Vauxhall MERIVA 1.8 RANGE
Vauxhalls Meriva Is More About Space Than Pace But For Buyers Who Want A Little Extra Get Up And Go Theres Always The 1.8-Litre Version. Steve Walker Reports.
Sleek, aggressive, flamboyant, sporty, the
Vauxhall Meriva is patently none of the above. The appeal of this car comes in a ground-breaking interior with contortionist seats that can be manoeuvred into a position for almost any occasion. Many a keen driver has been forced into a
mini-MPV because a hot-hatchback is too uneconomical or the pushchair wont fit into that roadster and Vauxhall are known to sympathise with this predicament. They did, after all, produce the 189bhp Zafira GSi.
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The Merivas 1.8-litre engine falls a long way shy of the turbocharged 2.0-litre lump in Vauxhalls performance people-carrier and it cant transform the cars basic character but it might provide a certain solace for drivers whose family commitments form a millstone around their motoring necks.
The 200 cubic centimetres that the Merivas 1.8 holds over the lesser 1.6-litre unit in terms of engine capacity dont transform the car into a fire-breathing monster but with a 10.9-second time for the 0-60mph sprint, they do help it pick up its heels a bit.
If you go for the 1.6-litre 16-valve, 0-60mph takes 12.9 seconds while the 1.7-litre CDTi can do the same in 13.
4s, so the 1.8 is comfortably the most rapid Meriva on the market, bar none. With 125bhp on tap it can also reach a top speed of 118mph where conditions allow and the engine produces decent torque for in-gear exploits, even though its not as flexible as the gutsy CDTi diesels. The Meriva inherits a good chassis from its Corsa sister vehicle and it copes with the power of the 1.
8-litre unit well. It is a car that you can have fun driving but dont expect miracles, its still an MPV.
"Its the little touches like this that make all the difference and the Meriva is full of them."
Discussing the 0-60mph performance and handling of a
Vauxhall Meriva is missing the point somewhat, even with this sprightly 1.8-litre version. It just isnt that kind of car. Issues of fuel consumption and price are far more salient to a product like this, so here goes.
None of the petrol Merivas can get anywhere remotely close to the combined cycle fuel consumption of over 50mpg thats possible in the DTi and CDTi Merivas but with 34mpg, the 1.8 has a respectable stab at frugality. The 1.6-litre unit manages 37mpg and the 1.
4-litre twinport returns 44mpg, so there isnt a huge trade-off for the extra performance of the 1.8-litre. On price, this larger engine holds up well too, at £13,960 its only £600 more than a 1.6-litre model with the equivalent trim not a massive price to pay if you value that extra urge off the line and higher top-end.
The diesels are actually more expensive but then that 50mpg fuel consumption will be an irresistible draw for some buyers. Your £13,960 will get you an Enjoy specification 1.8-litre Meriva but theres also a Design for around £300. Design focuses on the look of the car by including styling add-ons like 15-inch alloys, a leather covered steering wheel and front fog lights along with body-coloured side protection strips, door handles and tailgate handle.
With Enjoy you get air-conditioning, folding trays on the back of the front seats, the Travel Assistant storage box integrated into the centre armrest, steering wheel audio controls and various other features that boost the cars functionality. All models get a CD player, twin front airbags, an immobiliser and a heated rear window with wash/wipe, so equipment levels are generally very high. Weve looked at the advantages of the feisty 1.8-litre Meriva in comparison to the other engine options but the real selling point of this car is a feature shared by all the models in the range the FlexSpace seating system.
Most of the time, the Meriva functions as a conventional five
seat supermini-MPV, but many of us have tried travelling five up in cars like these and it can feel a bit of a pinch. The Meriva goes some way to alleviating the problem by offering one of the widest rear passenger shoulder width measurements in its class, but the real benefit comes when travelling with four rather than five aboard. The centre seat can fold flat into the footwell, leaving the two remaining seats at liberty to slide independently, not only backwards and forwards, but also on runners from side to side. This makes the Meriva feel extremely spacious indeed.
But why stop at four? Vauxhall have equipped the Meriva with the capacity for all of the passenger seats to fold flat, freeing up an enormous 1,300 litres of available space. Even with the rear seats in position, theres a creditable 560 litres available. The interior styling is a welcome surprise too, Vauxhall eschewing the easy option of simply planting the Corsa dashboard into the Meriva, instead opting for a Vectra-style fascia which gives the little Meriva a quality feel. Indeed, ahead of its launch, the British Institute of Vehicle Engineers bestowed the MPV Design Award upon the Meriva, praising its crisp exterior styling.
Twin electrically operated sunroofs add an airy feel inside, but its the attention to detail that is particularly impressive. The fuel filler cap houses a small tool for the tyre valve caps that equals clean hands and easy access when checking pressures. Its the little touches like this that make all the difference and the Meriva is full of them. Nobody is going to buy a Vauxhall Meriva primarily for its performance but plenty of buyers will be drawn to the car by the excellence of its user-friendly interior design.
The 1.8-litre models mean that space doesnt have to come at the expense of pace and buyers who cant do without a vehicle of the Merivas inherent practicality dont have to do without a car that can at least a raise a smile on the way home from the school run.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Vauxhall Meriva 1.8-litre range
PRICES: £13,960 - £14,295 on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 6E-7E
CO2 EMISSIONS: 196g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 118mph / 0-60mph 10.9s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (average) 34mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags, ABS with EBD, Emergency Brake Assist, Front seatbelt force limiters, side impact protection.
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm 4042/1694/1624
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