Used Vauxhall Viva review and buying guide (2015 to 2019): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Vauxhall Viva should you buy?

Any Viva from 2015 to 2019 is the same basic car, so pick the one in front of you on the state of its clutch and its oil level rather than on its year. There's very little evidence about this car either way, so no year stands out as one to avoid, but that isn't proof that any of them are trouble-free.

Buy one for town work and short trips. It's painfully slow on the motorway, so if your week involves long fast runs, it'll feel like hard work and a bigger car makes more sense. Euro NCAP gave it four stars in 2015 and three stars when it was retested in 2017, which matters if you're often carrying passengers.

Which Viva engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

The owners' reports don't say which engine their cars had, so there isn't a proven safe pick or one to rule out. What two of them do point at is the clutch: a 2016 and a 2017 car both had theirs give up far earlier than they should have, which makes it the part to judge any Viva on.

On the 2017 car the clutch went at 13,456 miles, and the dealer found heat damage bad enough that the flywheel needed replacing too. Vauxhall blamed the driver for riding the pedal and the owner paid £1,326 for the lot. The 2016 car lost all drive while climbing a steep hill when its clutch and dual mass flywheel failed together.

One owner's 2015 car also used oil. It needed an early oil and filter change at 8,900 miles because the level had dropped, then by 17,700 miles it was back down to the minimum, roughly a litre every 8,800 miles. That's a single car, but it's reason enough to look at the dipstick on any Viva you view.

What should you check when viewing a used Viva?

The clutch deserves the most attention. Find a hill and pull away on it: if the revs climb but the car doesn't gather speed, it's slipping. Feel for judder as the pedal comes up and sniff for a burning smell after the drive, since the 2017 failure showed heat damage.

Check the oil level on the dipstick with the engine cold. A low level, or a seller who can't say when it was last topped up, is a warning given the 2015 car that kept running low. In the service history, look for oil being added between services, and if the clutch or flywheel has already been replaced, ask to see the invoice.

Tall drivers should slide the driver's seat back to where they'd sit, then try folding the back seat. It's been reported that it won't lie flat unless the front seats go a long way forward, which matters if you'll be using it to carry longer loads.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

What does a used Vauxhall Viva cost to run?

What do Viva owners like about them?

It's a practical little car for getting around town. Every Viva has five doors, so there's no clambering past a tipped front seat to get into the back, and passengers can get in and out on their own without anyone in the front having to get out first.

The back seat folds down flat, so there's room for bigger loads when the boot alone isn't enough. That flexibility, in a car small enough for town streets and tight spaces, is what makes it a sensible pick for someone who mostly drives short distances.

• The Vauxhall Viva is a practical and affordable city car, offering good value for urban driving.
• The Vauxhall Viva comes with a good level of equipment as standard across its range.
• All Vauxhall Viva models feature five doors and a flat-folding rear seat, enhancing practicality and cargo space.
• The 2015 Vauxhall Viva achieved a four-star Euro NCAP rating, with strong scores for adult and child occupant safety.
• The 2017 Vauxhall Viva received a three-star Euro NCAP rating, with scores of 61% for adult occupant and 60% for child occupant safety.