Test drive Opel Meriva 2003 - 2005 Minivan

Formula of flexibility

FlexSpace system makes Opel Meriva a universality model
 
On the way to know the extraordinary possibilities of transforming the salon and other charms of the new compact minivan Opel, the border guard stood. The purpose of your visit to Mallorca? - The on -duty phrase in broken English sounded. Business, ”I answered without hesitation, and immediately realized that I had made a mistake. The vigilant guard of island borders instantly opened the half -worn eyelids, flashed his eyes and began to closely study the stamps in the passport. Having calmed down a few minutes later and returning the document to me, he said morally: no one comes to work here, everyone is resting here. It would be your lips to drink honey - a place is really beautiful. And the perfectly suitable for a test drive, which I was soon convinced.
 
When the eye is resting
 
On a concrete background of airport structures, two dozen multi -colored Opel were visible from afar, and looked like a well -groomed flower bed in the desert. Loaded with equipment and suitcases with things, clearly superfluous on a warm island, my colleague and I, like a couple of camels, slowly approached the cars, involuntarily examining the details of the exterior at different angles. And they came to a common opinion: Meriva was a success. In its rounded shapes, only emphasized by the pointed corners of the front headlights, the transverse lines of the grille of the radiator and air intake in front and the moldings on the side, there is not a single stroke that would be unpleasant to the eye. The new corporate identity is clearly visible, but at the same time there is no doubt - before you are a completely independent model. Someone will probably catch the individual features of the new Vectra or the older sister - the popular Zafira in her appearance. But certainly agree: Meriva is original and looks very harmonious.
 
Having finally reached the right car, we immediately clarified for ourselves the question of the functionality of Meriva - it was worth throwing our belongings into the luggage compartment. Even with laid back the rear seats, its volume is 350 liters. Agree, this is a lot for a compact minivan. But the main thing, if we talk about the internal space, is, of course, the FlexSpace system that allows you to organize this space as the soul of the owner. You can, for example, turn compactwhen into a small truck in a matter of seconds - folding the rear seat in parts or entirely. If I do the same simple operation with the front passenger chair, it is easy to get as many as 2005 liters for the luggage. Moreover, the length of the cargo can reach 2.4 meters.
 
Or another example. Family by definition of Meriva with the same ease is transformed into a modest, but cozy business salon on wheels. One has only to shift the rear seats back and install a special armrest between them with cup holders and with a small box for trifles useful in the road. Foot places - more than enough. To ensure additional comfort, the rear passengers have the opportunity to order the Twinaudio system. This small block is located in front of the rear sofa and has two connectors for connecting headphones: passengers can listen to the CD, while the driver is passionate, for example, information about traffic jams on the roads.
 
It is also convenient on the front seats, although planting is high - which is typical for this class of machines. A full set of adjustments - both chairs and a steering column - allows you to get a steering wheel without any problems. Moreover, the seats have enviable lateral support, and there are special protrusions on the bagel for the best grip. Which, by the way, indicates good driving qualities of the car. There are on the steering wheel and buttons with which the driver has the opportunity to control the audio system.
 
The ergonomics of the driver’s place was thought out well: all governing bodies are grouped quite logically. The central console with a compact drive player is slightly deployed towards the driver. In its upper part, a small liquid crystalline monitor perished, from which the readings of the on -board computer and navigation system are easily read. Moreover, the system works quickly and, despite the small symbols on the screen, you can’t confuse one with the other.
 
What else pleases in Meriva is the abundance of light. Its influx is provided not only by a huge windshield, very not small side and rear, but also two hatches at once. The first is the one that is closer to the front chairs, quite large, if you wish, you can stick out into it and, for example, take a photograph. Moreover, even at high noise speed, a little thanks to thoughtful aerodynamics. The second hatch cannot be completely opened, it can only be raised to provide an influx of fresh air. It is controlled by both rear passengers and the driver - for this there are special buttons in the ceiling.
 
Finally, Meriva, combining modest overall dimensions with open spaces inside, surprisingly organically fit into the surrounding landscape. After all, everything is arranged in the Mallorca in the same way - the island is small, but capable of impressing with diversity. There are, including high -speed highways and narrow mountain roads, where we decided to arrange a real check of the car.
 
We’re shit!
 
Meriva with a 1.6 -liter engine with a capacity of 100 liters. With. And with the proprietary transmission Easytronic became our first victim. Later, we were even glad that we began to get acquainted with the novelty not with the most powerful version. When there is a bright tropical greens around, when after the next rise is an amazing view of the sea with many sails of large and small yachts, and on the beaches you see carelessly sunbathing people, you want not to rush, but look around. And there are enough attractions here. Therefore, the first route of 150 kilometers, laid down in memory of the navigation system, we tried to go in a gentle mode.
 
Of course, this did not prevent the stiffness of the steering wheel with a good feedback. And appreciate the suspension, with the appetite of gluttoning the swallowing uneven roads. Acceleration is confident and, if not for Easytronic, Meriva could claim the title of a dynamic car. Automated five -speed checkpoint, I will say so - I have not been pleased. In automatic transmission mode, they switch rudely and with such delays that I want to immediately transfer the box into manual control mode. Which, however, no one bothers to do. But then you will have to adopt, and do everything synchronously - simultaneously with the discharge of gas, smash the next gear, and then press the accelerator again. About ten minutes later you begin to achieve the desired result. Fortunately, the 1.6 Ecotec engine is quite burdened, and even at high speeds it provides an acceptable pickup.
 
On the highway, you immediately note excellent soundproofing and verified aerodynamics Meriva. Only at a speed of above 120 km/h begin to quietly sing side mirrors. The next suspension and brake test was successfully passed on a mountain serpentine: the rolls of the body on the bends are small, and the brake pedal allows you to clearly dose the force and control the slowdown. In a word, Meriva is a completely combat car, although a version with a 1.6 -liter engine is more suitable for a calm driver.
 
The next day, I decided to try the most grooved Meriva with a 1.8 liter engine. and a mechanical 5 -speed checkpoint (the version with this engine and with Easytronic will appear later, according to preliminary data - by the fall). On the eve of the surroundings, it was not badly examined, now it's time to check the strength of the car.
 
The same mountain serpentine. A colleague holds the handle with a dead grip, but shows calm. Listen, something brakes disappeared, ”I said, which immediately brought into the shock of the sitting on the right. How disappeared!? Come on, don't joke! Here, of course, it is beautiful, but I want to return home - he said, and stuck to the chair like tape to paper. In truth, there were still brakes, but I felt that they were becoming less and less effective. In addition, burning began to smell clearly in the cabin. It seems that I stopped in time: blue smoke came from under the front rods. The pads could not withstand such an abuse. They are simply not designed to accelerate in the straight sections of the Meriva mountain road in each gear until the power unit is ringing, and then sharply slowed down in the yuz in front of the next turn, passing it with a screech of tires. This is still not a rally car.
Mechanical gearbox, an excellent motor with a pleasant sound, honed reactions to trunks, excellent connection to clutch pedals and good rubber simply provoked me to bring Meriva to the limit. As a result, the brakes surrendered. Well, it's time to rest. And you should not rush or try to water the hot disks with water, as a colleague suggested on another car suggested. You can’t water it - wheels and pads, if not burst, can be deformed.
 
Perevl from the driver’s place to the passenger, I intended to relax and fully evaluate the comfort of Meriva. But it was not there. Just a couple of minutes after the start, the colleague sitting at the wheel entered the rage, and began to more sharply attack turns, now and then forcing him to turn on the electronic stabilization system. By the way, I almost forgot. For a version with a 1.8 engine, this is standard equipment and, moreover, it cannot be turned off. Another thing is that the system does not interfere with aggressive driving and works excellent. So, in one of the turns, when the speed was clearly too high, the electronics did not rudely strangle the motor, but only slightly decreasing gas supply, as if correcting Meriva to a safe trajectory.
 
Going to the auto track, we immediately noted that here the car does not lose its best qualities. Even at a speed of 170 km/h, Meriva keeps the way well. This is by no means an innate property of all compact minivans, at least because of the body height. So it is respect.
 
At the right time, at the right price
 
Needless to say, Opel Meriva enters the market on time. The popularity of compact minivans is growing rapidly all over the world, and especially in Europe. According to experts, by 2005, the number of such machines on the roads of the Old World will reach at least 800 thousand units. The main consumers of Meriva are considered family people, from the so -called middle class. Moreover, according to the calculations, about which the president of Adam Opel AG, Karl-Piter Forster, spoke about, about half of all the buyers who pecked at this model will be chosen for the first time Opel. In principle, I personally do not see the reasons that would interfere with this. The car has everything necessary to reach a leading position in its class - good running qualities, modern design, magnificent ergonomics and enormous possibilities for transforming the salon. The matter is for the price.
 
It is not yet the end clear what the pricing policy in Europe will be, but it is quite obvious that Opel Meriva, like all brand models, cannot be an expensive machine. But with the Russian market, to which the novelty will be released in May - June, whether more and more definitely. According to preliminary data, the cost of the basic version in the interior of official dealers will be about 13900 euros (probably in terms of dollars). And this is undoubtedly an attractive price.
 
Competitors, of course, are also not asleep. The most evil for Meriva will be the VW Touran and Renault Scenic. But Opel has the same price and reliability of the latest generation. It is not for nothing that a two -year guarantee is provided for cars without limiting a run, which, according to dealers, applies to the suspension. And this, given the quality of our roads, is very important.
 
Andrey Osipov
 
 

Source: Newspaper "Automobile Izvestia" [No. 7 (31), 2003]