s dark outside.

And the last of this ?little? moan is something that doesn?t bother me but something my neighbour said would bother her. As the seats are sloped back, when you go over a big hill, you can?t see what?s on the other side of it until you get to the top. A bit worrying but I don?t tend to go over that many steep hills myself so I can p
ut up with it.

Performance wise, I really don?t know too much ? that?s Richard?s area! But I do know that it feels incredibly smooth and it sounds so much quieter that my chuggy old diesel ? even with the sports exhaust. The 1.4 takes about £35 of unleaded to fill it up and that will get you about 300miles going at a good speed (not too fast, not too slow). On acceleration, the Tigra seems very responsive and light?only having it a week I haven?t yet built up the confidence to put my foot down all the way as a light touch gets me to 80 in just a few seconds and that?s enough for me whilst I adjust.

So there we go, my new car?my sexy little Tiger! If you get a chance to drive one, give it a go? it won?t bite.



Capital letters courtesy of: http://www.chuckleweb.co.uk/fixit.php

Summary: