May 2005 Issue of the

Disabled Motorist

Disabled Motorist is the monthly magazine of the Disabled Drivers' Motor Club. It's packed with useful and interesting information and it campaigns on the issues that affect you - whether you are a driver, passenger, or carer for a disabled child. Here, on our growing web site, is a small selection. If you would like to join the 20,000 people who receive a regular copy, please visit the Club membership page .

Various news and information

A shock . . . but only a hiccup

Aixam adds petrol to range

The reliable rocket

Paul Talbot discovers the joys of cruise control in a speedy yet
economical Vauxhall Vectra.

Recently I've been testing the latest Vauxhall Vectra 1.9 SXi, the sporty variant of the range fitted with the CDTi diesel engine – and what an engine it is. The car can cope with lots of torque and puts out a massive 150 brake horse power– it's a real rocket in its diesel form.
The motoring press have criticised the Vectra for being boring and ordinary and judging by the company sales it's well known to motorway users for its efforts at cruising up and down the three lane carriageways without really offending anyone,
but this is different. Really different.
Exterior
The car was finished in a very enticing flame red and had the typical five-door layout. It features darkened headlamp lenses at the front and the family V grille. Fog lamps beneath the aggressively styled bumper are standard fit on this car and its sports suspension helps to give it a low stance. Discreet side skirts and 16-inch alloy wheels add to the sporty appeal.
It's at the back of the car where I can't help feeling that Vauxhall has run out of ideas. A chrome strip runs along the bottom of the window waistline and along the boot line linking in with the reversing lamps. The maker's emblem is perched in
the middle of the tailgate, but to me it looks bland and boring; maybe this is part of the criticism that's been levelled at the car in the past. At least the chrome exhaust pipe poking out of the rear bodykit adds visual interest and hints at power.
The car is another in the 4m sector with the rest of the dimensions being 2036mm width, 1460mm height & 4596mm length. The hatch opens sufficiently wide enough to enable loading of the biggest mobility equipment and the floor area is level and vast. There's likely to be no problem here carrying the largest of wheelchairs, I suspect, with the measurements being 1.1m wide, a height of 800mm from the ground and a floor of 980 mm. A fairly low loading lip helps in this regard.

Interior
After taking the wheel for a few minutes after it was delivered, I thought, “I'm going to like this”. The sports seats are really comfortable and probably the best I've ever sat in – over the course of the loan I did over 300 miles and some days, I just didn't want to get out. The contours are excellent for those like me with back trouble, being supportive and easily adjustable.
The low stance of the car, helped by the sports suspension, lends itself to easy access and I was pleased to see that the doors open wide enough for wheelchair access.
It's also nice to see that Vauxhall have paid attention to detail in the interior; there's plenty of aluminium-effect trim and a strip which runs around the inside of the car doors and across the dash. The contrasting colour means it's a bit like a
safety bar on a roller coaster truck, thick and wide but it does break up the black plastic which abounds. The dash itself is thick and chunky, something I liked a lot. A central column houses most of the car's equipment: a single slot CD player,
heater controls and air con, with satellite radio/CD controls on the adjustable steering wheel and built-in mobile phone functionality.
Perhaps the only thing lacking with the car is a sunroof, but that's probably being picky. The indicators have come in for serious criticism in the motoring press but for motorists with dexterity problems, they're an absolute gem. A simple tap is all that's required. Similarly, select reverse and the rear wiper activates when it's wet, saving you the bother. Simple touches like these make for much easier driving.
Safety is obviously a top priority as the car features an array of airbags. It's also pleasing to note that an alarm is standard fit and easy to operate.
Continuing the air of quality that's apparent from the driving seat is the chunky dash fitted with a satellite navigation unit. I've yet to use a simpler one; it's really like child's play to use, something which can really be said for the majority of the controls.
On the road
Regular readers will know that I have three unpaid volunteers to check out rear interior space. They reported that there was plenty of space with no complaints about legroom or comfort.
The sloping roofline did raise concerns though as it may cause tall people some problems. The front passenger seat came in for particular praise with its figure-hugging contours.
On the rural routes, the car's rock-hard ride owing to the sports suspension wouldn't suit everyone but it's a breeze to drive. The diesel engine has the traditional clatter on start up but it soon disappears and it's obvious that there is plenty of soundproofing as it becomes a mere rumble when inside the car, allowing you to forget that it's a diesel.
The car handles predictably; push it into corners and you might expect the nose to run a little wide but it isn't having any. The traction control keeps it in check which is good. It steers accurately and enabled me to place it where I wanted even if it was a little numb and uncommunicative.
Quite unintentionally, I noted with some surprise that it can be all too easy to spin the wheels when travelling around town because of the armfuls of torque available upon acceleration.
Needless to say, with this amount of power and those supportive seats, I found myself grinning rather a lot.
Whilst still grinning, I realised that motorway journeys too can be fun and this explains why the car is probably so popular in this sort of territory. With the cruise control engaged at 70mph so as to avoid being flashed, I began to think that it
was probably possible to stay there all day. Clearly it's what the Vectra excels at.
I was surprised to find that I'd covered around 320 miles during the week-long loan but the car had only consumed around half a tank of diesel. The mental arithmetic suggests that a 600-mile journey on a tankful is a distinct possibility.
All this and a 0-60 time of bang on 9 seconds as well as an engine which puts out great chunks of torque at 150 bhp at 4,000 revs makes it highly desirable; speed and economy– who says you can't have your cake and eat it?
Verdict
Vauxhall's use of the new Euro IV compliant CDTi diesel engine in the Vectra allows you to be kinder to the environment but still enjoy those minor B roads at a decent pace. It's clearly got excellent build quality and appears to be happy on the motorway where, used as company transport, it's likely to spend most of its time. As a Motability contract hire agreement, it will cost £1,275 advance payment. As a private purchase the range starts at £14,395 and rises to £25,365 – although owing to the plentiful supply through the ex-company car market, the downside is that depreciation is a killer, but if you keep it for a while it's likely to provide reliable, refined transport for years to come. It would certainly be on my shopping
list, whether outside the supermarket or in the company car park.

The Disabled Drivers' Motor Club wants you to spend your money wisely. There are a number of assessment centres around the UK for you to discuss your mobility requirements and we urge you to contact them before you commit your funds to a vehicle that may not be suitable. See pages 14-15 of the DDMC Annual Handbook for details of your nearest centre.