Category: Compact MPV 
Price Range: £14,555 to £18,335
Innovative six-seat layout, value, good 1.9-litre diesel, fun and easy to drive.
Small boot, relatively weak 1.6-litre petrol unit, not quite as smooth as the best.
You don't have to be daring anymore to buy one of these pleasing, good-value compact MPVs.
Provided six aren't on board, the Multipla is a pleasant place to be, especially since it provides a good view out. It rides well too, but at speed there's some wind noise to breach the peace. Seats are OK, if no more, while the large glass area means standard air conditioning will see plenty of usage.
The Multipla is a short car, yet it can seat six and provides a decent-sized boot, if not the biggest in its class. Its height makes it an easy car to get in and out of, though three in the front will find it mildly cramped. Oddments space is excellent, as are leg- and shoulder-room, while the rear row of seats can be reconfigured to provide a variety of seating and luggage arrangements. The seats are heavy and harder to fold than the Zafira's - and there's only six to the Vauxhall's seven - but overall the Multipla makes a great package for families.
The dash-integrated stereo has enough punch to fill the Multipla's voluminous cabin at speed (there are six speakers), and the integrated unit is fairly easy to use. RDS traffic information is standard. New for 2004 is standard CD sound (really - why bother with cassette tapes these days?), a parking sensor on higher-spec models, body-coloured bumpers on all models, new-design alloys (up to 17 inches) and heated, electric door mirrors. All in all, a great-value package whatever the trim level. Coop options for 2005 include a mini-fridge, DVD player and Bluetooth capability.
