How do you make a family MPV exciting? Give it
Mazda RX-8 doors. Or Rolls-Royce Phantom doors, if you prefer. However you want to look at the reverse hinged 'FlexDoors' of the Meriva, they're certainly unusual on a family car, and make rear access slightly easier.
They're the selling point, although Vauxhall is trumpeting the general sense of airiness, space and visibility afforded by the Meriva's interior design, which you'll see takes cues from the
Insignia and new
Astra. Up front, the designers have lowered the instrument panel and moved it as far forward as possible, which along with making the A-pillars slender, increases a feeling of spaciousness.
Sliding the rear seats or lowering the backs is easier than it was before because both are done in one motion, and the boot is a substantial 400 litres, increasing to 920 with the seat backs down, or 1,500 litres if you absolutely stuff the car from floor to roof.
Vauxhall also boasts of more storage spaces and rear seats that slide sideward for more shoulder room. Essentially, all the stuff that a good MPV should do, like allowing you to stretch your arms out while riding in the soft comfort of what is essentially a lavish, motorised wheelie bin. See it at
Geneva in March.
Mark Nichol - 18 Jan 2010