2008 OPEL Agila 1.2L ecoFLEX 5MT (86 HP)

Vehicle Overview

With a crumbling economy and an uncertain future due to the world financial crisis, Opel had high hopes for the second generation of the Agila built in cooperation with Suzuki in Hungary.

Even though it couldn’t make too much money out of it, the price made it attractive for customers who needed a vehicle where a family could fit. Moreover, the Agila’s fuel efficiency was excellent, especially for those times. So, the project between GM and Suzuki move on, resulting in the siblings Opel/Vauxhall Agila and Suzuki Splash. All of them were built in Hungary.

The urban mini-monocab design concept showed a vehicle fit for tight urban areas. Its short, 3.74 m (12.2 ft) length allowed the car to be parked in tight spots easier than most other vehicles on the market. Moreover, its tall greenhouse and generously-sized doors eased the ingress and egress of the vehicle. At the front, the Agila sported very big headlights, swept back toward the car’s A-pillar. At the back, the vertical drop of the tailgate was sweetened by angular-shaped taillights that flanked the vehicle.

Inside, the Agila offered enough room for four adult-sized occupants. At the front, the two bucket seats provided enough comfort for their occupants. On the dashboard, in front of the driver, the automaker installed an instrument cluster with a big speedometer placed in the middle and several other lights. On the center stack, Opel installed a CD player and the HVAC control panel. In addition, an extension of the center stack hosted the gear stick. On the rear bench was room enough for two passengers, but the trunk on the rearmost side of the car was tiny.

Under the hood, the two carmakers (GM and Suzuki) decided to give the car a choice of three engines, both gasoline and turbo-diesel. The oil burner was carried over from Fiat.