Which? Car review Vauxhall Meriva ( ) How we test. Performance. Ride comfort. People carriers/mpvs

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1 Which? works for you Which? Car review Vauxhall Meriva ( ) On sale: Jun 2003 Class: New price: Used price: From 875 Performance: Boot & Storage: Ride comfort: Safety: handling: Reliability: Big boot, and good, versatile interior space. Easy to park, and a good range of engines. Very affordable secondhand, especially as it gets older. Low customer satisfaction. Frumpy image and plain looks. Wide turning circle hinders parking. Total score: 49% Recommended models in the range Which? Car Top Choice Model 1.3 CDTi 16V Life 5dr [AC] New price: Used price: 2,525 Fastest Model 1.6T 16V VXR 5dr New price: Used price: 2, mph: 7.9 secs Most Efficient Model 1.3 CDTi 16V Active Plus 5dr New price: Used price: 3,195 Combined fuel economy: 56.5 mpg Cheapest Model to buy new New price: Overview More modern and flasherlooking small MPVs may have stolen its limelight, but Vauxhall s Meriva based on the popular Corsa supermini is a plain but practical proposition. Space and flexibility have been given priority and the clever rear seats are certainly worth checking out. The boot is easy to load and is spacious at 330 litres, expanding to a decent 690 litres with the seats folded. The Meriva is good to drive, with a wide range of engines to choose from, and a comfortable ride, although the manual gearboxes are a bit clunky and the Easytronic semiauto can be jerky. If you regularly have to manoeuvre in tight spaces, check you re happy with the large 11.2m turning circle. The original Meriva has been overshadowed in a major way by the appealing new model, launched in The Meriva was one of the first wave of small MPVs, up against the likes of the Toyota Yaris Verso, Renault Modus, Nissan Note and Fiat Idea. It makes an excellent value buy on the used market and it s more practical than most cars of its size. Safety is well behind modern standards make sure you find a car with the optional protection pack fitted. The Meriva scores an average threestar rating for reliability in our most recent Which? Car survey. Average repair costs are quite high for a small car like this, however, and the very low 68% customer satisfaction score tells its own story. The CDTi diesels make the best buys because of their frugal fuel economy. Cheapest Model to buy used 1.6 8V Expression 5dr Used price: 875 Cheapest Model to Run (new) New price: Running costs: (3 years/36,000 miles) Owner s View The seating adaptability is brilliant. For a small car it holds a lot and can be transformed into a small van to carry awkward loads. It is also easy to get in and out (I have a bad back).

2 Vauxhall Meriva ( ) On the road The Meriva is a comfortable, easytodrive workhorse with a stable and secure road feel although significantly, stability control was optional on most of the range when new. Visibility is good, but parking is a bit cumbersome because of the car s wide turning circle. The 1.6litre petrol Meriva we tested was lively but suffered from a clunky gearbox. Performance There are many engines to choose from in the Meriva range, from a 1.4litre petrol, through CDTi diesels, right up to a peculiar 1.6litre turbo VXR model. We tested the regular 1.6litre petrol version, which is smooth and lively, partly because the manual gearbox has quite closely set ratios. The engine can become a little raucous when pushing on though, and the gears are not always easy to engage. Acceleration (3762mph) diesel 1.7CDTi (100bhp) manual 5door (2006) 7.3 secs petrol 1.6 (100bhp) manual 5door (2003) 9.1 secs petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5door (2006) 8.9 secs Ride comfort The suspension is comfortable thanks to compliant springing, which absorbs bumps both large and small. The ride is also fine at motorway speeds. Performance We use the sophisticated electronic timing equipment to record standingstart and ingear acceleration, and repeat each test several times. Ride comfort Ride comfort is assessed by our laboratory experts who have driven hundreds of thousands of miles in a myriad of different models. diesel 1.7CDTi (100bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (100bhp) manual 5door (2003) petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5door (2006)

3 Vauxhall Meriva ( ) On the road continued... Handling The Meriva feels stable and secure. However electronic stability control was only optional on most models we d recommend finding an example with this fitted to make sure the car stays on track in emergency situations. The Meriva is designed to understeer when cornering, which makes it easy for most drivers to keep under control. The steering is responsive and accurate, with a solid feel. diesel 1.7CDTi (100bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (100bhp) manual 5door (2003) petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5door (2006) Brakes The Meriva s stopping distance is 43 metres when braked hard from 62mph a long way behind newer rivals. ABS antilock brakes are standard. Braking distance (620mph) diesel 1.7CDTi (100bhp) manual 5door (2006) 41.5m petrol 1.6 (100bhp) manual 5door (2003) 42.9m petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5door (2006) 38.5m Refinement and noise Refinement is pretty good in the Meriva, even at motorway speeds. Build quality inside and out is decent too, although the hard plastics in the cabin don t impart a great feeling of quality, and the bumpers are rather prone to scratching. Cruising noise diesel 1.7CDTi (100bhp) manual 5door (2006) 68dB petrol 1.6 (100bhp) manual 5door (2003) 69dB petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5door (2006) 70dB Handling Onthelimit handling is explored well away from public roads to ensure a fair test. Our obstacle avoidance test is one of the harshest tests in the industry.. Brakes The Which? Car braking test measures stopping distance from 620mph and is repeated ten times in quick succession to highlight any brake fade issues. Refinement and noise The Which? Car experts use a decibel meter to record interior sound levels at common UK motorway speeds, and combine this with subjective assessments to arrive at an overall score.

4 Vauxhall Meriva ( ) On the road continued... Cabin and controls The Meriva is easy to operate, with a wellpositioned, heightadjustable steering wheel. The main gauges are easy to read and the audio system is within easy view. However, the heater controls are set too far down, are too small and are out of the driver s field of vision. A DVD player was an interesting option for rear seat passengers. diesel 1.7CDTi (100bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (100bhp) manual 5door (2003) petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5door (2006) Visibility and parking The raised driving position gives you a clear view of the road ahead and the extremities of the car are easy to judge. However the wide rear window pillars obstruct your view to the rear and the complex Apillar design can compromise visibility when approaching junctions. As a small car with light steering, manoeuvrability is good, but the turning circle is too wide for easy parking. Park assist was offered as an option when new. Turning circle diesel 1.7CDTi (100bhp) manual 5door (2006) 11.1m petrol 1.6 (100bhp) manual 5door (2003) 11.1m petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5door (2006) 11.1m Cabin and controls We penalise cars with difficult controls, and we look for things like backlit light switches and easytouse heating and ventilation adjustments. Visibility and parking Visibility is a major issue for motorists today, so each car gets a 360degree swivel view test to reproduce the driver s eye view and any obscured areas.

5 Vauxhall Meriva ( ) Comfort and practicality The Meriva is a practical car. Front seat space is generous and legroom in the back can be boosted by sliding the rear seats towards the boot. The boot itself, is especially large and well shaped for a car of this size. Getting in and out As with most MPVs, access is very easy thanks to the high roofline and large, upright doors. The wide door sills, however, are a bit of a fly in the ointment. diesel 1.7CDTi (100bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (100bhp) manual 5door (2003) petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5door (2006) Seat space and comfort There is a generous amount of space up front and a roomy feel. Even very tall passengers can install themselves in comfort. The feeling of roominess extends to the rear with loads of headroom here. Legroom can become an issue when the front seats are slid right back, although the small middle seat can be removed and the two outer seats shifted in towards the centre of the car to boost leg space. The large, firmly upholstered seats are comfortable and offer a relaxed seating position with good support. diesel 1.7CDTi (100bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (100bhp) manual 5door (2003) petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5door (2006) Getting in and out We take measurements all around the driver and passenger s door apertures and note the height of the seat, door sills and step down onto the car floor. The best cars don t require too much bending or stretching to get in and out. Seat space and comfort We assess seat comfort subjectively, using our road testers expert knowledge and experience from thousands of different cars. And we measure the head, legand elbowroom on offer in every seat, to see how well the car caters for people of all shapes and sizes.

6 Vauxhall Meriva ( ) Comfort and practicality continued... Boot and storage At 330 litres, the luggage compartment is large for the class, and capacity grows to 690 litres (measured to the window line) when the rear seats are folded forwards. This is easy to do the seats simply lower down flat to the floor. Even though the load height is quite lofty, it s easy to load the car up thanks to the very large boot opening, and there s no lip to lift luggage over. The almost completely flat floor, storage bins and boot shape also boost practicality. There are plenty of storage trays throughout the cabin too. Boot space (seats up/down) diesel 1.7CDTi (100bhp) manual 5door (2006) 330 litres / 690 litres petrol 1.6 (100bhp) manual 5door (2003) 330 litres / litres petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5door (2006) 330 litres / 690 litres Heating and ventilation A highly efficient air conditioning system was optional for most of the range. Boot and storage Carmakers give official stats for boot space, but our tests are more realistic. We load the boot up with measuring blocks only as far as the rear window line, so that luggage is well secured and won t obscure rear visibility. We repeat the test with the rear seats up, and folded down (where possible). Heating and ventilation diesel 1.7CDTi (100bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (100bhp) manual 5door (2003) petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5door (2006) Feel sorry for the tester who has to warm each car up from a frosty 10 degrees in our climate chamber. Starting with a cold engine, we measure how long it takes to warm up the front and rear of the cabin. Diesel cars usually take longer. We also check the effectiveness of air conditioning, where fitted.

7 Vauxhall Meriva ( ) Running costs and depreciation Running costs are about average for most versions. The diesels are the cheapest to run as they consume less fuel, although they are in greater demand among used car buyers. Insurance starts as low as Group 8, and rises to Group 24 for the 1.6litre turbocharged VXR version; this model is the most costly to run too, with a claimed 36.2mpg. Fuel consumption Fuel consumption We tested three models. The 100bhp 1.6 petrol version ( ) averaged 35.3mpg (quite close to the claimed 36.2mpg), while the later 105bhp 1.6 Twinport was better (40.4mpg). As for the 1.7 CDTi diesel, we averaged 48.7mpg not bad but quite a way off the claimed 53.3mpg. Petrol (combined mpg, claimed) Diesel (combined mpg, claimed) 35.8 mpg 45.6 mpg 52.3 mpg 56.5 mpg We test fuel economy under strict lab conditions using realistic test cycles to reveal the facts behind the figures. Our figures rarely match manufacturer claims as, unlike the official mpg test, we measure economy with both a hot and cold engine, and on the motorway. diesel 1.7CDTi (100bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (100bhp) manual 5door (2003) petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5door (2006) diesel 1.7CDTi (100bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (100bhp) manual 5door (2003) petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5door (2006) diesel 1.7CDTi (100bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (100bhp) manual 5door (2003) petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5door (2006) diesel 1.7CDTi (100bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (100bhp) manual 5door (2003) petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5door (2006) Urban (claimed/measured) 42.2 mpg/42.8 mpg 26.9 mpg/28.2 mpg 32.1 mpg/33.6 mpg Extra urban (claimed/measured) 62.8 mpg/61.4 mpg 45.6 mpg/45.6 mpg 51.4 mpg/51.4 mpg Motorway (measured) 42.8 mpg 34.0 mpg 35.3 mpg Combined (claimed/measured) 53.3 mpg/48.7 mpg 36.2 mpg/35.3 mpg 42.2 mpg/40.4 mpg

8 Vauxhall Meriva ( ) Running costs and depreciation continued... Emissions Depending on engine and transmission, carbon dioxide emissions range between 135g/km and 190g/km. Emissions Petrol (CO2, claimed) Diesel (CO2, claimed) diesel 1.7CDTi (100bhp) manual 5door (2006) petrol 1.6 (100bhp) manual 5door (2003) petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5door (2006) 148g per km 190g per km 134g per km 146g per km Emissions (claimed/measured) 143g per km/151g per km 187g per km/183g per km 161g per km/164g per km While testing fuel economy, we also collect exhaust gases to enable us to measure the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted. We also check whether particulate filters are effective at removing sooty emissions from diesel engines. Safety Safety and security The optional protection pack includes active front head restraints, electronic stability and traction control, front seat Isofix, side and curtain airbags. Without these safety items, the car offers very much reduced passenger protection. Other niggles include the rear headrests, which are set too low only high enough for passengers up to 1.70 metres tall. Due to the type of seatbelt fitted in the rear, not all types of child seat can be used, although there are two Isofix attachments here. A minor consideration is that there are no reflectors or safety lights in the doors. Euro NCAP score The Meriva scored four out of five stars in the Euro NCAP crash test. It did better in the side impact test than the front impact. Its performance in the pedestrian protection test was less encouraging just one star out of four. Adult occupant Child protection Pedestrian protection Which? safety rating We rate cars for safety using Euro NCAP crash test scores (where available), alongside our own comprehensive safety checklist. Uniquely, we also feed in results from our accident avoidance test after all, it s far better to steer around a crash than rely on the airbags... Security Security scores come from the security experts at Thatcham, who break into hundreds of cars each year. Most modern cars are very difficult to drive away, but are still too easy to steal from. Active (crash avoidance) Passive (crash safety) Child Pedestrian Security In our theft of test, the Meriva scored four out of five, but only three stars for theft from. Theft of car: Theft from car:

9 Vauxhall Meriva ( ) Which? Car Survey results The Which? Car Survey is the UK s most robust reliability and owner satisfaction survey. In 2015, drivers told us about 58,000 cars, covering more than 484 million miles in the previous 12 months (that s equivalent to driving to the moon and back a hundred times). This unique feedback allows us to rate satisfaction and reliability for hundreds of new and used cars. Note: Star ratings below are from 15 (1 is very poor and 5 is very good). Percentages shown under Most common faults indicate the proportion of owners reporting each problem in the past 12 months. Brand Vauxhall ratings Sample size: 3,091 people Overall owner satisfaction for this brand 71% Brand reliability Dealer Sales Service Dealer Servicing & repair Model: Vauxhall Meriva ( )S Ownership ratings sample size: 115 people Overall owner satisfaction for this range 68% Driving enjoyment Ease of driving Comfort Dash layout and controls Practicality Value for money Running costs Incar technology About our survey Brand ratings Everyone who takes part in the Which? Car survey tells us about their car and the dealers who sell and service it. We analyse this feedback across all cars to give toplevel satisfaction ratings for each brand, including the brand s reliability record over the last eight years. All star ratings are out of five. Model ownership ratings These show how owners score this car in 12 different areas, from performance to heating. Owners ratings are subjective so may differ from Which? Car test scores but they give a good idea of what the car is like to live with. Where relevant, cars are scored against other cars in the same class (e.g. for space). Owner s View Excellent ride comfort, supportive seats, great road holding and driveability. Also economical on long runs, up to 45 mpg. Plenty of room for four people. Owner s View I love the fact that I can put down the seats and get my bike in without taking one or more wheels off. I prefer the higher seating position to that of standard hatchbacks.

10 Vauxhall Meriva ( ) Which? Car Survey results continued... Reliability ratings Overall Reliability Up to 3 years old 48 years old Petrol cars Reliability breakdowns average annual repair cost Diesel cars Reliability breakdowns average annual repair cost All cars Reliability breakdowns 8% average annual repair cost 231 Breakdowns: Percentage of cars suffering a breakdown in last 12 months Average annual repair cost: Average annual cost of repairs (not servicing), in past 12 months About our survey Reliability ratings We split reliability into breakdowns (including failure to start), faults (where parts need replacing) and problems (minor issues e.g. squeaks and loose trim). Where the car has been on sale for some time, and we have numerous survey responses from owners, we also split scores by the age of car and fuel type. Star ratings are out of five the more stars, the more reliable the car. Most common faults Most common faults Up to 3 years old 48 years old Lights 10% Electric windows 8% Engine Other 5% Auto transmission 5% Cooling System 5% Want to know what s most likely to go wrong as the car gets older? These are the five most common faults reported by owners, grouped by age into new, recent and older cars. A score of 40% means four out of 10 owners reported problems with that part of the car over the previous 12 months. Engine electrics and nonengine electrics (e.g. windows, stereo) cause more headaches than mechanical parts in most modern cars. Failure rate: The proportion of owners reporting this problem in the last year