Vauxhall Meriva

Manufacturer
Vauxhall

Model
Meriva

Segment/Specs
Supermini

Does everything competently, but look elsewhere if you're looking to enjoy your new car.

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Performance

1.6 model is the pick of the engines, both diesels have good pull and economy and the VRX is very powerful, if slightly hard to understand.

Driving

Decent cornering ability despite the height. Generally a reasonable mix between ride and drive, though it's no Corsa. VRX has stiffer suspension.

Feel

Pick the right engine and the Meriva will be pretty hushed.

Price

Cheap to run, but mean kit levels cancel out some of that value.

Quality

Interior looks solid, if uninspired and Vauxhall's cars are generally built to last.

Safety

Interior looks solid, if uninspired and Vauxhall's cars are generally built to last.

Space

Great space and practicality, with plenty of folding and splitting action.

Equipment

Base level has remote locking and a tape player, for God's sake. Aircon kicks in at Sxi level.

Alternatives

Ford Fusion, Renault Modus, Nissan Note

Pros

Good space and versatility.

Cons

Kit levels are mean, drive is capable rather than exciting, priced a little too high.

Everything a small family need

by R Zimmerman (Mundon) - 27/09/2005 15:55:48

After Tom, my second child, was born, my partner and I started looking for a "proper" car. No beef against the Punto, but it was just too small, especially with it being a 3-door. The Meriva adverts caught our attention, and we took it for a test-drive. We ended up buying the largest petrol engine with automatic transmission and air-conditioning. It is a beauty of a car: We have driven it for 25000 miles in just a little bit longer than a year, and we haven't had a single problem with it. It is fast, with masses of load space, and fun to drive, too.

Awful Easytronic

by Chris Jenner (Bromley) - 07/11/2006 10:47:54

A good car spoilt by the dreadful 'Easytronic' gearbox. Juddery power take-up, jerky gear changes. Pull away on a downhill slope and the gears refuse to change up automatically, resulting in a downhill forward progress in first gear with the engine screaming. Accelorate from 5 mph and the gearbox drops into first with an almighty jerk. Just horrible.

Meriva 1.6

by J Robb (London) - 06/05/2007 21:10:56

Had this for two years now. It's a car with genius in terms of cavernous space and flexibility of seating but let down by so many key aspects such as mediocre performance, the tiring pedal positions - get the accelerator right and the clutch is too far away and anyway it operates only when the foot is virtually off it, making for revy hill starts - the very poor fuel consumption, and the less than good front side visibility round corners. What a shame.