New Zafira (UK) review

[Redcoat]

Well, i test drove the new revised Zafira yesterday, and i have to say i was extremely impressed - but for one thing, that means i wont be buying one.

The Zafira

As you can see from the photo, its one handsome looking mini-MPV. The whole car looks much classier than before, and really outshines the Focus C-Max and Toyota Avenesis Verso in the looks department.

The model I drove was the 1.6 in Club spec (about £16,000 worth). First of all, and most importantly for a minivan, the room inside is HUGE. truly generous rear legroom, even with the front seats back a bit, and with the rear (6&7th) seats folded down flat into the floor, the boot (trunk) is cavernous. You would have no problem hauling something large or bulky in this thing. The seats are very good, and the interior feels a lot better screwed together than in the pervious generation Zaf or the C-Max .

On the road, the 1.6 Ecotec went reasonably well with the car unloaded, but i think it would really struggle with some passengers or cargo in the back. Its a very heavy car compared to the Astra it is based on, and it shows. The 2.2L or 2.0 Turbo petrol versions will have more power, but the mileage, emissions tax and most importantly insurance will all hit your wallet.

Studidly, Vauxhall have launched the car with only 1.6, 2.2 adn diesel engine options - they must be assuming deisels will sell the most, because clearly the 1.6 is clearly underpowered, and the 2.2 is really too big an engine for a lot of the economy-minded families who buy a car like this. A 1.8L Ecotec would have been perfect.

I am sure the diesel is a good choice, but im just not a fan of how diesels drive (all low end torque, that runs out above 4000 rpms).

When driving around town, the car is extremely civilized to drive. the steering is light and accurate, the brakes and pedals feel responsive. There is not as much "feel" in the steering and suspension as in the last-generation Zafira i drove, but that was a GSi with the turbo and sports suspension so its not a fair comparison. On the open road, the active power steering firms up and the car feels very solid. GMs engineers did an excellent job with this car.

In terms of value, it seems quite good then. You get a very , very practical mini-MPV that offers 7 seats but also the capacity to haul as much stuff as a traditional large MPV. You get a nice, easy drive that doesnt feel "van-like" or disconnected from the road. And you get a car that feels more modern and better made than its big rival, the Ford C-MAX.

But therein lies the problem for the Zafira. It is a better car, but then again it is on average >£1,500 more expensive than the equivalent C-MAX.

And moreover, they have seemingly enlarged the car by about 6 inches over the previous model. This is great for interior space, but means they have lost me as a buyer. the car is now much closer in size to a full-size MPV (like a Ford Galaxy or Toyota Previa) which means it loses the advantages of being a "mini-MPV". Its no longer as easy to park as a car, and i could hardly get it out of my driveway onto the street thanks to the sharp turn i have to make around awkwardly-parked cars.

So all in all, an excellent update to the Zafira, that will surely win MPV of the year again for Vauxhall / Opel. It looks good, drives well, is affordable compared with a big MPV and will suit many families. But, unfortunately, due to the extra 6 inches in length, it does not suit me.