In 1999, Opel introduced a mid-life cycle refresh for the Vectra's lineup and brought more appeal to its sedan version with better engines and a revised look.
At a glance, there was nothing changed on the Vectra, although the carmaker stated that it changed or improved 2,500 parts. Opel tried to fix some technical issues which affected the reliability.
For the facelifted version, the Vectra Sedan received new headlights and smoked taillights. The original shape remained with a mix of biodesign and conservative styling like its artistic department was divided. If they couldn't agree on the 1995 model, they couldn't make peace for the facelifted version either. At least, it lost the black rubber strips from the bumper and from its sides, which didn't look that good unless the car was black. A chromed trim adorned the grille while the lower apron received a new design. A set of side sills enhanced the car's profile, making it look like it had a lower ground clearance.
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. On the 1999 model, the carmaker installed new buttons and a new automatic climate control unit system.
The engine lineup was improved, especially on the diesel side. Thanks to its new engine factory from Kaiserslautern, it managed to get fresh, direct-injected diesel and turbo-diesel engines, which improved fuel efficiency.