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New Vauxhall Zafira spied

Vauxhall's Astra based family MPV will continue with a conventional lay-out, unlike the radical Meriva.

Vauxhall Zafira

Photos: Automedia

19th May 2010

This new MPV is joining the Vauxhall family! These are the very first shots that have emerged of the new Vauxhall Zafira, which isn’t due out until 2012.

Caught testing in extensive optical camouflage, the third generation Zafira shares its platform with the new Astra, and in the photos we can clearly see that this test car has the same multi-function steering wheel and soft touch interior as the smaller hatch-back.

The big news is that unlike on the new Meriva, this car won’t feature any backwards opening ‘suicide’ doors, and will continue with a conventional five-door layout instead.   

Expect the Zafira to share the larger engines from the Astra line-up, which means a 115bhp 1.6 and 1.4-litre turbo petrol, and for the diesels a 1.7L ecoFLEX with 110bhp and a more powerful 2.0-litre CDTi unit.

In a leaked pre-production sketch it looked like Vauxhall’s versatile MPV would take its styling cues from the Insignia flagship, and the A-pillars and wheels match the shape of the sporty earlier drawing.

However the roof-line is less curved than on the original picture, and the front air intake is bigger as well. The narrower grille brings it into line with the new Vauxhall ‘family’ look, while at the rear the re-designed light clusters have moved higher up, and there is a chunkier rear bumper too.

The car is likely to be properly unveiled at the Paris motor show in September, with more details available soon.  

For an alternative review of the latest Vauxhall Zafira visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk

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4 Comments

Hasta Zafira...

I hope it's better than the current model which is truly pants. Poor build quality and reliability. Terrible handling and no refinement at all. Had mine for nearly 3 years from new and its gone through 1 gearbox, 1 clutch, 3 EGR valves and various other bits and pieces. I can't wait to pick up my new Grand Scenic in august, it's several classes above on build quality alone. Oh, and my local Vauxhall dealer could learn a thing or two about customer service if they sent their staff to be trained by Richard Sanders Renault in Kettering. Anyone from that locale will know which Vauxhall dealership i'm referring to...

By sgtgrash on 20 May, 2010, 1:09am

Its safe and a better drive than it looks... reliability is intrinsic in the way it is driven!!!

Owner of 2 x Zafiras Mks 1 and 2 60,000 miles on each dealer serviced 53 - 07 07 - 10 no problems Mk 2 fitting headlight bulb was difficult vehicle needs to be jacked/hoisted up.

Not the last word in style but 7 proper seats Mk 2, even fit for adults at the back. Build quality is fine as for flexiblity in options hard to beat..

Dealers are usually the defining factor in these purchases, however treat as you find. Have seen the new Scenic nice and well made but still not as strong in the integrity of design/build. Peugot 3008/5008 have pushed on their game though.

Lets see if the Griffin can match/surpass them.

By omega216 on 20 May, 2010, 6:26pm

New Zafira

I had a 56 plate Zafira 1.6 Life as a company car and I am glad the engine died at 55k miles. The car was rubbish. Good points which I hope they will be repeated: the interior materials were of high quality and beautifully put together. It was roomy in the cabin, the boot was vast and increadibly versatile too. The glovebox was massive and there were many storage points for everyday clatter, in a word, the interior was absolutely superb, I have yet to drive a car with such an excellent interior. Everything else however was simply pants. There was no coolant temperature gauge (bear in mind my car was written off because of loss of coolant that went undetected whilst driving on the motorway), the air circulation would not work when the setting was front screen/full blast, the engine was gutless, very noisy and would only achieve a maximum of 33.5 mpg. The fan switch was exactly the same as the volume switch for the stereo, quite confusing. The ride was stiff, the handling appalling, the steering arcade-game inconsistent, the gearstick action incomprehensive and vague, it also did not like quick gearshifts. The brakes were snatchy, unprogressive, too much dead travel. The accelerator was just as vague, you simply could not drive the thing smoothly. The clutch was absolutely awful, hugely under-developed. The indicator and wiper stalks were offendingly confusing, many a time I wanted to cancel an indication only to achieve indicating the other way. If GM developes a decent chassis with the current car's interior volume and materials, then Vauxhall will be onto a class leading car. As it stands, I really feel sorry for those who have to put up with such an appallingly sorted 'car'. Even Transits drive better!

By ganthopoulos on 27 May, 2010, 12:12am

The case for the defense...

@omega216

My Zafira WAS a 2007 1.6 LIFE. It was a Motability vehicle. The gearbox and clutch failed during the second week of ownership. The dealership ALSO tried to say it was down to my driving style. I took great offense as I'm an experienced driver (aged 47) and I've not had a clutch or gearbox fail on any vehicle I've owned previously.

The Zafira was the first vehicle I've owned from new, and shortly after the repairwork was carried out, I learnt from an employee at the dealership that it had been sitting on an airfield for quite a while, which explained why the wheels and brakes disks were so rusty, they had to be replaced before it could be released to me.

I can honestly state that the Zafira is the worst car I've ever driven. Build quality was appalling, as was reliabilty. The materials used in the cabin are cheap and nasty, and refinement? There wasn't any... Road roar was my constant companion, along with rattles from various ill-fitting bits of trim, as well as a constant clunking from the front suspension. The steering was vague and needed constant adjustment on the straight-away. The middle bench seat was totally impractical ( why oh why didn't Vauxhall make it capable of a 60/40 split at least?). I could go on about the 1.6 litre engines lack of power; the fact the bite point of the clutch was never where you left it; that the brake pedal was sometimes progressive, and at other times bit like a demon if you so much as waved ur foot over it; that the gearbox was as notchy as a tallystick, and ALWAYS crunched into reverse and occaisionally refused to engage at all... Worst of all though was the dealership experience, which could be best described as inadequate.

I chose to go to Vauxhall and pick a Zafira because my previous car was a 1994 Vauxhall Omega 2.0 Estate and despite a few small, age related niggles, it was a damned fine car. So I'm sure you can understand my dissappointment.

There's more I could mention but it's late and I'm tired.

By sgtgrash on 9 July, 2010, 3:44am

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