Skip advert
Advertisement

Vauxhall Meriva 2010 review

As all-new supermini-MPV edges closer to showrooms, we try final prototype for size.

Overall Auto Express rating

5.0

How we review cars
Find your Vauxhall Meriva
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

The new Meriva is so much more than a set of innovative doors with wheels attached. Whereas the old model offered bargain-basement family transport, this latest car is something special in its own right. The fact it drives so well is a bonus, and the powerful yet small petrol option is a brilliant way to save fuel and maintain performance.

Advertisement - Article continues below

What a difference a door makes! Meet the supermini-MPV which allows you to set foot on the pavement in the same way as the super-rich when emerging from their Rolls-Royce Phantoms.

With its rear-hinged back doors, the Vauxhall Meriva offers an Oscar-night cabin exit whether at the theatre or the supermarket. And as well as sampling its novel approach to cabin access, Auto Express has driven the car.

Rivalling the Nissan Note and Renault Modus, the Meriva will be priced from around £15,000 when it goes on sale in June.

And it’s not only innovative; it’s stylish, too. Although our early car was one of Vauxhall’s prototypes – and thus partially disguised – its sporty shape, neatly detailed head and tail-lights plus distinctive rising waistline really looked the part.

As for the doors, bosses give a great deal of credit to Rolls’ owner BMW. It offered a lot of guidance on how to pass EU legislation which requires a raft of safety interlocks on rear-hinged panels.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

Yaris Cross

2024 Toyota

Yaris Cross

27,323 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L

Cash £21,299
View Yaris Cross
4 Series

2023 BMW

4 Series

52,860 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L

Cash £27,399
View 4 Series
CT

2019 Lexus

CT

35,000 milesAutomaticPetrol1.8L

Cash £15,499
View CT
Q2

2024 Audi

Q2

35,002 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £17,499
View Q2

The finely engineered result allows passengers to retreat gracefully into the back seats. Vauxhall says the doors will appeal to the two sets of buyers who have kept the Meriva at the top of the supermini-MPV sales charts for seven years: young families and more mature drivers.

Shrunken

Advertisement - Article continues below

Under the skin, the Meriva is essentially a shrunken Zafira MPV with five seats. That means MacPherson strut front suspension and a torsion beam rear, with electro-hydraulic power-steering.

Petrol engines all measure 1.4 litres, with a basic, naturally aspirated unit, plus two turbos delivering 120bhp and 140bhp. Diesel fans will get a choice of the 1.3-litre GM/Fiat Multijet unit, as well as a 1.7 turbo in two states of tune: 100bhp and 120bhp.

A performance flagship SRi petrol version is set to arrive next year.

Inside, the little Meriva feels upmarket. As with the new Astra, it borrows heavily from the 2009 European Car of the Year, the Insignia, and the quality gains are striking and highly impressive. The steering wheel, chrome-edged dials, and heater and air-conditioning controls are all taken from the saloon, and are pleasing to look at and use.

The Insignia also provides the large and comfortable seats, while the innovative central tunnel boasts a combination of sliding storage compartments and an armrest which can be transferred to the rear. The back seats are big enough to take three adults abreast, but revised side-to-side and forward-and-back sliders allow the outside pair to be adjusted to offer two adults limousine levels of space.

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

A double floor system from the Corsa further boosts the already large boot, while the rear seats fold flat to give additional room.

Although it’s not much longer and only 80mm wider than the old Meriva, the new car feels far more substantial. The lower dash and revised driving position give a much better view of the road, as do the improved A-pillars and quarter-light windows. Rear
passengers also get enhanced views thanks to the distinctive kinked window line and additional 50mm of glass area.

Our prototype ran on winter tyres, which made the ride hard to judge. We’d need a thorough test on UK roads to provide a definitive judgement, but the chassis felt stable and isolated large bumps well. And although we wonder how sluggish the naturally aspirated 1.4 will feel, our 140bhp 1.4 turbo was strong and swift. The six-speed gearbox is slick and light, the driveline refined and the brakes powerful and progressive. It all adds up to a very desirable package.

Rival: Kia Venga
Bold looks fail to disguise how conventional the Venga is under the skin. A lacklustre driving experience also lets it down. But for those on a budget, the Kia is worth considering – especially in petrol form.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £1,676 off RRP*
Audi A3

Audi A3

RRP £26,295Avg. savings £2,513 off RRP*Used from £5,500
Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £38,140Avg. savings £3,019 off RRP*Used from £13,895
Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa

RRP £18,725Avg. savings £4,199 off RRP*Used from £15,337
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k
Kia PV5 Passenger - show front

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k

New entry into the electric people carrier market undercuts the VW ID. Buzz by a significant margin
News
29 Apr 2025
Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price
BMW X7 - front

Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price

German firm’s flagship SUV could never be called cheap but it is exceptional value at £735 a month – making it our Deal of the Day for Sunday 27 April
News
27 Apr 2025
New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645
Kia PV5 Cargo on display at Commercial Vehicle Show - front 3/4

New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645

All-new entry into the van market promises competitive pricing and comes with a range of up to 247 miles
News
30 Apr 2025