Opel Vectra City Car Driving Now

Drive safe, watch for scooters.

Nobody ever says, "I want a late 90s German mid-size sedan for downtown driving." opel vectra city car driving

When you think of the perfect city car, what comes to mind? A tiny Fiat 500? A Toyota Aygo? A Smart Fortwo? Usually, we associate urban driving with small dimensions, small engines, and small parking bills. Drive safe, watch for scooters

You’ll be shocked at how well it handles the chaos. A Toyota Aygo

When you're weaving through double-parked delivery vans or navigating a roundabout, the wheel weights up naturally. It isn't artificially light like a PlayStation controller. You feel the tires. For a car this size, it turns surprisingly tightly. U-turns are no problem. Here is the secret weapon: the ride comfort. City roads are destroyed. Potholes, cobblestones, sunken manhole covers—you know the drill.

But after spending two weeks with a 1998 Opel Vectra (1.8 16V) in heavy European city traffic, I am here to change your mind. Here is why the humble Vectra is a genuinely great city companion. Modern city cars have bunker-like windows. You can't see the curb because the belt line is up at your shoulder. The Vectra is the opposite. You sit in a glass house. The windows are large, the A-pillars are thin, and the rear window is massive.