Let's lay one nugget of bar room 'wisdom' to rest straight away. The Vectra is no longer the anodyne, lowest common denominator repmobile it was once commonly perceived as. Yes, the majority of cars sold still go directly to fleets but the Vectra has at last become a car that you could conceivably buy with your own money. Especially if it's a CDTi150 diesel version.

Let's face it, none of us enjoy forking out for fuel. It's not so much the tedious time spent inhaling carcinogens on a windy forecourt, the tempting range of preservative-stuffed pastry snacks or even the opportunity to interact with a night cashier suffering from chronic body odour problems that tends to grate. It's the feeling as you watch the numbers click over that you're being royally stuffed by the Chancellor. If you enjoy driving as much as I do, you're faced with a quandary. You can either roll over and surrender or you can take action. The latter usually comes in one of three forms. Choose a lightweight sports car that doesn't hammer the fuel, choose a car converted to run on LPG or opt for one of the latest generation sports diesels. If you've got a family, the last of these options is probably the most practical, as LPG conversions are still few and far between and are hard to come by on cars that offer the driver any real fun. Entertainment is definitely on the agenda with a car like the Vectra CDTi 150.

As the name suggests there's a hefty 150bhp on tap which is very creditable indeed for a car that sups from the black pump. More importantly, this engine can generate a stump-pulling 315Nm of torque. That's a lot of muscle under your right foot. It makes this Vectra feel stronger in the mid-range than cars like the Jaguar XJ6, the Porsche Boxster S and the Subaru Impreza WRX. You'll believe that nugget of information the very first time you accelerate down an on-ramp to merge with fast flowing motorway traffic, the seamless urge of the turbocharged engine offering genuinely rapid acceleration. Even from a standing start - where diesel engines rarely post good figures - the Vectra will notch off the sprint to 60mph in a mere 8.8 seconds, running on to a top speed of 134mph. The estate version is marginally slower, getting to 60mph in 10 seconds and running out of steam at a still rapid 132mph.

"Entertainment is definitely on the agenda with a car like the Vectra CDTi 150"

The CDTi engine is a four-cylinder unit of 1910cc displacement and is fully compliant with the Euro4 emissions regulations. This means that the Vectra sidesteps the usual three per cent surcharge that company car drivers often get stung by, reducing their Benefit In Kind tax bill. The engine's efficiency owes much to the turbocharger with variable turbine geometry and huge intercooler. With four valves per cylinder and common-rail architecture the engine is bang up to date, the big payoff being a combined fuel economy figure of 48.6mpg for the hatch and 46.3mpg for the estate. There's even a 6-speed automatic gearbox option.

Much has been written of the latest Vectra. Much of this has spouted from the pen of the same Mr J. Clarkson who nailed the previous model's press launch with his infamous silent protest. Whilst a fatwah still exists on the bouffant one in Luton, he's been at it again regarding the latest car, albeit in far more voluble terms. The difference this time is that others have responded, springing to the Vectra's defence.

The current model has been subjected to a reasonably thorough facelift for a start. We were told that the car's styling was completely new from the A-pillars forward but on viewing it, there was the sneaking suspicion that the front end had been sighted somewhere before. It had, the Vectra appears to have been driven into the back of an Astra family hatchback at extremely high speed. The resulting concertina-effect sees the bonnet, lights and grille of the smaller car now protruding from the front of its larger sibling. This is no bad thing of course: the Astra has been hailed for its bold, sharky looks since launch and today's Vectra inherits them.

The Vectra's cabin has long been a haven of tranquillity. Ever since the launch of the original version of the current car, it has provided a suitably relaxing environment for marathon motorway trips and this facelifted model has upped the anti. 'Soft touch' is revealed as the key phrase as you run a finger over the surfaces, press the buttons and flick the switches in the tried and tested manner. The old cabin was a little too grey for many tastes but upgraded seat fabrics and trim inserts, a smaller, more sports-orientated steering wheel and a jazzed-up instrument panel all help to make the current model a more interesting place to be.

It's a fairly well-established fact that the Vectra can match any car in the medium range sector on grounds of refinement and comfort. The trick for engineers working on the current facelifted car was to retain those respected qualities while injecting more by way of driver involvement and improving the car's dynamic abilities. It sounds a fine balancing act but they may have pulled it off. There's more steering feel and better chassis control in today's Vectra but the crown jewels of that silky ride and the whisper-quiet cabin remain intact. In fact, Vauxhall claim that refinement is actually improved as well.

It's taken quite a while for the Vectra and the diesel models in particular to elevate themselves to a position where they can credibly challenge for class honours. With the CDTi150 models, that time has now arrived. Vauxhall are understandably proud of this car. More power to 'em.

TOP 5 VECTRA DEALS

The results below show the top VECTRA deals on buyacar

	Vauxhall Vectra 1.9 CDTi Exclusiv [150] 5dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £232	Saving £4,208	Price £12,732
	Vauxhall Vectra 1.9 CDTi SRi [150] 5dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £275	Saving £5,043	Price £14,747
	Vauxhall Vectra 1.9 CDTi Exclusiv [120] 5dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £228	Saving £4,062	Price £12,378
	Vauxhall Vectra 1.9 CDTi Life [120] 4dr Saloon
	ETR	Mthly £265	Saving £4,574	Price £13,616
	Vauxhall Vectra 1.9 CDTi Elite [150] 5dr Auto Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £6,424	Price £18,146

typical 10.76% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000