Vauxhall revises its Antara SUV

It may not be the biggest selling SUV but Vauxhall is giving the Antara a fresh looks inside and out along with entry-level pricing which now starts at under £20k - nearly £3,000 less than the outgoing model. As well as the revised appearance the Antara also gets improved dynamics, more efficient and powerful engines with both two and four-wheel drive models available.

On sale from December 2010, prices for the new Antara now start from £19,995 for a 2.2 CDTi (163bhp) Exclusiv front-wheel drive model, a saving of £2835 on the outgoing base version. The new Antara is recognisable by its updated front grille and new Griffin logo, enhanced by fog lights finished with chrome bezels on SE models. There are new 19-inch alloy wheels (standard on SE) plus modified rear lights.

In addition, the revised Euro-5 compliant engine line-up offers increased performance as well as significantly reduced fuel consumption and emissions. The latest entry to the engine range is a newly-developed 2.2 CDTI turbodiesel, producing either 163bhp or 184bhp. The engine variants come with variable camshaft phasing, optimising torque and performance as well as reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

The 163bhp variant is available in front-wheel drive with a six-speed manual transmission only or all-wheel drive mated to either a manual or six-speed auto gearbox. The 184bhp also offers a choice of manual or automatic transmissions, and comes with all-wheel drive as standard. All transmissions have been revised to improve efficiency.

A re-worked chassis with revised spring and damper settings enhances the new Antara's dynamics both on- and off-road, while the car's clever adaptive four-wheel drive system switches automatically between two and four-wheel drive as conditions demand. In normal driving, only the front wheels are driven, saving fuel, but in slippery conditions four-wheel drive is employed, switching drive to front and rear wheels for optimum traction.

The new Antara's cabin features a revised centre console with extra storage and new materials, in addition to improved instrument graphics and interior lighting. Vauxhall has improved safety and comfort features in the Antara including a standard electric parking brake, a Hill Assist System as well as a "shift-up" indicator that optimises fuel economy.