Opel Agila

It’s a square box, but that’s the most efficient shape for carrying things or people, and this little mini-MPV is just great in such endeavours. It comes from a joint venture with GM partners Suzuki and is based on that marque’s Wagon R, but it is an indication of the strength of Opel marketing here that their version sells about two-thjirds more than does the Suzuki. At the moment there are 1- and 1.2-litre petrol options, that first an economical power unit, but if you go for the bigger one you’ll get much more pep and not a lot of penalty. We can expect sometime in the coming year that the 1.2-litre diesel coming out of another GM joint venture with Fiat will be added to the list, and certainly on mainland Europe is bound to be a winner. Brits don’t like it, but it sells steadily here in the mini segment. I like it, and I like the Omega as well, so make of that whatever you will. Stars: 6/10

Opel Meriva

It’s all about flexibility, and Opel are aiming to achieve the same success in the small MPV class as they did with the bigger Zafira. It has already been awarded the MPV design award by Britain’s Institute of Vehicle Engineers for its ‘innovative two or three person rear seating, functional interior layout and crisp exterior styling’. Though based on the Corsa, the new car is actually just 2.2 inches shorter than Zafira and almost as wide. Power is provided by diesel and petrol engines ranging from 1.6 to 1.8 litres in size. The Meriva will have a similar innovation as the Zafira - the FlexSpace concept means the vehicle can be transformed in seconds from a five-seater to a four-seater, a two-seater or even a single-seater — all without removing the seats. A few simple movements convert it into a two-seater with a 68-inch load length and more than 1,300 litres cargo volume. The front passenger seat also folds if necessary. If the front passenger’s seat back is also folded forward, Meriva can carry items as large as a surfboard. And so we wait for the early part of the new year. Provisional Stars: 8/10

Opel Corsa

One of the world’s biggest selling cars in a host of variations, like the saloon and pickup that we don’t have here but which go down well in South America. In its current incarnation, Corsa has grown up to be as strong a contender in the supermini stakes as anything out there at the moment. Comfort, build quality, and driving dynamics are now excellent. We have driven the 1-litre around the low end of the Italian Alps and found that it managed, but that’s about it. The 1.2-litre comes with the option of an automated manual gearbox, and it is our favourite version. A 1.4-litre with aspirations towards the formerly highly respected GSi badge simply doesn’t cut the mustard as a hot hatch. The 1.7-litre diesel gives good fuel economy, and still provides reasonablly good performance as well. But look, my daughter bought a 1.2, and she’s very happy with it. What more can I say? Stars: 8/10

Opel Astra

This one came very close to converting VW Golf enthusiasts, and the current car has certainly been fairly good to Opel. Now selling downwards a bit, as a new version will be shown at Frankfurt in September and should be on sale here in 2004. A very solid and dependable car, and it remains a strong runner in the hotly-contested small family car segment. Positives are its strength and wide model range, though the one powered by the 1.2-litre engine is strictly a loss leader and should be considered as such. Otherwise the 1.4-litre is decently pokey and the 1.6-litre somewhat better. There are a pair of turbodiesel options, 1.7-litre and a much more satisfactory 2-litre, which again is going to suffer from McCreevymania. The estate is the best yet under the model name. Stars: 8/10

Opel Astra Coupe/Cabriolet

A gentle Bertone touch to the basic Astra works wonders for the style, and these still remain among the more desirable, not to mention affordable, 4-seater coupes and cabrios around. They are available with engines of 1.6-, 1.8- and a 2-litre turbo which is a flyer and only in the coupe. The Cabrio comes with a fully-electric foldaway roof which is a dream to operate and the right job for our irregular climate. It’s a pity about the typical Astra black trim, but I’d live with it for the rest of the car. In reality, the coupe is the best option here, given the penchant for vandalism endemic amongst the begrudgers in our society. Stars: 8/10

Opel Speedster

Hah! Wild! The clank of its spartan metal interior and the raw howl of its 2.2-litre engine just behind your head makes this alternative to the Lotus Elise a weekend toy for those both macho and masochistic. If you are tall and/or twinging a little with the arthritis, it’s not a runner for you. But if you have the road and the time and the wish to drive as you probably never had the opportunity to in your youth, then it is worth the candle, and there are probably less than a dozen people out there like you in this country. For me, fun to run occasionally, but altogether too basic for my style. One car, one price, a couple of colours as wild as you;d wish. Stars: 7/10

Opel Zafira

The one that took on Renault’s Scenic and became as good as it at the game the French car invented. Got better than it in some respects with its unique foldaway rear two seats. Built on the underpinings of the Astra, so you know it is functional and reliable, and in some other jurisdictions they have the wild one so the lucky schoolkid can show off his suburban dad’s real self to his peers. We keep getting queries as to whether the 2.2-litre engine is coming here. It’s not. A really solid vehicle in the segment, it comes in this market with 1.6- and 1.8-litre petrol and a 2-litre turbodiesel. That last rather sneers at passing forecourts. Stars: 8/10

Opel Vectra

Opel’s new Vectra is now roomier, safer and more comfortable, and is available as a four-door saloon and coupe with four-cylinder engines ranging in size from 1.6- through 1.8-l to 3.2-litre petrol and with a pair of 100hp and 125hp diesels. Five-speed automatic transmission is available. The Vectra GTS is the only version to get the top-of-the-range 3.2 V6 with 211hp, and it is the fastest Opel volume production car of all time. A 2-litre engine was planned for introduction in early 2003, but now I wonder will they bother. The Vectra features an all-new integrated electronics system with specification levels that bring a wide range of communication and entertainment systems, 8-way adjustable front seats, a tyre-pressure monitoring system, a rain sensor and ‘Park Pilot’. The electronics stability gizmos work a treat on the racetrack or in bad road conditions (I tried them on the track, which explains the reference). Stars: 8/10

Opel Omega

The Omega is above all comfortable and capable, very highly specced, and will carry five in great space, and sits in the same luxury bracket as does Renault’s new VelSatis, or a 5-Series BMW but with a more anynymous travel. Although the 2.2-litre entry level is a little on the small side for a lot of fast travelling, it still propels respectably. The 2.6-litre V6 is probably the best median to go for, though if you have the miles to warrant the extra outlay, we have enjoyed the 2.2-litre turbodiesel. There was once going to be a 5-litre, but instead there’s that powerful 3.2-litre V6 for someone who wants good motorway going with some fuel penalty. Overall, the Omega is safe and satisfying without being ostentatious. The estate rivals the biggest Volvo wagon. Stars: 8/10

Opel Frontera

A long time around now, and showing it. There are 3- and 5-door, and automatic options, but the last time I looked it was only barely keeping its sales ahead of the Hyundai Terracan, which has probably passed it by now. All in all, the burgeoning sales of the ‘soft-roaders’ have changed the market for vehicles like this, like the Daihatsu Fourtrak and the Nissan Terrano. The world and its customers have move on fast and far, but the 2.2-litre diesel engine pulls the Frontera ever more slowly into the 21st century, where it doesn’t really belong and it knows it. Bury it gently. Stars: 4/10