Vauxhall Agila (2008 – 2014) Review

Vauxhall Agila (2008 – 2014) At A Glance

Vauxhall Agila (2008 – 2014) handling and engines

• Engines range from 1.0 12v ecoFLEX to 1.3 CDTi 16V ecoFLEX
• Readers report Real MPG to be between 33–67 mpg

If a manufacturer asked us ladies to design a car suitable for our needs what would we put at the top of our shopping list?

For me, I would start with a head turning exterior to annoy the neighbours. I do not want the car to be too big thus being accused of damaging our dooming environment. I love metallic paint as it is cleans up well and vibrant colours are a must.

The interior would have to be spacious with lots of oddments to store safely, personal effects. To be quite honest, I am not a huge fan on complicated in-car gadgetry. A decent CD player and air conditioning will suffice. I need space for the children in the back without stumping their growth. With my precious cargo on board, the car has to be full of safety features.

As I clock up many miles each week, the car will have to be good in the fuel consumption stakes. Being a cost conscious purse string holder, I would prefer a car with low insurance group, low VED band and or course, low CO2 emissions. Finally, the luggage area must be able to accommodate the weekly shop.

A tall order? Quite possibly. However, the good news is I have found such a car.

The new Vauxhall Agila designed for women in mind. The line up simply comprises of three trims, Expression, mated to a 1.0 litre petrol engine. Club has the option of the same engine in addition to a 1.2 petrol plus a 1.3 diesel. Top of the range is Design, with either the 1.2 petrol or a 1.3 diesel. All Agilas are five door variants on a five speed manual gearbox with the automatic an option on the 1.2 Club or Design.

Cheltenham was the chosen destination for the launch of the Agila to emphasis the flexibility this car now boasts. Showing off its true city status, the Agila eased its way in and out of this wonderful shopping town effortlessly. Out on the glorious open roads of the surrounding countryside, the Agila emphasised its durability.

Call me a girlie or what, but the most noticeable thing that immediately struck me when I saw the Agilas all lined up outside the Hotel de Vin, was the striking exterior colours. Moroccan blue was my favourite; a kind of baby blue followed swiftly by Lemon Grass that is a pale minty green.

Some exterior colours are extended into the interior on the seats; door panels and central console trim making them look really funky. Just be sure to wear sunglasses when you see the Sunset Orange! The new Agila has certainly matured in looks and falls into a new category called monocab. This design maximises space and practicality, yet maintains driver appeal and a distinctive character

Thanks to the high roofline and uniform arrangement of glass, the interior of the Agila is a very bright spacious place to be in with plenty of head, leg and elbowroom. Entry level Expression is pretty basic and comes with a CD player.

Despite its small dimensions, the Agila is packed with useful storage solutions so we can shop till we drop. If we need more space to hide our secret purchases the Agila comes with an innovative new feature. A 35-litre hidden storage space under the load floor of Club and Design models that can be removed if required.

At launch all three engines were available to drive. I started in the 1.2 litre petrol and was very impressed at the uptake plus the way it maintained the speed on the open roads. This engine sprints from 0-62mph in 12.3 seconds, has a top speed of 109 mph with fuel consumption standing in at 51.4 mpg on a combined cycle. CO2 emissions are 131g/km.

The Agila has never had a diesel engine before but shares the same 1.3 litre CDTi that made its debut in the Corsa. This boasts great fuel consumption at 62.8 mpg on a combined cycle and CO2 emissions are slashed at 120k/gm meaning a VED cost of just £35 per year. However, I found it rather noisy and not as punchy as the 1.2 litres. Despite this, it has to be an ideal candidate for the cost conscious motorist.

So will the frugal 1.0 litre sway me? Well very nearly despite an initial hairdryer effect. But once it got going, you almost forgot it was just a 1.0 litre. This engine is the most fuel efficient at 64.2 mpg on a combined cycle that makes it a tempting contender.

The power assisted steering is lovely and will breeze in and out of those parking bays. But you will equally want to hit the open road for the driving dynamics are very impressive on this new Agila. It boasts a simple yet effective suspension layout that improves handling and ride comfort. ESP is an optional extra across the range at £400.

Engine	MPG	0-62	CO2
1.0 12v ecoFLEX	57–60 mpg	14.1–14.7 s	109–119 g/km
1.2 16V	47–55 mpg	11.8–14.2 s	118–142 g/km
1.2 16V Automatic	47–50 mpg	14.0 s	131–133 g/km
1.2 16V ecoFLEX	55 mpg	12.0 s	118–119 g/km
1.3 CDTi 16V	63 mpg	13.3 s	120 g/km
1.3 CDTi 16V ecoFLEX	63 mpg	13.3 s	120 g/km

Vauxhall Agila (2008 – 2014) models and specs

On sale until May 2017

Hatchback
Version	List Price	MPG	0-62
1.0i 12V Expression ecoFLEX 5dr	£8,695	58.9 mpg	14.7 s
1.0i 12V S ecoFLEX 5dr	£10,635	58.9 mpg	14.7 s
1.2i 16V VVT S Auto 5dr	£12,535	47.1 mpg	14.0 s
1.2i 16V VVT S ecoFLEX 5dr	£11,305	55.4 mpg	12.0 s
1.2i 16V VVT SE Air Con Auto 5dr	£13,560	47.1 mpg	14.0 s
1.2i 16V VVT SE Air Con ecoFLEX 5dr	£12,325	55.4 mpg	12.0 s

On sale until March 2015

MPV
Version	List Price	MPG	0-62
S 1.0i 12v ecoFLEX 68 5dr	£10,635	60.1 mpg	14.7 s
S 1.2i 16v 94 Auto 5dr	£12,535	49.6 mpg	14.0 s
S 1.2i 16v ecoFLEX 94 5dr	£11,305	55.4 mpg	12.0 s
SE 1.2i 16v 94 Auto 5dr	£13,560	49.6 mpg	14.0 s
SE 1.2i 16v ecoFLEX 94 5dr	£12,325	55.4 mpg	12.0 s

On sale until December 2014

MPV
Version	List Price	MPG	0-62
Expression 1.0i 12v ecoFLEX 68 5dr	£8,695	60.1 mpg	14.7 s

On sale until August 2010

People Carrier
Version	List Price	MPG	0-62
S 1.2i 16v 5dr	£10,645	55.4 mpg	11.8 s
S 1.2i 16v 5dr Auto	£10,645	47.1 mpg	14.2 s
SE 1.2i 16v 5dr	£11,645	55.4 mpg	11.8 s
SE 1.2i 16v 5dr Auto	£11,645	47.1 mpg	14.2 s

On sale until April 2010

People Carrier
Version	List Price	MPG	0-62
Club 1.0i 12v ecoFLEX 5dr	£9,980	56.5 mpg	14.1 s
Club 1.2i 16v 5dr	£10,360	51.4 mpg	11.8 s
Club 1.2i 16v 5dr Auto	£10,360	47.9 mpg	14.2 s
Club 1.3 CDTi 16v eoFLEX 5dr	£12,165	62.8 mpg	13.3 s
Design 1.2i 16v 5dr	£11,360	51.4 mpg	11.8 s
Design 1.2i 16v 5dr Auto	£11,360	47.9 mpg	14.2 s
Design 1.3 CDTi 16v ecoFLEX 5dr	£13,165	62.8 mpg	13.3 s

On sale until April 2009

People Carrier
Version	List Price	MPG	0-62
Expression 1.0i 12v ecoFLEX 5dr	£8,295	56.5 mpg	14.1 s