Former Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond currently pens car columns for one of England’s top gossip papers, The Mirror, and he’s just delivered the verdict on the new Vauxhall Viva (aka Opel Karl). Quite simply, he absolutely loved it.
He calls Vauxhall Viva “blissfully simple,” with just one engine choice – a 1.0L three-cylinder that produces 75 hp – and one five-door body style on offer. The engine doesn’t offer up much in the way of performance, he says, but it’s “nice and thrummy and has lots of character,” and it also “steers well and drives as well as you need a small and simple car to.”
Buyers can choose from two trim levels, SE and SL, and the base SE offers up plenty of value for money: plop down £7,995 ($12,215 USD) for the bargain Viva and you still get a car with cruise control, fogs and lane departure warning as standard. That’s impressive stuff.
That it gets a faintly unbelievable 62.8mpg just notches up its value for money even further. But it’s the looks that seal the deal for Hammond.
“It doesn’t look like a cheap car,” he says, pointing to the fact that the Viva falls in line with Vauxhall/Opel’s new styling.
He also notes that next year buyers can get the option of IntelliLink for less than $500, which adds a central touchscreen with Bluetooth and voice texting and OnStar capability.
“Some older buyers might not want these functions in which case they could do a lot worse than immediately order a new Viva,” he concludes.
We’ll soon get a taste of Viva/Karl flare over here across the pond with the 2016 Chevrolet Spark.
Comments
I can never take what Richard Hammond says seriously its like he always tries too hard to be entertaining and funny, but it just doesn’t happen for him. What the hell does “Thrummy” mean?……No thank you Richard Hammond #BYE
So the next article about the new Viva will be that James May has tested it and decided to trade his Panda in for one?
Viva looks smarter, sharper and more handsome than Spark.
Chevrolet could have used the Opel design without stepping on Buick design language.
The same goes for Astra which would make a great Chevrolet hot hatch for North America.
As a Buick it would be expensive with little volume. As a Chevy, it could challenge Focus, and sell in large numbers.
Hatches are a tough sell in NA.
Even established name plates like Focus and Golf find it difficult based on sales figures.
chevrolet spark US version and spark China version has some better elements than viva-karl. but ower all all this models is crap. ok i am opel lover and i dont like karl and karl is crap. chevrolet china has led front and tailligth. and some more better elements exterior and interior.
they must built one better car all this china-us-eu crap versions. one better version not 3 different crap. but crap is crap.
gorean style and 20 yers old style.
I hope this car goes bad and GM learn nothing again. nothing good this car. nothing. who drawing this crap and wants built this crap. who is this gm disainer or what worker made this crap
Spell check please. ..
test one. peugeot is only like today car. others i dont understand what idots works this car manufactures. some think at cheap car must be ugly , bad and crap.
test two
all 3 together
and twingo and vw up- seat- skoda models
adolf
karl looks and feel cheap and crap. make cars what even not looks and not feel crap or cheap . renault looks and feel not cheap car or some others cars models. before you built cars look at car market what’s happening there
us style-eu style-china style-korean style…………
Well, it seems that you have never sat in a Renault.
Karl/Viva has one of the best interiors in its class. When I say “class”, I mean low-priced microvans. Every test I’ve read so far confirmes that the Karl has a very good quality feeling, some of them even say it has the best in the microcar segment.
So please stop trolling again and again. If you don’t like the design or the name it is your subjective opinion which as it seems is not the majority!
this segment has no quality but has feeling. karl not quality feeling. what quality ?. more qality than twingo, c1, aygo, up…… ? . this segment is importnt feeling and looks. women watch renault twingo and wow
china chevrolet spark some details is more looks and feeling quality. made one good or better car not 3 or more different crap. but all best things one car- ok desing desing but other stuff. who built this car china-us or eu. what strategy tehy use. ahaaaaaaaa. china draw this car- us helps parts and eu gives name ahhaaaaaa
Dare I say it actually looks better than the Karl/Viva