1yr Down the road

JR123 said:

Mine was a year old yesterday and had its first service, I don't know the cost as I have a service plan. The car was washed and cleaned and a litre of oil supplied.

I had no issues reported back from the service and the car has never missed a beat in the year of ownership. The car has averaged 35.2mpg over mixed of driving and this is fairly accurate as it's from my road trip app. I am fairly satisfied with the economy, yes it's not as advertised but I've never owned a car which has returned the advertised figures. I have had no DPF issues in the year, it's done its thing when it's needed and I haven't had any warning lights etc....

This is the first SUV I have had as my everyday car and I have found it extremely comfortable, with an excellent driving position making it very easy to drive. The heated seats helped me no end last year when I was waiting for back surgery. The xenon lights are probably the best lights I have had on a car and light up the roads perfectly, The car has a presence on the road and can give a few a surprise at the red light drag race.

A few things I would change would be the sat nav location which should be swapped with the computer display or moved higher, crusie control controls being on the steering wheel, permanent disablement of the Eco button as I don't really see the point in it as makes no difference to my mpg but does reduce power, reversing camera would be nice like on other GM models, folding mirrors on the key (personal preference coming from VW / Audi group cars), auto door locks and proper DRLs may help during daytime for those driver that struggle to see a car of this size.

The car so far has been one of the best I have owned and I feel the all round package of the SE-Nav and discounts available offers value for money. I may get called a 'fan boy' (I think that's the term used by some on another forum....) but I have had no problems with my car, other than cretins that can't drive and/or pass the vision part of a driving test! The car has also coped with everything it has been asked to.

The Antara is not the best SUV available on the market, but at the price point I am struggling to find an alternative with similar kit and AWD. Would I recommend the car, probably, but with a huge health warning to do plenty of research and make sure it will suit the type of usage expected. Here hoping to another year of trouble free motoring.

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Your just a fan boy have you not read the reviews from the motoring press how dare you think its a decent car and as for the DPF its just a flawed botch job thrown together by Vauxhall and don't get me started on the mpg imagine only getting 35mpg you should be getting at least 50. Or you would if you had bought something else.

Anyway nice review again I thought I would add the above comments so certain people don't have to go to all the hassle of re registering so they can come on the forum and try and take the p***. Some people need to get a life.

I've owned mine for nearly a year now and it was bought for everyday use driving from Glossop to Bradford on a daily basis (new Job)!!

It has only had one niggle, which is an on going saga with the rear windscreen washer jets getting blocked. But this is no show stopper.


Been seviced twice (from online booking servicing) and not had a jot of an issue with its every day performance. It has go a racechip fitted, giving me an average consumption of 39.5 miles per gallon over the recorded 9000 miles (since I fitted it)


Bought one set of tyres for it and from the previous owner have found out that the rear tyres i changed, were the original fitted when new (I bought it with 29000 on the clock). Don't expect to get this amount of mileage out of the tyres, but anything above 15,000 would be well received.


I enjoy its ride height and the way it can plough through any weather chucked at it. It is comfortable, warm and safe. Granted the dashboard is a little boring, but who spends all day looking at it.


Well satisfied with it and intend running it until its drops. I also have a 3.2 V6 Alfa Brera and for those who complain about consumption, that does about 15 miles to the gallon (if I'm driving like miss daisy)

Well - for me it is one year down the road - and a parting of the ways. You will get no bitter recriminations from me, as for the most part I have thoroughly enjoyed owning and driving the Antara. I well remember the excitement of waiting for the delivery, and tracking its voyage all the way from Korea on the good ship Fidelio, in the company of Antarius and others. I have enjoyed sharing experiences and stories, firstly on the "dark side" forum and latterly on this one! I have covered 14,000 miles safely and in comfort, loving the high seating position and the feeling of being planted securely on the road, whatever the weather, and the heated seats have been most welcome on several occasions! Certainly, the mpg (showing on trip B which I have left running throughout as 31.3) is not the best in this age of modern diesel engines, even allowing for the size and weight of the car, but I could live with that.

Why then am I leaving the Antara? The answer is that, for me, the DPF regeneration process has gone from being a minor annoyance to a real bugbear, to the extent that I find myself watching as the mileage ticks round with something approaching dread! As regular as clockwork, at 500-520 mile intervals it does what it has been programmed to do, and irritates the hell out of me! An example - 2 weeks ago I made a trip to Leicestershire, a distance, as luck would have it of some 510 miles. A regen occurred just as I left , which was fine, but then another one began just as I arrived! Having just driven 500 miles over A roads and motorways there was no way I was taking it for another little jaunt, so I switched off. Having only taken a few short trips whilst I was there it did not complete a regen until I started on the road home a few days later, and - guess what - I was just pulling into my drive after my 500+ mile trip when of course it started another one! All perfectly correct as per the way it is programmed, but an imperfect, clunky pain in the bum!

The truth is I have never really got used to this rigid 500 mile ritual, having previously owned a diesel smax for three years and never noticed a regen taking place. I guess I have just got tired of making pointless journeys to allow regens to finish. So this last week I made the decision, and have taken lengthy road tests in a Honda CRV ( petrol), an Audi Q3 2.0 diesel, and a BMW X1, also 2.0 diesel. The petrol CRV felt underpowered and reported mpg not great. I loved driving the Audi, but boot size and access not the best for Yogi (those who remember from the early days will know that dogs do not get much bigger!). So today I have placed an order for the BMW - not perfect but a good all round compromise. Delivery not till the end of April, so a few more weeks of Antara ownership left, and I will still hang around the forum if you'll have me!

Sorry to hear you're moving on Pudsey, but you have to do what you think is right for you.

The DPF can be an annoyance and I wish it had been better implemented.

It's almost a year since I got my car too. I won't be getting another Antara either in 2 years when my lease is up. The Antara is no longer available on the Motability scheme. If the new Antara is on the scheme when my lease ends, I would certainly give it a test drive. Otherwise it's a new model for me.

I'm reluctant to start looking for potential replacements for my Antara when I'm still2 years away from the due time, but I have to say that Audi Q3 looks like a good option. Lets hope it is still on the Motability approved list when my time comes for a new car.

Good luck with the new car. I had a test drive in an X1 at the time I got the Antara. I didn't really like the driving position and the pedals seemed in a awkward postion. Also the extras and accessories seemed very expensive. Being a BMW I'm sure it's put together well and will give you many happy hours of motoring - DPF allowing.