It’s mid-cycle update time for Opel and Vauxhall’s Meriva MPV. Glenn Brooks tries the new 1.6 CDTi ‘whisper’ diesel, and the 1.4 VVT Turbo petrol.
Two weeks from today I’ll be back at my desk after attending the press preview of the 2014 Geneva motor show, which will also mean it’s four years since I first saw the second generation Meriva. An Opel engineer told me at Geneva 2010 that S4470, the then-new model, featured its own platform, created out of existing modules. Elements from the Astra and Zafira were apparently employed.
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In a world of ever-increasing manufacturing synergies it’s worth noting that Figuerelas (Zaragoza), the plant which builds this model, will soon be making three vehicles, each of which has a different architecture. In addition to the Meriva, this facility manufactures the Corsa (Fiat-GM SCCS platform) and will add CKD assembly of the Mokka (GM Gamma 2) in a few months’ time. Then comes the S4500 Corsa from the fourth quarter of this year, to be followed in 2016 by the third generation Meriva and a related model for PSA. All three will use an evolution of Gamma 2.
More shortly on future vehicles for the GM España plant but let’s get back to the newly updated Meriva. The restyle is subtle but effective and as you may expect there are also a couple of new colours to freshen things up further, including emerald green pearlescent – it’s the same shade used for those distinctive launch versions of the Insignia which appeared in showrooms a few months back.
The idea behind the car’s update centred on three areas: powertrain, infotainment and design. The first of these sees revised, low friction transmissions, while all petrol engines are Euro 6-compliant. Another Euro 6 unit is the 136PS 1.6 CDTi 16v which debuted last year in the Zafira Tourer and Insignia. In the Meriva, it largely, but not entirely (see below) replaces the long-lived 1.7 CDTi.
The nitrogen oxide reduction required by Euro 6 has been achieved by using a Lean Nitrogen Oxide Trap (LNT). An LNT catalyst captures the NOx, and when the storage capacity is used up, the engine management system automatically begins regeneration. The LNT system is maintenance-free. In the Zafira Tourer, the same engine requires the urea solution AdBlue (and therefore a tank to be topped up) for emissions purposes, which Vauxhall notes is due to the vehicle’s additional weight compared to the Meriva.
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By GlobalDataThe ‘1.3’ CDTi is carried over to the new model for those who don’t need or want the power or 320Nm torque of the 1.6 CDTi. Buyers may choose from 75PS or 95PS versions of this Fiat-developed 1,248cc four-cylinder 16v engine.
You can’t have automatic transmission with the smaller diesels, and in fact the one diesel-auto combination is a 110PS version of the aged 1.7-litre (1,686cc). This is the sole Meriva to have the old engine and like the 1,248cc diesels, it’s only Euro 5 compliant. Proof of the big steps forward taken by the new 1.6 ‘whisper diesel’ can be seen in the 1.7 automatic’s performance data: the top speed is 11mph lower (111mph), the 0-62mph takes an additional three seconds (12.9), the Combined average is 17.9mpg less (46.3mpg) and CO2 is 160g/km. That high CO2 means you must pay GBP175 in road tax, whereas for the new 1.6 CDTi, there is no initial fee and only GBP30.00 annually thereafter.
Does the allegedly whispering engine live up to its name? Yes and no. From outside the car, you can instantly tell it’s a spark-ignition motor but from within? Not really. At idle, it’s quiet and even at speed limit-busting numbers on the motorway, it doesn’t sound or feel stretched. In traffic-free conditions, you can easily reach 100mph, which is still 22mph shy of the top speed. Zero to 62mph takes a claimed 9.9 seconds and the all-important CO2 average is 116g/km. I saw 39.8mpg, but the Combined average is 64.2mpg.
If you prefer a petrol engine, the 140PS 1.4 16v VVT Turbo is the one to go for. This has slightly more power than the new diesel, though only 200Nm of torque versus 320Nm. In SE spec, weight is 1,408kg compared to the 1,518kg of the 1.6 CDTi SE. There are two other petrol engine options: a naturally aspirated 100PS 1.4 Twinport (1,398cc) and a 120PS version of the (1,364cc) 1.4 Turbo, with automatic transmission also available for the last of these.
The new six-speed manual worked perfectly in both 1.6 CDTi and 1.4 VVT Turbo, while Vauxhall says it insisted on a bespoke UK steering programme as part of the new car’s development. The Meriva’s electro-hydraulic power steering system was tuned to suit our unique road surfaces, the company says, and certainly the high-speed play you might expect to find is missing – I found it to be as good as in the Insignia, which is a big compliment.
For a car that’s just four metres long but which carries a lot of heavy glass above the beltline, ride and handling were always going to be a challenge but one that the chassis engineers clearly rose to. At the front, the MacPherson struts have enlarged top mountings which have been designed to separate the paths of the spring and damper loadings, the idea being improved steering response and ride comfort.
In other suspension system changes, the front springs were redesigned to resist side loadings, which reduce friction in the movement of the damper. As for the lower control arms, these are fitted with hydraulic bushes which help to further reduce vibration in the steering. They are attached to a hydro-formed, hollow section sub-frame, which is then bolted to the body via rubber mountings with the intention to give the cabin lower levels of NVH.
At the rear, the space-saving torsion beam axle introduced with this model in 2010 is retained, but the thickness of the beam was increased by 0.6mm to meet the needs of a new geometry. Have all these changes been worth it? It’s certainly hard to fault the ride, and while it’s obviously no sports car, the Meriva is close to being as good as the class-leader and its arch-rival across European markets, the Ford B-MAX.
Something else: Vauxhall notes that private buyers are becoming ever more keen on larger wheels and tyres so it’s now normal to have a B-MPV riding on 18-inch wheels. Most of the press preview cars were fitted with these and yet I didn’t think the ride suffered. As Britain’s roads seem to be even more damaged than normal thanks to the ongoing floods, it’s clear that Opel-Vauxhall has some especially talented chassis turning wizards in its employ.
Apart from a major upgrade for the infotainment systems, there are no big changes inside the Meriva. Still, this remains one of the roomiest small MPVs on the market. With the rear seatbacks up, the cargo area offers a load capacity of 397 litres, which increases to 916 litres with the seatbacks folded. Using available space up to the roof, the maximum load capacity is 1,496 cubic litres. The fabric seat covering has Top Tec (nano technology) treatment, which means you don’t need to worry too much if you spill a drink or drop some chocolate on them. Vauxhall reckons permanent staining is minimised by dabbing with a damp cloth.
Prices for the newly updated Meriva start at GBP12,620 and rise to GBP22,355. The six trim levels are Expression, S, Exclusiv, Energy, Tech Line and, as tested here, SE. Vauxhall has timed the launch to coincide with the arrival of the ’14’ registration plate from 1 March: cars are just starting to be delivered to dealerships.
The typical buyers (young families and the over-60s) will find a lot to like in the revised Meriva, and the new model should be able to compete with whatever the competition throws at it during the next two-three years. Unusually, GM has already begun to talk about its replacement. That’s presuming this is the model in question for the “joint multi-purpose vehicle programme for the small car segment for Opel/Vauxhall and the Citroën brand”. That’s what PSA and General Motors said in a statement issued in October 2012. And the Citroën? Most likely the follow-up to the C3 Picasso.
There was more news on this just over a year ago, Opel-Vauxhall announcing that a PSA platform would be used for its next B-segment MPV. The 24 January 2013 announcement added that “GM will lead the development of B-segment multi-purpose vehicles for both Groups”. Then, in September 2013, PSA stated that B-MPVs from both companies would be built at GM España’s Zaragoza factory. An Opel team in Rüsselsheim is said to be leading the engineering execution, while PSA “will supply powertrains for all applications”. The first vehicles “will come to market in late 2016”.
Will Vauxhall have become the UK’s new number one passenger car brand by 2016, ready to build on that with a third generation Meriva? That’s what the brand continues to predict. If its ability to launch fresh and additional products quicker than Ford continues – e.g. still we wait for the EcoSport and Mondeo, while the Ka, Galaxy and S-MAX could do with replacing this year, not next – Vauxhall may yet have its wish granted.
