Test drive Opel Meriva 2003 - 2005 Minivan

A ray of light

Even within the framework of the prevailing concept of a compact minivan, you can always come up with something new. An example of this is Opel Meriva.
Finally! New models of recent years have been able to save Opel from the reputation of the most boring of German brands. Interestingly, this happened while maintaining the traditional values \u200b\u200bof the brand: cars with lightning on the radiator still remain very practical vehicles for every day. Well, with the exception of the image of small -scale Astra Coupe or Speedster. And Meriva is one of the most striking examples of the new generation Opel.
At first glance, there is nothing special in the new model: the fashion for minivans smoothly crawls into different classes, so Meriva, which has inscribed between Zafira and Agila, looks so logical continuing the model range that it does not even seem to be fundamentally new - it seems like always here is always here And stood. Well, minivan, what could be new here? So you can think until a close acquaintance with Meriva.
Less means more. Judging the appearance is a matter of personal taste. In my opinion, the designers who were constrained by a relatively small dimensions and a half -wagon layout coped well with the task. In any case, the car turned out to be more expressive than her older sister Zafira. The panel of devices and a console look better. The latter, however, is clearly borrowed from Vectra - that you can only welcome. The salon looks very modern, but without excessive passion for modern fashion. Perhaps you can find fault with a too low climate control display: it is normally visible only when the gaze breaks away from the road.
The most important feature of Meriva is the rear seat. Opel calls this FlexSpace system, and it can be considered in a sense the heiress of Flexseven, used on Zafira. However, with respect to Meriva, there can be no question of a seven -seater salon - with a length of 4024 mm and a semi -roll layout, this is unrealistic. But the promised flexibility of space is provided. The idea used by many airlines on near-hydraulic aircraft is based on, where a block of three chairs (the economic class) shifts and turns into two wider chairs (business class). In Meriva, part of the rear seat can be lowered, and the side is moved together and a little back. So there is a choice: to plant three in some crowds or two - with comfort. In the second case, the seat can be pushed 70 mm ago - it just fits between the wheel arches. As a result, the space for the legs increases due to the volume of the trunk, but here everyone chooses depending on the situation.
   
The backs of the rear seats can be adjusted along the corner of the inclination. Interestingly, the spaces for the rear passengers turned out even more than in the middle row at Zafira! Partly for this, you need to thank a rather long base - 2630 mm, or only 64 mm shorter than that of Zafira, the overall length of which is more than 275 mm.
Interestingly, at the same time, Ford proposed a similar system of moving seats, but on Focus C-Max, that is, for the model of the class above.
Fashionable and sports. For the presentation of the new model, Mallorca was chosen - the largest of the Balearian islands. But not so great. The head of Adam Opel AG Karl-Peter Forster even drawn an analogy: they say how this compact island offers many different ways of pastime and landscapes, so our relatively small Meriva provides an extensive choice of options for organizing the internal space.
However, this is not the only part of the Meriva concept: following the fashion for practical minivans, Opel does not forget about the relevance of the youth-sports style. Now the wording of Driver's Car is no longer considered a compliment, but almost a mandatory characteristic for the model of almost any class and type. Outwardly, this is reflected in a dynamic silhouette, but not only: in terms of characteristics, everything possible is made in the framework of the price category. This, in fact, the city and practical little car will not force an ambitious driver to get bored. It is no coincidence that almost all the routes of test drives at least partially seized mountain roads. Their narrowness made it possible to evaluate the compactness of Meriva, and the abundance of turns - controllability.
   
I nevertheless underestimated the first quality: the truck turned towards the truck forced to snuggle up to the slope of the mountain. The front right wheel did not suffer a meeting with sharp stones, and I also had to test a jack, key and a spare wheel. By the way, in Meriva it is a standard size, so after replacement you could go quite normal.
But the advantages of suspension and steering are difficult not to notice. A fairly rigid setting allows you to feel quite confident, despite the high location of the center of gravity. And you simply do not notice an electric amplifier that changes its characteristics depending on speed: the reactions on the steering wheel are just what you need to feel the car. True, at high speeds, the steering wheel seems excessively tight, although this is rather due to insufficient rotation of the machine. This is no longer quite a sports style, but from the point of view of security is so better.
Injection geometry. In total, five engines are provided for Meriva, while even the most modest, eight-valve 1.6-liter (87 hp), satisfies the promising EURO-4 standards. The optimal choice for many will be its 16-valve version: 100 hp. And even a slightly lower fuel consumption (7.5 l/100 km versus 7.8). Opel expects that this option will become a favorite and it will be chosen by a quarter of customers. I managed to drive on a more powerful version - 1.8 l/125 hp, whose characteristics put Meriva in a row with conventional passenger models - 11.3 seconds to hundreds of an acceptable result, although most future owners win in two seconds Compared to a 1.6-liter engine, it is not particularly needed.
Opel expects that 25 percent of European buyers will choose a 100-horsepower turbodiesel with the new Common Rail system and a variable geometry of the turbine. This motor gives the largest moment of the proposed, which turned out to be more than appropriate on mountain roads. But on the highway, it does not force to be so shy. The second diesel has the same volume, but without Common Rail and with an ordinary turbocharger develops only 75 hp.
As an option with a 1.6-liter 16-valve engine, EasyTronic is proposed: an electronic clutch control system and KP. The programs can be switched by yourself, or you can entrust this matter to electronics. True, the latter is more focused on economy than on dynamics. Yes, and the clutch drive and assessment of the correctness of the driver’s choice take time. In the fall, this system will be available with a 1.8-liter engine, as well as with a more powerful diesel engine.
Text Valery Chusov, photo Adam Opel AG
 

Source: "Autopilot"