Category: Compact MPV 
Price Range: £13,450 to £17,690
Versatile seating, spacious, 1.3 diesel engine
Low gearing, unsettled over bumps
Practical and with brilliant rear seat packaging, Vauxhall shows the way forward for small MPVs
The Meriva's seats are large enough to be comfortable and the upright driving position is beyond serious criticism. The steering and pedals are all light and the ride is compliant, if at the expense of some composure over bumps.
Comfort in the back is certainly four or maybe even five stars, thanks to the versatile seating and features such as the (optional) Twin Audio system, which lets rear-seat passengers listen to their own choice of music through headphones.
There'll be no complaints from front-seat passengers, despite the fact that the car was designed largely to cater for those in the rear. They, too, certainly won't be disappointed: in its 'normal' layout, the back seat is a three-person bench, which is a bit of a squeeze for three, but legroom is okay.
When the FlexSpace system really kicks in, the change is remarkable, however. The centre rear seat can be folded flat into the floor, to be replaced by an optional storage box between the remaining two outer seats (the box is attached to the centre rear seat's back in 'normal' position). These outer seats can then move backward, inwards and backwards again (through a dog-leg movement), so that maximum travel is 200mm and total sideways movement is 70mm. Shoulder room is much improved and the seats recline, too.
Like in the Zafira, the rear seats can also all be folded into the floor to give a flat load bay without having to remove them, while the front passenger seat also (optionally) folds to allow the carriage of long items. Maximum luggage capacity is an impressive 1,410 litres.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Vauxhall Meriva
wrote on 13 09 2007