Review of the new Vauxhall Zafira 1.6 Range

If you'd resigned yourself to a second rate mini-MPV from a budget manufacturer, this might come as good news. Prices for the latest Vauxhall Zafira range kick off at around £13,000 and you're not about to get saddled with an engine that would struggle to punch its way out of a wet paper bag. In fact, the 1.6-litre petrol Zafira models are well worth further investigation. If you were about to settle for second best, put down that pen, step away from that dotted line and read on.

Let's face facts. Much as Vauxhall have tried to convince us to the contrary, mini-MPVs in general and the Zafira in particular are not about tyre-shredding power and performance. They're bought for other reasons such as practicality, safety and ease of ownership. This is why for most people, the 1.6-litre entry-level model is, in fact, a better car than the 240bhp ripsnorting Zafira VXR. Less, in this instance, is most definitely more. You probably won't care that it takes 13.9 seconds to get to 60mph and that the top speed of 109mph isn't going to make you the Obergruppenfuhrer of the autobahn. No, what's more germane is the almost diesel-like fuel consumption figure of 38.7mpg and a CO2 emissions figure of just 175g/km.

The engine is a benign unit that revs sweetly and only really feels its capacity when you've loaded the vehicle to capacity or are attempting to set a stiff target time for Lance Armstrong on a Category III climb. Three basic trim levels are offered, opening with the Expression, the model that features the headline-grabbing £12,995 price tag. Move up to the Life model and you're still netting quite a bargain. Despite adding side airbags and roof rails to the old model, at £14,800 the latest car is £350 cheaper. The reason why I mentioned there are three 'basic' trim levels in the line up is that there are effectively two versions of the Life offered; the standard car and model with air conditioning that tacks on another £500. With a vehicle with this much glass, that may well prove a sound investment. At the top of the totem pole is the 1.6-litre Club, fitted with air-conditioning, alloy wheels and curtain airbags. This is some £650 cheaper than the old model. Paying less and getting more sounds a good deal in anybody's language.

"The Zafira 1.6-litre may not be thrilling but it is thrifty"

Steering feel has improved noticeably over the old Zafira and other aspects such as the gearchange have been finessed. Ride quality and body control have improved dramatically from the old Zafira, thanks in no small part to a completely redesigned suspension system. The torsion beam rear axle also helps packaging, being especially compact, and allowing for a flat floor with no suspension intrusion.

The one thing you can never have enough of in an MPV-style vehicle is space and sure enough, the tale of the tape reveals that the Zafira has succumbed, if not to middle age spread, then at least to a little loosening of the belt. This is perhaps understandable given the fact that with utility vehicles like the Meriva mopping up sales in the supermini-MPV class and no recognised full-sized MPV contender, there was a vacuum into which the Zafira would be drawn. Six inches longer, 1.5 inches wider and a shade taller than the outgoing car, the latest Zafira retains the seven-seat configuration, with a middle bench seat offering three berths and two seats in the back that also fold flat into the floor.

What has changed is the amount of legroom on offer to the occupants. Whereas the old car would have been hideously cramped with all seven seats in use, the latest model offers a little more breathing space. It's still not ideally suited to a rugby sevens team and their kit, but for the larger family, it's close to perfect. As before, the seating system is so versatile that the Zafira can be configured in two, three, four, five, six or seven seat guises in a matter of seconds. Most buyers will run in five-seat format, and in this mode the Vauxhall can cope with 620-litres of luggage - fully 20 more than the old car. Depending on the trim level, the Zafira can also boast up to 30 storage compartments. The 'Flex Organiser' luggage bay stowage system that has proved a success with Astra Estate buyers is also available on the Zafira. Don't believe the hype that the Flex7 system is instantly intuitive. Some reference to the manual and a certain degree of practice is required before you can say you've mastered the seating system.

It is to the Astra that the Zafira owes many of its exterior design cues. Whereas the old Zafira was clearly related to the Astra Mk IV, the current model looks for all the world like a MkV Astra Estate that's been attached to a garage air line. A particularly interesting feature is the optional panorama roof. With four large glass panels, this system offers passengers a light, airy atmosphere in the back, while tinted glass and a powered shade protect against dazzle. A centre console running the length of the ceiling has a number of overhead compartments. Built in a £300 million state-of-the-art facility in Bochum, Germany, the latest Zafira is built to a zero defect principle and the results are apparent inside the cabin. Although it doesn't feel quite as bulletproof as the Astra inside, it's still a very impressive effort.

The 1.6-litre versions of the Zafira are probably pipped by the diesel models as the best buy in the range, but if funds won't permit you to stretch to one of the CDTi engines, the 1.6-litre petrol is no sorry substitute. It's a tough and willing powerplant wrapped in one of the best mini-MPVs money can buy. Vauxhall hit the mother lode with the last Zafira and look set to do so again.

TOP 5 ZAFIRA DEALS

The results below show the top ZAFIRA deals on buyacar

Vauxhall Zafira 1.6i [115] Expression 5dr Estate
Price £12,575 Read Zafira Reviews	Save £2,420
Vauxhall Zafira 2.2i Life 5dr Auto Estate
Price £16,991 Read Zafira Reviews	Save £5,399
Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 CDTi Exclusiv [120] 5dr Diesel Estate
Price £15,873 Read Zafira Reviews	Save £3,782
Vauxhall Zafira 1.8i Exclusiv 5dr Estate
Price £14,916 Read Zafira Reviews	Save £3,429
Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 CDTi SRi [150] 5dr [Exterior Pack] Diesel Estate
Price £18,553 Read Zafira Reviews	Save £6,352
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