Prueba: Vauxhall Meriva 1.4T SE
ITL
26-jun-2010 13:51
#1
 Mature appearance, refined and practical interior, respectable performance. Price matches premium aspirations, fidgety ride, lack of low-end torque. BACKGROUND Flexdoors: it’s all about them. Vauxhall’s new Meriva owes a fair portion of the generous column inches afforded it to what are now perceived as its innovative rearward-opening rear doors. Vauxhall is not unhappy that it and Rolls-Royce are the only manufacturers to currently offer doors that hinge backwards independently of the fronts. The set-up has added a certain intrigue to a car that, for all its virtues, has in the past been perceived as steady but unremarkable.  Remarkable, though, were its sales: the Meriva offered novel rear seating and generous cabin space compared with its rivals, which then numbered rather fewer than now. It sold a million units, when converted vans like the Citroën Berlingo Multispace were the primary opposition. Today, the Meriva has far broader competition, including more advanced and refined cars such as Citroën’s C3 Picasso, as well as extended superminis like the Nissan Note and Renault Modus. It’s even positioned to pitch against larger cars like the Ford C-Max and Citroën C4, or conventional family hatches like Vauxhall’s own Astra.  DESGIN The Meriva’s name is the same as before and it retains some visual similarities to its predecessor, but this new model is larger and heavier. At 4.3m long, it’s close to 30cm longer than its predecessor, and with that inevitably comes an increase in weight. Its 1465kg, as tested, puts it more in line with small family cars than superminis, even large, practical ones. However, that increase is not unexpected, given not only the size increase but also Vauxhall’s apparent intention of taking all of its cars more upmarket when they’re replaced; the Insignia and Astra are both larger and plusher than the cars they superseded.In this vein, the Meriva gets styling that shares themes – such as the V-shaped grille, some of the side sculpting and the ‘winged’ lights – with its recently introduced siblings. Certainly, it gives off an air of sophistication and maturity that wasn’t present on the old Meriva, even were it not for the rear doors. When they’re closed, the position of the door handle is the only giveaway that things are not entirely conventional here. As with the previous Meriva, the current model doesn’t use the platform of another car in the Vauxhall range; it doesn’t sit on an Astra or Corsa floor, for example. Rather, it’s a unique monocoque that, in common with most cars, uses some modular components and sub-assemblies beneath in the interest of economics.  Suspension at the front is by MacPherson struts, with a torsion beam at the rear, and at both ends the systems have been borrowed, with modifications, from the Zafira. Unusually, Vauxhall has changed from an all-electric steering system to a beefier electro-hydraulic set-up. UK cars even get specific tuning. The engine range reflects the current trend for downsizing. At launch, there are three 1.4 petrol engines (99bhp, 119bhp and 138bhp), two of which are turbocharged, and two diesels of 1.3 litres (74bhp) and 1.7 litres (99bhp).  ON THE ROAD The new Meriva is larger and heavier than the model it replaces, so we are giving it every possible advantage here by testing the most powerful variant. And for the majority of applications, the 138bhp and 148lb ft provided by the turbocharged 1.4-litre engine prove more than sufficient. At MIRA, we recorded 0-60mph in 9.4sec, which is fractionally faster than an Astra equipped with the same engine. Don’t be misled by the ‘Turbo’ badge, though. This forced induction engine is more linear than it is punchy, and it delivers a smooth, measured response. Although this helps to create the sort of mature driving experience normally associated with a bigger car, it does mean that there is little of the zest and fizz you might expect. In truth, the engine is at its best working in the mid-range, where it is quiet and responsive. The only downside to the engine’s competence here is that it can mislead you into thinking it has a bigger capacity, only to remind you that it displaces just 1364cc when the revs drop below 1800rpm, where it can feel reluctant, or towards the redline, where it becomes slightly coarse under full load. With all-round discs, the Meriva performed well in our braking tests, stopping in less than 50 metres on wet and dry surfaces. However, in light use the brake pedal could do with better modulation to make the Meriva easier to drive smoothly at slow speeds.  In the business of going around corners, as with its performance, the new Meriva feels impressively grown-up but not tremendously exciting. It’s a trade-off that seems entirely sensible, given its intended use and audience. Although there is a reasonable amount of body roll, once settled into a corner the Meriva finds good grip in dry conditions; it recorded 0.93g during our measured test. And so it should, given that this is a small MPV wearing the same tyres you’ll find on a rear-drive V6 Mercedes C-class. While it is possible to brush up against the limits of lateral grip through one corner, the Meriva is not a car to be driven with prolonged vigour – not because of any fundamental lack of ability, but because the body lean can feel somewhat ungainly. Better to drive in a more measured style, safe in the knowledge that the Meriva has grip in reserve and no nasty habits.  We have no issue with the steering system as a means of positioning the car on the road; it’s good, if unexceptional. There’s enough weight to work against without becoming overbearing, but little sense of connection with the front wheels. What we do have more concern over is the turning circle; 11.5 metres is disappointingly large for such a small car. It’s not so large that it is likely to actually hinder very often, but the sense of applying full lock and still not being quite sure if it’s possible to complete a manoeuvre in one hit makes the Meriva feel like a larger car. No doubt the wide tyres are to blame. Wheels and tyres are also the likely culprits for the brittle ride at slow speeds. Generally, the Meriva is a comfortable car with a suspension set-up designed more for gentle bump absorption than for body control. However, at urban speeds it fidgets more than it should.  LIVING This is where the Meriva will stand or fall and where its forerunner succeeded so strongly, offering remarkable space and comfort in such a small length. The new Meriva offers more of the same, but with extra overall cabin volume courtesy of its increased length and wheelbase. And, of course, those novel rear doors. Are they a success? A qualified one, yes. When it’s possible to open the doors wide, they undoubtedly offer easier access to the rear seats, and in all circumstances they allow better access for those installing child seats, because if you’re leaning in through the door, you’re naturally facing towards the seat. In tighter spaces, however, that’s no advantage; a conventional door aligns your back with the seat you’re sliding into. And what if a driver and rear passenger want to exit on the same side in a tight space? They can’t at the same time, because they end up trapped between the doors, without sufficient space to close either.  In the cabin itself, there’s a semi-raised, comfortable driving position that’s higher than a conventional hatch’s but well short of being van-like or commanding. Spread before the driver is a dashboard that carries forward themes from the Insignia and Astra. Some of the detail switchgear is the same, in fact, although here it’s better in feel even than in early Insignias, as Vauxhall seems to have mastered constructing the buttons with good tolerances and a classy feel. Certainly, the interior ambience is much more mature than before and soft-feel plastics are used widely, going some way to justifying the near-£20,000 price of our SE test car. The highlights, though, are the rear seats, which can seat three on a bench but work far better as separate chairs for two. The centre part of the rear bench folds and falls slightly, allowing the outer two chairs to be moved backwards and, simultaneously on a rail, inwards to give rear passengers more leg and elbow room.  Some of the storage options are also impressive. For instance, there’s a centre console cubby that can be slid back and forth on a central pair of rails, which, combined with an electronic parking brake and high, forward-mounted gearlever, gives the front cabin an airy feel (although we’d still prefer a conventional handbrake). With the rear seats in place (and in their forward position), boot space is a respectable 400 litres, and it rises to 1500 litres with the seats completely folded. As with the Corsa, a novel but expensive bumper-mounted bicycle carrier can be specified. Those who come straight from the previous Meriva to this one will notice one thing that doesn’t quite tally between the two: the step up in price to the near-£19,000 asked for the 1.4T 140 SE as tested here. However, this price is in keeping with its rivals’. It depreciates at a not dissimilar rate, too; better, in fact, than some because it is predicted to avoid the steep first-year drop of a Citroën. Our recorded economy figures, as ever, failed to match the manufacturer’s claims, but by no more than usual; drive carefully and you’re likely to better the 31.2mpg we averaged over our whole test. On our touring route, we returned a respectable 37.0mpg.  VEREDICT Although Flexdoors are one of the reasons for the second-generation Meriva’s being, in the end they’re one of the less remarkable things about the new Vauxhall. They’re just doors; they open in a way that has some inherent advantages but also (admittedly fewer) inherent disadvantages. They’re less practical than sliding doors, for instance. Certainly, they’re not enough to turn an average car into a good one or a good one into a great one. So the Meriva remains a ‘good’ all-round car, one that manages to be as practical as intended with a welcome extra dose of maturity and refinement (most of the time) over its predecessor. But whereas the old Meriva offered conspicuous space and value for its supermini size, at nearly £20,000 the new car finds itself against rather more serious and capable opposition.  DATA  Fuente: http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/...140-SE/250055/ |
Todo cobra sentido.
26-jun-2010 13:55
#2
| Una pregunta un tanto estupida pero la tengo, no hay ninguna posibilidad de que un vauxhall tenga el volante en la izquierda no? es que vi el otro dia un vectra con las insignias del porton, capo y ruedas con ellas puestas y matriculado en españa y con volante a la izquierda, lo mas logico es que el lumbreras del dueño le cambiara todas las insignias. |
ForoCoches: Miembro
26-jun-2010 14:04
#3
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Puro Marketing inside. ¿Lo de las puertas no lo tiene también el RX8, o son dependientes de las delanteras en dicho modelo? Una pregunta un tanto estupida pero la tengo, no hay ninguna posibilidad de que un vauxhall tenga el volante en la izquierda no? es que vi el otro dia un vectra con las insignias del porton, capo y ruedas con ellas puestas y matriculado en españa y con volante a la izquierda, lo mas logico es que el lumbreras del dueño le cambiara todas las insignias.
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Todo cobra sentido.
26-jun-2010 14:05
#4
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Los dos ibamos circulando, asi que no pude comprobar como tenia el volante. |
inserte su publicidad
26-jun-2010 14:08
#5
| en zgz, los corsa se montan tanto como vauxhall como opel, y muchos que curran en la opel les ponen lass insignias |
ForoCoches: Miembro
26-jun-2010 14:10
#6
| me encanta el meriva....mi proximo coche sera sin duda alguna algo de este segmento,un c3 picasso,un meriva.....me gusta,son "diferentes" |
ForoCoches: Miembro
26-jun-2010 14:20
#7
| max power at 4900 rpm? si que da la potencia a bajas rpm, este motor sera el mismo que montara el astra? habra otra version de 120cv no? |
ForoCoches: Miembro
26-jun-2010 14:31
#10
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Las del RX8 (y la del Mini Clubman) dependen de las delanteras; si no están abiertas las delanteras no se pueden abrir las traseras.
Fíjate en un RX8, que las puertas traseras no tienen manecilla por fuera para abrirla. Lo que tiene es un tirador por dentro, al que se puede acceder abriendo la delantera. 
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