The sense of spaciousness created by the elevated seating position and large glazed surfaces is superb, and the Antara doesn't just seem spacious: measurements confirm that passengers enjoy plenty of space. With 933 millimetres of rear legroom, for example, Vauxhall Antara is at the top of its segment.

The boot has a capacity of 370 litres under the luggage compartment cover. Cargo capacity increases to 865 litres with the rear bench seat folded down and up to 1420 litres when loaded to the roof. The rear seat back can be split 60:40 and folded down. A storage box under the load floor ensures practical organization of the luggage compartment, as does the optional FlexOrganiser system, which is already familiar from Vauxhall Astra and Vectra estate models. Nets, dividing walls, rods and hooks can be snapped into two rails on each of the side walls of Vauxhall Antara's luggage compartment, allowing the boot to be separated into different sections to protect the cargo from shifting or being damaged during the journey.

However, the designers did not only focus on the boot when they considered the newcomer's storage options. The Antara features numerous compartments and boxes throughout its interior, including a drawer under the passenger seat, sunglasses holder in the roof liner, nets on the front seat backs, a car park ticket holder to the right of the steering wheel, a net on the centre console, compartments in the front and rear central arm rests, as well as storage boxes around the rear wheel arches in the boot.

The integrated rear carrier Flex-Fix boasts the unbeatable practicality that has become a Vauxhall trademark and is especially important in this segment. Flex-Fix has the potential to set the new benchmark in flexible exterior transportation, just as the Zafira's "Flex7" does for interior seating systems. In typical Vauxhall style, its full on-board functionality eliminates the need for cumbersome assembly, dismantling or storage of parts. Flex-Fix is also featured in the new Corsa and is available as an option for Vauxhall Antara. It stows away almost invisibly under the rear bumper and can easily be pulled out to carry up to two bicycles.

For on-board entertainment, Vauxhall Antara features a standard MP3-compatible stereo CD Radio, seven loudspeakers, remote controls on the steering wheel and a roof antenna to provide excellent radio reception. The DVD 100 Navi navigation system with large Color Info Display, as well as a mobile phone console with Bluetooth connection and voice control are standard on the Antara SE.


Vauxhall Antara - Chassis: Passenger car handling and off-road talents

- Intelligent four-wheel drive for optimum handling
- Numerous ESP functions increase safety reserves
- Over three million test miles driven worldwide

With its agile handling, precise speed-dependant power steering and stiff chassis, the Antara is clearly designed as a dynamic vehicle with off-road abilities.

The new 4x4 was tuned by GM's chassis experts at various circuits, including test centres in Pferdsfeld, Germany and Millbrook in Bedfordshire. During the development phase, the model prototypes covered over five million test kilometres worldwide.

The McPherson suspension in front and a four-link suspension in the rear provide a high-quality chassis concept similar to that of the Vauxhall Vectra and Signum models. Vauxhall Antara comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels and the top S and SE Antara variants have 18-inch alloys. The Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) monitors tyre pressure via sensors at each valve and activates an individual tyre warning signal in the Graphic or Colour Info Display at pressure losses of more than 0.3 bar.

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