2002 Holden Vectra Liftback 2.0L Turbo 6MT FWD (175 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Holden introduced the third generation of the Vectra to the Australasian market in 2002 in two shapes: the sedan and the hatchback, also known as the Liftback.

The third generation of the Holden Vectra was a rebadged version of the European Vauxhall Vectra. Unlike its sibling from overseas, the Australian-built car was available on the Australasian market only as a sedan or as a hatchback, the latter of which was marketed as the Liftback. The car was based on the Sigma II platform developed by General Motors for mid-size vehicles. Since Holden was part of the American car manufacturer, it received it. Unlike its sedan sibling, the Liftback offered a significantly larger trunk space, which families appreciated.

From the styling point of view, the car shook its customers with a completely new design language. Unlike its predecessors, which featured horizontal headlights, the 2002 Holden Vectra Hatchback had rectangular-shaped ones that stretched on their upper area. They flanked an upper grille neatly integrated into the front side of the hood. To make it look like a Holden, the Australian brand added a chromed horizontal slat and its badge in the middle. On the lower side, the automaker placed a wrapped-around plastic bumper featuring an additional lower air intake split into three sections.

The 2002 Holden Vectra Hatchback shared its front area with its sedan sibling, and it was available in three grades: CD, CDX, and CDXi. Besides the entry-level version, the other two came with body-colored door handles and mirrors. In addition, the car manufacturer added a rubber stripe that ran along the bodywork over the middle section of the doors. The arched roofline was continued behind the rear passenger area by a sloped-down tailgate featuring a large windshield and a wiper. Like its sedan sibling, the vehicle sported corner-mounted taillights that were visually connected via a chromed trim that covered the tailgate’s lower area from side to side.

Customers were greeted inside by a flat dashboard covered in soft-touch materials. In front of the driver, Holden installed the instrument cluster under a curved visor. Atop the center stack, the car manufacturer offered an option for a navigation display installed between the center vents and the stereo, as well as the HVAC control panel. At the same time, the driver fronted a four-spoke steering wheel that had a few buttons on it for answering a call or setting the cruise control. The front bucket seats had mild bolstered areas that could keep occupants in place during high-speed cornering. In the back, the split-folding (60/40) bench seat was wide enough to accommodate three passengers. However, because of the center tunnel, the middle-seated one had very limited legroom.

Holden offered the 2002 Vectra Hatchback with a choice of two engines: a 2.2-liter and a 3.2-liter V6. Both versions sent their power to the front wheels via a five-speed manual. The mid-size hatchback provided enough comfort and adequate road holding due to its independent front suspension and the redesigned twisting beam system in the back.