IDRIVEACLASSIC reviews: Vauxhall Cavalier MK3 ~ Opel Vectra A

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Vauxhall MK3 Cavalier

The MK3 Cavalier when it came to market was headed up in the sales brochure with the leading strap line

One of Britain’s favourite cars is now even better than ever…

And a favourite it was, because not only was it well liked by fleet drivers, the medium sized family car buyer and various other drivers, it was one of the best sellers of the 90s.

The 1993 range extended the qualities and buying reasons and the car sported new styling in the rounded shape which was the fashion of the time, new features, new power choices and heaps of reasons to keep buying into the Cavalier.

First off the bat was the economy pull for the long distance driver, after all, this was the car which had at the time of the 1993 range launch, won Fleet Car of the Year an incredible 7 times. The car was said to a better minimum service routine and lower running costs than competitors, in addition to the economy, the space inside the car was touted as a leading sales feature and said to carry 5 adults comfortably.

Due to the popularity of the car on the used car sales market, the resale and reliability of the car were also touted as reasons to buy into the MK3.

The range for 1993 was thoroughly well thought through and not only were the new cloth trim interiors a new addition, but most importantly safety, whereby the cars were fitted with Vauxhall’s body-lock front seat restraint system and dual side impact bars in heavy duty steel built into all 4 side doors. The deadlock central locking system was extended throughout the range too.

In fact, you got plenty as standard on these including electric head lamp levelling, security coded radio for anti theft purposes, heated rear window with auto cut off, height adjustable seat belts. Lots of finer details which were missed off the competition and made it a really usable, attractive prospect.

The new range did away with the old naming convention and introduced exciting new models.

You now had the Envoy 1.6i, the LS, GLS, CD and Diplomat. Then the more sporting end of the range which had the 2.0i 4X4, 2.0i Sri and the 20i 16v turbo 4x4 models.

In fact, for 1993, the Cavalier range had an impressive EIGHT engine choices - adding two to the line up - the choices ranged from the 75PS 1.6i through to the 204PS 2.0i 16v turbo and 2.5 24v Ecotec-V6.

The new 16 valve engine in the SRi was a new low noise version of the existing engine with no loss to performance - a real win for Vauxhall.

All the engines ran on either unleaded fuel or diesel, with 1993 being the year the EEC as it was known at the time set new legislation for car emissions and made catalytic converters essential by October 1993.

In addition to the new range line up, every car was fitted with power assisted steering, which as you’ll see when we go driving is just perfect for a smooth, pleasurable drive and Vauxhall proudly declared it a car which was unmatched in its class, and as we discover the car today, I’m sure you’ll agree they’re not wrong!

[benofbrown]

My Dad had a brand new GL in platinum as a company car in 1989 right when they were launched. When he got made redundant a year or two later us kids were more upset about the car going back than anything else.

Great video, and thanks for taking on the gatekeepers!

[taks]

My dad had cavalier's as company cars back in the 90s. Everything from a GLi to an SRi. Great cars!

[Kevinfordsynthesizers]

Thank you for this! 27 years after my last company Cavalier 2.0GLi and having owned a few ‘prestige’ marques, I still miss that car more than any. Quality, performance (for the time) - would cruise the M25 at 130 mph (allegedly) when conditions allowed, it was a furniture van when we moved house. Rose tinted retrospectacles? Maybe, I need to drive another - like you - to find out.

[sleepycatpictures]

Nice review! The stiff gearshift is a common problem. Lift the bottom of the gaiter up and spray the linkage with WD40/spray grease/silicone spray depending upon your preference. Good engines until you need to change the thermostat!

[paulie-Gualtieri.]

Can't beat a MK3 Cavalier, once a common sight on the roads, sadly now all but gone. Definitely a future classic, it's part of 90s British car culture.

[replevideo]

Quiet engines were a Vauxhall thing. I had a 1960 Victor and was waiting in the works car park for someone to move their car with my engine running. A guy who was emptying trash into a skip came over to talk to me, and after a few minutes leaned on the front wing. Only then did he realise my engine was running when he felt the vibration, and it had 90, 000 on the clock. Security was not a strong point. My Victor key worked on 2 mates' Victors. Years later I had a Viva, and 3 times I opened the doors with my key for people who had accidentally locked their keys in the car.

[MattysCars]

Your connotations of this car were so on point. Before you mentioned "friendly neighbour" I was already remembering back to the neighbour at my old house Don who had a red Cavalier that never moved. It's probably still there now.

[jackkinkead]

My Dad had 4 of these between 1989 & 2002, as company cars - all red, all diesel (3 turbo). 2 L spec & 2 GLS. Absolutely loved them! 35k per year, all round Northern Ireland. I’d love to have a go in one now! Great review, as always.

[davidwilson]

I had 3 of these in 4 years as company cars. We had a company policy to change the cars after 60, 000 or 2 years, none of mine made it to 2 years. They were all 100% reliable, fast, I was a rep driving 50, 000 mile per year so they had to be, and, most importantly with that mileage, comfortable.

[Richard-Bullock]

Oh wow. A Vauxhall Cavalier mk3 1.8i LS 5 door hatchback. About as middle of the road and as unimaginative as you can get. Which is probably why I love them so much!

[magform]

Nice vehicle. I wish the North American versions were as well built. The J-Car, of which the US had multiple versions, all five NA GM divisions had their own "take" on the vehicle. I like what Vauxhall did better. Most of our Js had the 1.8L when the vehicle was first released in 1982, but the Pontiac had an OHC 2.0L. All were based on Opel designs, even our imported Japanese and Korean versions of this design. Our 1.8L lasted maybe two years, and had been replaced with a 2.2L engine by 1993. I think it is the American passion for V-8 engines and automatic transmission that seems to push all vehicles here to larger and less efficient drivetrains. General Motors was known for great HVAC systems here dating back to the 1960s. Being a veteran of of Opel Kadett A, and later models based on the Kadett B, it is nice to know this engineering finally translated to later Opel designs. Too bad it is not a vehicle of interest for you, as I know you would have provided this vehicle with a nice home.

[simonhodgetts]

Not my cup of tea, but in automotive history terms, one of those cars I’d class as ‘peak car’ - it did everything well, it was roomy, easy to repair, not too expensive to maintain, aerodynamic, fuel efficient and well built. Everything else after this era of cars, in my opinion, got way too complex, too many electronic aids which, frankly weren’t needed, and by the mid 2010s, everything was just too complex, too expensive to run, and too big.

[Forenza]

This is exactly right! Classics are becoming "newer". I saw the potential of a 90's car recently and I scooped it up as quickly as I could. It's a 1991 Honda Accord Estate with a manual transmission, fully loaded trim. Just $500. It's rough cosmetically, but I intend to restore it. While Honda's last forever, you see less and less of them. And the wagons were rare when they were new, especially when paired to the manual!

Another "boring" 90's car I would like to own is a 1995 Toyota Camry. My mom owned one basically throughout my childhood. I'd love to have one just for that reason alone. Trying to find a nice one anymore is impossible. They're all beat with 300k miles.

I also owned a 2006 Saab 9-3 Aero for a few years recently and drove it like a classic. Stayed in the garage during bad weather, constantly washed and waxed. It was second car that I just 'wanted'.

[alanellis]

Great review Steph, my dad had a mk3 cavalier saloon, I hated it, until he managed to get up Sutton bank in it (near flamingo land) towing a 70s caravan with all our stuff, plus 4 people and dog! In spite of the signs saying caravans prohibited on a 1 in 4 hill!
It gained my respect that day

[darrenfox]

I had new 1.8i and 2.0i company cavaliers in 1990 and 1992 - great cars, mine were totally reliable and the service intervals were 9k & 18k miles which were longer than most makes which were 6k and 12k miles from memory.

[balrajbassi]

A nice retro/classic car that has completely vanished from our roads in the last 15 years or so. Having driven both, the Mk1 Mondeo absolutely runs rings around it though, far better handling and road manners in general and I find the interior much more spacious, higher-quality, airy and generally more pleasant. The Cav was a lot more modern than the ‘cooking’ Sierras though and would’ve looked like a spaceship in 1988 but by the 1993 facelift there were much better options in this class.

[grahamthornton]

In the 90s I worked at a GM subsidiary. All managers drove Cavalier company cars, and all non-managers got Astras (senior) or Novas (junior). As a new grad I got to walk. That sea of car park conformity means I will never see 90s Vauxhalls as classics but that's a personal hang up. Beautiful colour, nice car and great review! Thanks Steph!

[ScubaChris]

This brings back some memories. We had a couple of these as pool cars at work back in the early 90s. A blue hatch and a red saloon. Those poor cars had such a hard life, they got treated like absolute dirt!

[midinotes]

My first ever car was a 93 LSi Cavalier. Metallic burgundy, done over 150, 000 miles with very few issues. Very economical and comfy long distance cruiser, although I often got a bad back from those seats after a long drive! The 8 valve 2.0 was pretty torquey, it was my first step on the Vauxhall ladder (always had Vauxhalls since). It probably would have kept going, but it did begin leaking a lot of oil from the head gasket.

[deckard_]

This video has a warm charm. I have fond memories of Cavaliers'. My friend's dad was a great guy and had a Mk2 SRi company car and we had some adventures in it with him driving us places with the stereo blasting out. One time after getting back their house he stopped, rewound a song on the stereo and hammered it around the estate listening to it again, then when we got back to the house he did it again, and again and again; he was a character. I myself owned a MK3 Cavalier 2.0 SRi for many years. It was a very comfortable car, once drove 6 hours down to the South West coast, did a job and drove 6 hours back again the same day. I wish i had never traded that car in.