Next Meriva checks in

Vauxhall's new Meriva is gearing up to reinvent the compact MPV sector! Our spies caught the next-generation model, which goes on sale here in 12 months, on test in a black and white disguise. And it’s clear the current model’s slab-sided look is gone, replaced by more striking lines inspired by the Corsa.

The latest spy shot also confirms that the car will keep the innovative rear-hinged back doors of the concept seen at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. The angled headlamps and triangular glass behind the C-pillars are hidden by the disguise.

Likely to cost from £15,000, the Meriva should prove more dynamic to drive, with suspension and engines borrowed from the Corsa. Stop-start technology will be standard across the range, boosting economy in the low-emission 1.3 and 1.7 CDTI diesels. A VXR version could appear late in 2009, featuring a beefed-up bodykit and powered by Vauxhall’s 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine.