Review of the new Vauxhall Zafire VXR

I have a suspicion that my father viewed children as unwelcome ballast, a view attributed in large part to his choice of car. Every family car up until my teens was a sports coupe of some sort that would entail being crushed into a claustrophobic vinyl hellhole. Try that stunt today and social services would come knocking, but fortunately only the most dysfunctional dad would put their kids through that sort of ordeal, especially when vehicles like the Vauxhall Zafira VXR exist. Here's a car that's savagely quick yet which doesn't breed a future generation of parents who feel the need to practice origami on their offspring.

The VXR badge is rapidly gaining currency among performance enthusiasts, spelling as it does a focus on very high power combined with affordable pricing. Rather than introduce it on their more mundane vehicles first, Vauxhall cleverly built the reputation of this performance badge by affixing it to their top end sports models of the time, the VX220 and the Monaro. Subsequently rolling it out across the Astra, Vectra, Zafira and Meriva ranges ensured that Vauxhall realised a genuine edge over their rivals at Ford.

Not that this is the first fast Zafira either. The GSi version of the previous shape Zafira sold modestly but again showed that Vauxhall was a company that could build interesting and desirable family cars. Here was a car that could accelerate through the gears quicker than a Porsche Boxster yet could seat seven. With 190bhp under the bonnet, this car wasn't anything to be sneezed at. The VXR takes that theme and runs with it, adding 47bhp onto the power output and, as it runs on the far more advanced Zafira Mk2 chassis, it's better equipped to deploy that to the road.

"The Zafira VXR offers potent performance and peerless practicality"

The figures that mean most to the kids will be a sprint to 60mph in 7.2 seconds and a top speed of 144mph which makes it the fastest production MPV in the UK. The best part is that all this additional grunt and sophistication will set you back just a little more than the old GSi. As with all VXRs, this one isn't just all about horsepower. The chassis has been beefed up to cope with that added capability and the IDS plus system uses latest generation electronic damping control: comparable set-ups are currently only available on a handful of low-volume supercars. This sophisticated system minimises body movements exceptionally quickly with the help of two separate processing modules. The result is claimed to be a noticeable enhancement in body roll prevention and damper control. You'll appreciate that in a high-sided vehicle like the Zafira. Big brakes with distinctive blue calipers help reign in the car's power.

There are quite a few styling tweaks to differentiate the VXR from its humbler brethren. As well as the VXR honeycomb grille, there's a bigger front bumper with central air intake and integrated fog lights. Side sills and a modified rear bumper assembly are also fitted and twin trapezoidal exhaust pipes will give the overtaken a clue that this isn't the usual crew bus. There's a tailgate spoiler and big 18-inch alloy wheels. Nineteen-inch rims are also offered if you want to make the rest of the school runners jealous.

The interior has been bosted to the tune of Recaro sports front seats while the fabric on the instrument and door panels is coordinated with the seating. VXR logos adorn the gear lever and sports steering wheel while options include electronic climate control, front and rear parking sesors and a Bluetooth-compatible mobile kit.

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.

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 airline. The VXR's sporting addenda helps the subterfuge a little, but the Astra is a good looking base to work from, and the Zafira's stylists have done well to carry over much of that car's detailing and stance.

Although the old Zafira GSi outsold Vauxhall's modest sales targets, it was always a bit part player in the Zafira success story. The same will doubtless be true of this VXR version. It's undoubtedly very well executed but most mini-MPV buyers neither care for nor need a vehicle that will scorch the tarmac. For those that do need a car to drop a bunch of kids off at school and enjoy the scenic route back, there's nothing better.

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