Vauxhall VXR8 Saloon (2011-2018) running costs and reliability

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Running costs rating: 2 out of 52.0

Written by Chris Ebbs Published: 6 June 2019

Miles per pound (mpp)

Reliable fuel consumption data for comparison purposes is not available for this model.

What is miles per pound?

Fuel economy

A more stringent standard for fuel economy (WLTP) was introduced from September 2017, and this model was not required to undergo that test. Its fuel economy measured under the previous test system was 18 - 20 mpg. However these figures are less likely to be achievable in real world driving and so should never be compared to another car's mpg which was measured under the newer, more realistic WLTP system.

View mpg & specs for any version

This won’t be the priority for anyone looking to buy a VXR8. Fuel economy is a lowly 20.9mpg for the manual version and 20.6mpg for the automatic model. As well as the big fuel bills, insurance will also be a huge expense with the VXR8 sitting in the highest insurance group of 50. Servicing is a more affordable aspect of this car, with Vauxhall being one of the competitive brands around when it comes to labour rates.

The only problem is that just 25 dealerships will be authorised to carry out services and repairs.

Buying this car will not help you make friends with any environmentalists. It’s an improvement on its predecessor, but the manual model stills emits a whopping 320g/km of CO2, with the automatic slightly worse at 324g/km. Such a high figure means you will be forced to pay the highest rate of road tax and hit with the highest first-year showroom tax cost.

The same technology and engines are found in the Holden (which the VXR8 is based on) and there appears to be no major issues with them in here. Everything feels pretty sturdy, the interiors should hold together well. As with any car like this, pushing it hard all the time may cause some problems later on and you could be faced with the prospect of some big bills.