Vauxhall Meriva

Vauxhall Meriva - Out June

Listening to their customers Vauxhall have reworked the Meriva. Attractive new styling makes it look like a car and not a lunchbox. Some nifty features make it ideal for families, no matter how big the kids in the back are.

More information soon

Current models

MORE INFORMATION

The old Meriva excels as a people carrier. It was never going to win Le Mans, but you could fit two adults in the back comfortably and it had enough poke to get you to your destination before Christmas, especially the VXR edition, which was quite frankly terrifyingly quick in a straight line.

The new Meriva is aimed at amending the faults which plagued previous models. However, you won't notice these until you drive it. The first thing you will notice is the doors. Vauxhall obviously don't refer to them as 'suicide doors', because this is a family car. In fact they aren't suicide doors at all, they feature some nifty locking mechanisms which mean that they aren't going to open while the car is in motion. These 'FlexDoors' aren't just a flashy eye grabber, they really do make it easier to get into the back, especially if you are manhandling small people into their safety seats.

Aside from the FlexDoors, Vauxhall are keen to point out the FlexRail and FlexSpace features to give even more flexibility over the older models. Being able to move the back seats around to make the best use of the space does make the Meriva a versatile beast. You have almost infinite variation in how you have the rear seats to give more boot space, three seats, two seats, more leg room, more head room whatever your needs. The rear seats can also be folded fully flat to give you your own mini-van.

	Details to be confirmed, but Vauxhall have promised a reduction of 15% CO² across the range. With engines taken from Vauxhalls current range, you can be sure of a selection of performance specifications. Vauxhall have also promised an EcoFlex model for those who want to be sure of minimal emissions, even if it is just to take advantage of the tax benefits.

	Also see:
	MERIVA ESTATE - available from £12,388 MERIVA ESTATE SPECIAL EDITIONS - available from £14,992 MERIVA DIESEL ESTATE - available from £15,244

To highlight the unusual design, the engineers have included a small notch in the bottom of the window, which makes a surprising difference to the view from the back and give the car a attractive side view. The panoramic transparent sunroof adds the feeling of immense space inside.

Beyond the practical matter of how pleasant it is in the cabin of the new Meriva and quite how much you can cram in there should you need to, the other area which Vauxhall have addressed is in handling. The old Vauxhall Meriva swayed alarmingly due to its high centre of gravity. By widening the tracking and extending the wheelbase, Vauxhall are aiming at a better balance between agility and stability.

With a range of six different turbo engines developed for the Astra, you have a selection of performance characteristics to choose from. No confirmation of a VXR edition as yet, but expect full confirmation of specs by the time the Meriva receives its debut at Geneva.