Vauxhall Meriva SE 1.6 CDTi 136PS ecoFLEX Start/Stop
What is it?
This is the new Meriva, Vauxhall’s compact MPV five-seater people mover given a makeover and freshen up.
The front of the Meriva has been given redesigned to improve the on-road stance by widening its appearance and at the rear there’s LED lights.
What remains, though, are the ‘taxi style’ doors, which hinge from the front and the rear pillars – like a London black taxi cab – allowing easy access to the interior space.
Vauxhall says it eschewed the sliding door style of class rivals, saying that – with a large grab handle on the middle B pillar – it’s easier for people, especially those more elderly, to exit from the rear seats.
Also staying is the delightful dip in the waistline at the rear side windows, accentuated with a chrome belt, which adds visual interest to the car but also allows a better view of the passing scenery for those in the rear seats.
For company car drivers with a small family, the big news is not so much the Meriva’s known carrying capacity but what’s hidden under the bonnet. Following the larger Zafira MPV and the Astra hatchback, the new Meriva gets Vauxhall’s all new 1.6 diesel engine.
With CO2 emissions of 116g/km, the new Vauxhall Meriva has a company car tax banding of 19% for the 2014/15 tax year.