Opel Vita

Opel Vita: Which Version to Buy and Why

The Opel Vita choice depends mainly on whether you value performance, lower measured fuel consumption, or transmission convenience. The 2 generation, produced from March 1995 to February 2001, offers the widest engine range and the quickest version: the 1.6 MT with 106 hp, a 10-second 0–100 km/h time, and a 192 km/h top speed.

The Opel Vita choice depends mainly on whether you value performance, lower measured fuel consumption, or transmission convenience. The 2 generation, produced from March 1995 to February 2001, offers the widest engine range and the quickest version: the 1.6 MT with 106 hp, a 10-second 0–100 km/h time, and a 192 km/h top speed. The 3 generation, produced from March 2001 to March 2004, has smaller 1,199–1,389 cc engines, including the efficient 1.2 MT and 1.2 MTA, both rated at a measured 6.3 l/100 km combined. Every listed Vita is a Mini 5-doors model with FWD.

Opel Vita generations compared

The Opel Vita 2 generation ran from March 1995 to February 2001 as a Mini 5-doors and contains 10 listed versions. Its engine range includes several 1.4 MT and 1.4 AT specifications, plus the more powerful 1.6 MT. Output spans 60–106 hp, torque ranges from 106–148 Nm, and the listed gearboxes are 5-speed Manual or 4-speed Automatic. The fuel tank holds 46 litres, while ground clearance is 140 mm.

The Opel Vita 3 generation ran from March 2001 to March 2004, also with a Mini 5-doors body, and contains 8 listed entries. Some repeat the same version name over different production intervals, so power and transmission are the clearest identifiers: 1.2 MT and 1.2 MTA produce 75 hp, while 1.4 MT and 1.4 AT produce 90 hp. The available transmissions are 5-speed Manual, 5-speed Robotic, and 4-speed Automatic. Tank capacity fell from 46 to 44 litres, a difference of 2 litres, while ground clearance remained 140 mm.

Opel Vita engine specs and version comparison

All listed engines are Gasoline, naturally aspirated, front-mounted transversely, and use distributed multi-point injection. Every engine has 4 cylinders in an Inline layout. The table retains repeated database version names and distinguishes them by generation, power, and production interval where necessary.

The 2 generation 1.6 MT delivers approximately 66.3 hp per litre. The 90 hp 1.4 engines produce approximately 64.8 hp per litre, the 82 hp units produce approximately 59.0 hp per litre, and the 60 hp units produce approximately 43.2 hp per litre. In the 3 generation, the 1.2 MT and 1.2 MTA reach approximately 62.6 hp per litre, placing them between the 82 hp and 90 hp 1.4 specifications by this measure.

The 3 generation 1.4 MT adds 15 hp and 15 Nm over the 1.2 MT. Relative to the 90 hp 1.4 engine, the 2 generation 1.6 MT adds 16 hp and 23 Nm. The 90 hp 1.4 is therefore the middle choice for output, while the 106 hp 1.6 MT is the performance leader.

Performance, fuel consumption and mpg data

For acceleration, the 2 generation 1.6 MT is 1 second quicker to 100 km/h than the 90 hp 1.4 MT and 9 seconds quicker than the 60 hp 1.4 AT. The 3 generation 1.4 MT is 1.5 seconds quicker than either 75 hp 1.2 version and reaches a top speed 10 km/h higher.

Measured combined consumption favours the 3 generation 1.2 MT and 1.2 MTA at 6.3 l/100 km. That is 0.9 l/100 km below the 3 generation 1.4 MT and 1.6 l/100 km below the 1.4 AT. The 1.4 MT also uses 1.4 l/100 km less in the city than the 1.4 AT and 0.7 l/100 km less on the highway.

Dimensions, weight, ground clearance and wheels

All versions have 140 mm of ground clearance. Wheel sizes are not measured for every listed version. Tank capacity is 46 litres in the 2 generation and 44 litres in the 3 generation.

Kerb weight in the 2 generation ranges from 895 kg to 965 kg where measured, while gross weight ranges from 1,370 kg to 1,440 kg. The 90 hp 1.4 AT kerb weight is not measured, although its gross weight is 1,425 kg. The 1.6 MT weighs 960 kg and has a gross weight of 1,415 kg, giving approximately 9.1 kg per horsepower.

In the 3 generation, the 1.2 MTA has a 935 kg kerb weight and 1,430 kg gross weight. The 1.2 MT is listed at either 935 kg or 960 kg depending on the entry, with the same 1,430 kg gross weight. Its power-to-weight figure is therefore approximately 12.5–12.8 kg per horsepower. The 1.4 MT weighs 1,200 kg and has a gross weight of 1,500 kg, corresponding to approximately 13.3 kg per horsepower. The 1.4 AT kerb weight is not measured, while gross weight is 1,500 kg.

Which Opel Vita version should you buy?

For the strongest performance, choose the 2 generation 1.6 MT. Its 106 hp, 148 Nm, 10-second 0–100 km/h time, and 192 km/h top speed lead every version in the data. It also has the best measured weight-per-horsepower result among versions with both figures available.

For the lowest measured combined fuel consumption, choose a 3 generation 1.2 MT or 1.2 MTA. Both provide 75 hp, 110 Nm, a 13-second 0–100 km/h time, and 6.3 l/100 km combined consumption. The decision between them is transmission preference: 1.2 MT uses a 5-speed Manual, while 1.2 MTA uses a 5-speed Robotic gearbox.

For a balance of acceleration and measured economy, the 3 generation 1.4 MT is the clearest compromise. It produces 90 hp and 125 Nm, reaches 100 km/h in 11.5 seconds, and consumes 7.2 l/100 km combined. Compared with the 1.2 MT, it gains 15 hp and cuts 1.5 seconds from the acceleration time, at the cost of an additional 0.9 l/100 km combined.

For an Automatic, the 3 generation 1.4 AT offers 90 hp and a 13-second 0–100 km/h time, but its measured 7.9 l/100 km combined consumption is the highest among the 3 generation choices. In the 2 generation, the 90 hp 1.4 AT takes 13.5 seconds to reach 100 km/h; its consumption is not measured. The 60 hp 1.4 AT is the least performance-focused option, requiring 19 seconds to reach 100 km/h and topping out at 145 km/h.

On the available figures, the 2 generation 1.6 MT is the performance purchase, the 3 generation 1.2 MT or 1.2 MTA is the economy purchase, and the 3 generation 1.4 MT provides the most even numerical trade-off between power, acceleration, and measured fuel use.