Used Vauxhall Monaro Coupe 2004 - 2007 review

What's the used Vauxhall Monaro like?

It's best to think of the Monaro as a simple, effective and affordable alternative to BMW's M3. Its 5.7-litre V8 comes in three states of tune, from 'just' 328bhp all the way to 381bhp. Then there's the 6.0 V8 VXR with 397bhp that's good for 170mph.

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Overview

Monaro has a brash Aussie charm to counter its dynamic drawbacks

Pros

• Power and performance that don't cost a fortune

Cons

• A little too crude and unsophisticated next to European rivals

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In other words, there's no such thing as a slow Monaro. It just depends on how quickly you want to get where you're going and how much fuel you want to use in the process.

What's not as impressive as the performance is the cabin, which uses too much cheap plastic. Still, it's got plenty of space, and it's comfortable thanks to the supple suspension. The Monaro also makes a fine long distance machine thanks to the big V8 engines' lazy power delivery, relaxed sixth gear and good refinement.

Our recommendations

Which used Vauxhall Monaro should I buy?

Our choice is the most powerful of the 5.7-litre V8 models because there are enough of them around second-hand and their performance is only a fraction behind that of the even more potent 6.0-litre. The 5.7 version also has fractionally better fuel economy, although no one ever buys a Monaro to save the planet.

That said, even the 328bhp Monaro is a very quick car, and all models come with a rumbling V8 soundtrack for free.

They also all have spacious cabins and decent equipment, but the VXR models look a little more aggressive and less 'jelly mould' than the standard models. However, the VXR's repositioned fuel tank does mean its boot is not quite as large as the standard model's.