Opel launched the Vectra hatchback at the same time as its three-box sedan sibling at the 1995 Frankfurt Motorshow.
GM was not very satisfied with the sales results from the first Vectra generation. Despite being a modern vehicle, it couldn’t convince too many customers to choose them instead of other cars, especially the Ford Mondeo. In comparison, the first generation of the Mondeo suffered from some design mishaps, but Opel nailed-it! With the hatchback version, the Vectra offered more room in the trunk and an appealing fastback look.

The 1995 Vectra was a significant improvement over its predecessor with more rounded areas and fluid shapes. A particular form was for the door-mirrors connected to the bodywork via an aerodynamic pillar that followed the hood’s V-shaped lines. Up to the B-pillar, it was the same vehicle as to the sedan version, but after the C-pillar, it featured a sloped liftgate that offered a wide opening for the trunk.

Inside, the bucket-seats at the front were mounted low on the floor to create the impression of a sporty family sedan. The concept worked well for the front passengers but left little legroom for the rear ones. In the back, Opel installed a split-folding bench that expanded the trunk area. GM installed a refreshed dashboard with curved lines that looked appealing to its customers.

Opel offered the Vectra B with a choice of five gasoline and a turbodiesel engine under the hood. Later on, in 1997, it introduced a new generation of direct-injected diesel versions fitted with four valves per cylinder. The carmaker paired all of them to a five-speed manual gearbox. For selected versions, the Vectra was available with a four-speed automatic transmission.