Cascada woos the convertible crowd

With its “tempting mixture of good looks and lower prices”, the Cascada is “Vauxhall’s attempt to woo buyers away from German convertibles,” says the Courier’s Jack McKeown. It’s “one of the prettier cars Vauxhall has developed in recent times”, looking “long, low-slung and elegant with the roof up or down”. Testing a 2.0 CDTi Elite, McKeown found a car with a “decent amount of poke”. He explains: “Nought to 62mph comes up in 9.6 seconds and top speed is 135mph. Fuel economy is 54.3mpg.” He also found “plenty” of toys to play with on the Elite model. “Dual-zone climate control and heated front seats provide additional warmth – essential if you’re going to run a convertible in Scotland. “It’s very spacious for a convertible. Although you’re not going to get a basketball team in there, four adults can travel perfectly comfortably. Access to the rear is easy thanks to the enormous doors. At 280 litres, the boot isn’t bad for a convertible.” The Cascada offers a ride that’s “comfortable and forgiving”, with “good” refinement keeping wind and road noise “well in check”. McKeown points out that Vauxhall is targeting Audi A5 Cabriolet buyers with its effort, and with a starting price “a whopping eight grand lower”, he remains “not convinced the Audi is that much better”. (Link: The Courier, 11 November)