Test Drive Opel Meriva since 2010 Minivan

For beautiful eyes

The creators of this car are firmly intended to grab the fourth part of the European CDN market. In Russia, however, to do this focus will be much more difficult.

We are looking for talents
So, honey, how can you surprise? What role do you fulfill? Any, say? What, one erase, alone cook, one clean and, it seems, even apply for the title of folk artist. Well, let's see. I do not know, you noticed or not, but acquaintance with the new car often resembles a popular teleconcurs. Some old alco, we are looking for talents! or the current factory of stars.
 
So now in front of me as an ambitious Provincial Girls of the Opeless Compact-Ven on the basis of Supermini. He recently arrived in the capital and full of confidence and grand plans. Even at first glance, it can be seen that his talents have a barrel with honey. As if it could easily conquer, charm, deserve confidence. And everything would be fine, if not one very important circumstance. But let's try not to violate the laws of the genre.
  
And I'm so, all the clockwork
Meriva waited for me on a close underground parking. Evpeiled passages, steep turns, screw-like lifts, and the cars are stripped to each other, like pies on the contrary. It seems that it is easier to pour a thick thread in an obviously thinner ear of a needle, rather than squeeze out in that narrow slit between the wall and a huge black Cadillac. But the eyes, as they say, are afraid, and the hands do. I'm talking, spoiling, the mine obstacle for the obstacle and only running out to the street, realize how easy I was to get out of God's light. Well, not bad. With the first task coped.
 
As if encouraging what I like, Meriva continues to fade the rigorous members of the jury now on urban streets. So, turning the steering wheel cool, I traveled a broken Gazelle. Little Opel is ready to turn around literally on the nose scarf. A little spinled the motor and is already leaving from the traffic light. Rebuilding, slowing down, I accelerate again. Excellent visibility, modest dimensions, comfortable driver travel around the bruised city is a pleasure.
 
Now let's try to drive quieter. Eh, now the pendant is slightly softer (here is the same in front of the same as on Corson, Mac-Ferson, and behind the elastic transverse beam levers, like in Zafir), and it would be nice to surrounding behavior. And then, looking at a good-natured face of Meriva, there is no one in front of it. He and the uncommon that on the very first direct 125 forces hidden under a small binder will allow me to be divided instantly with him.
 
N-yes, this motor is not just another plus merry, but a real talent. That day there were moments when, thanks to this loving turnover, the engine (he, as is known, is successfully engaged in the larger Safe and Victra) I even started to regret that there is still no autobahn in the Moscow region. So good Meriva, it turns out, adapted for flights in the left row of the country highway. When you need, it is possible to press gas at 110120 km / h and continue the cheerful acceleration. I now have the opportunity to accelerate to the maximum speed, for sure it would not be much different from the stated 192 km / h.
 
However, in some places fashionista. The role of a frank athlete is still not for her. Approximately 140 in the cabin is well heard of the wind-lining wind racks. And the term stability in the lateral gusts of the wind is far from the best.
 
However, in general, with appearance and gait at Meriva, everything is in order. Let's see how it is managed by the household.
 
  Game in centimeters
If you do not know in advance that this compactment is built on the cord platform, it will be difficult to guess. In comparison with the donor, the wheelbase in Meriva is more at 14 cm and only 6.5 cm is shorter than that of Zafir. Yes, the overall impression of a small compact machine remains. But try to look inside, and you probably amazed its capacity. Wonders? No, the features of the Opeless layout of Flex-Space or in Russian flexible space. If desired, the salon can be turned into a cargo compartment with a capacity of ... Two more cubic meters! With such data and really the title of the folk vehicle can be deserved. However, the theory is easy to test the practice, looking at an hour in a supermarket.
 
The contents of three large carts with all sorts of office office moved to the trunk. And there, it seems, it would be placed still almost the same. True, before all this was downloaded, I had to deal with all the possibilities of layouts. Not the most, I am reported to you, a simple task. Judge for yourself. Easily pulling the lever on the back of the central section of the sofa, it can be folded in a blink of an eye. Then make the same operation with the right side armchair. But immediately at the same time it does not work. To do this, prescribe a back on top and pull over another handle. Now we have three full-fledged places and a very roomy, comfortable trunk.
 
But no matter how there is a volume of such a sacrifice, the role of the first violin in the orchestra of merizers is still not a capacity. The main highlight Meriva is magnificent chairs. Today, few people will surprise the sliding rear seats (with a five-seameton layout, Opolevsky can move 130 mm back / rear). But these can be shifted also to the sideways, to the central axis of the car. Move the chair to each other. Then, for another 70 mm, we move back, they exactly will be between the wheeled arches. And for convenience, the back can be tilted to a larger angle. And we get a spacious and comfortable 4-seater car.
 
It is convenient to sit down, it is convenient to ride, conveniently exploited. Wonderful car. It seems that the opera leadership is confident in her star future. The Germans believe that by 2005 the European market will absorb about 800 thousand compactners. And in the Spanish plant of the company not far from Zaragoza by that time, 200 thousand small ocels will be released annually. Like Zafira, they will surely be in favor in Europe.
 
   
Rear sofa can be single, two- or triple

With a 20 cm rear armchairs, the gallery passengers will be rampant than in other business-class cars

Under the right seat there is a roomy tray, and on the front console, a mesh for a card or newspapers
 
 
If you fold all the chairs with the exception of the driver, then the volume of luggage will be 2005 l

Twin-audio system allows rear passengers to enjoy the favorite CD when the radio is listening in front
 
 
Power window buttons on the driver's door are small in size

Under the trunk floor there are spacious tanks. For the spare track there was a place in the floor below
  

In pursuit of high fee
There is no doubt, the title of People's Artist of Europe in Meriva practically in pocket. Here and symbiosis is so favorite compact sizes, capacity, safety, good equipment, efficiency, temperament. Dad! I demanded my son, riding on Meriv, who cheaned his fairy tale about Karlsson in the back seat. Buy such a car! And I looked into the price list ...
 
The price turned out to be so nonsense that I didn't even immediately replied my son to say, while you have to wait. Now grow up ... What is the popularity here in wide masses, when, for example, a 125-strong car costs at least $ 19 thousand.
  
And for those who visited us on the test, the car also want $ 20 980. Similar fees can only ask for large pop diva, but there are no small ascending asterisks. It turns out that we, in fact, for beautiful eyes are offered to give the amount for the merice, which Zafira is.
 
I do not know how you, and I am against. If only because a small car is simply obliged to cost cheaper. In Europe, by the way, it is. The difference between these machines in a similar equipment there is 33.5 thousand euros. Who would explain to me why Opel, in the last two years, distinguished by a very reasonable and flexible pricing policy in Russia, suddenly chased at a high fee? Sorry, I really liked the contestant ...
    
For everyday life and cosmic pleasure
Meriva comes with 1.6 l (87 liters. And 101 hp) or 1.8 l 125 liters. p., with automatic or mechanical gearbox, in one of three complete sets. The basic equipment of Essenshi ($ 16,000) is rather modest: ABS, central locking and immobilizer, front airbags, athermal glazing and cassette radio. Having paid $ 1500, you get a Meriva En joy with air conditioning, electric front windows and heated mirrors, a folding back of the front passenger seat and a multifunctional rear sofa armrest. And finally, the top equipment of Cosmo implies fog lights and disks made of light alloy.
 
In addition, those who want can order traditionally inexpensive Opolev Options: Metallic painting ($ 250), heated front seats ($ 200), alarm system ($ 275), Twin-audio ($ 250), climate control ($ 450). And of course, you should not do without xenon headlights ($ 800). Star everywhere should be noticeable.
 
Opel Meriva 1.8.
Total information
 
Length x Width x Height, mm
4042x1694x1624
 
The volume of the trunk, l
350/1410 / 2005 *
 
Radius of reversal, m
5,15
 
Speed, km / h
192.
 
Acceleration time 0-100 km / h, with
11.3.
 
Fuel consumption, l / 100 km highway / city
6.6 / 10.9
 
 
Engine
 
Working volume, SMZ
1796.
 
Power, hp at rpm
125/5600.
 
Torque, kgmm at rpm
17.3 / 3800.
 
Price
$ 20 980;
basic 1.6 L (87 l. p.) $ 16,000;
1.6 l (101 l. P.) $ 18,000;
1.8 L (125 l. P.) $ 19,000
 
 

* With a folded front seat.
 
 
Alexey Sergeev, Maxim Goncharov
 
 

A source: Limousine magazine [12/03]