The Vauxhall Meriva has been around for many years and at the top of the small MPV class for seven of them. Renowned for its very clever bit of internal packaging, made famous by the TV advertisement done by Griff Rhys Jones a few years ago, externally it has not really stood the test of time and was due for a revamp to maintain its hold on an increasingly competitive and crowded market.

Well Hey Ho! Vauxhall have done just that and I was lucky enough to test the new 2010 version thanks to the James Haugh Vauxhall garage of St Mary Street, Dumfries. They also fixed it so I had the top SE model which has changed, not exactly from an ugly duckling, but into a more gracious swan.

The profile has changed from the van-like, boxy look to a much more rounded one with deep, side sculpting and a swage line diving from back to front plus a very unusual side window treatment with a nick in the top line which also kicks up at the C pillar while the rear is one of the most attractive I have seen.

The bonnet also has a bit of a wow factor with its double eye headlight and spot light treatment with a very exaggerated slant to both which sets the whole collage a world apart from its rather staid predecessor.

The really new bit, however, is the rear side door treatment as they are what are unnervingly called suicide doors in that they open backwards instead of forward, though the concept is nothing new as most pre-1940 cars had front ones that opened this way and a damned sight more convenient they were as one slid in. What is more, modern experts have proved there is a real benefit which had been lost since then: ergonomists and health gurus claim gaining access to vehicles this way is better on the back and helps posture. And the new Vauxhall Meriva design is completed by attractive alloys ranging from15-inch to 18-inch which means the total package will look good on any drive or in any setting.

Stepping inside is a literal action thanks to those wide opening doors and the interior on this SE model is extremely airy thanks to the deep windscreen and the panoramic glass roof.

The overall colour scheme of blue contrasted by black enjoys a large, wrap round slab of the blue to cap off the dash and doors and is echoed in the seat inserts which adds to the very light ambience of the cabin.

Moreover, the ergonomic experts have been at work on the seats themselves which initially feel hard but very supportive and I found they aid good posture which meant after a day’s testing I felt as fresh as I had at the beginning. What is more, the actual embossed material is both comfortable and durable.

Again, the seminal influence of clever use of internal space pioneered by Vauxhall MPVs is evident in the Meriva because its FlexSpace system gives a bewildering combination of seat positions to maximize the basic accommodation for five passengers, though sadly none of them provides a water bed for that naughty weekend away with the other half!

Completing the clever use of space there are more cubbyholes and storage places than a Chinese puzzle compartment box and I am sure I did not discover all of them.

So, okay, it’s a comfortable, practical and clever bit of kit but what’s it like to drive? Well, don’t expect a thrilling speed experience because the Meriva was never aimed at the boy racers and tarmac burners but rather at the family market and big on economy.

There are three choices of petrol engines, all of 1.4-litre capacity, and two diesels of 1.3 and 1.7 litres with power ranging from 75 to 140bhp. The test Meriva was the 1.4-litre, 16-valve VVT turbo producing 140bhp between 4900 and 6000rpm and modest 200Nm of torque broadly spread between 1850 and 4900rpm. This makes the Meriva very tractable in an undramatic way, though the engine does spin well up to the red line if you want to be a pretend hooligan.

Sitting in a high and imposing position and with that deep screen in front, I felt very much in control but with the Meriva’s jacked-up stance I assumed it would lean a lot in corners but with the clever stability control it handled safely just like an Astra saloon.

Despite its family and economy focus, performance is relatively good with the top 140bhp engine delivering a 0 – 62mph dash in 10.3 seconds and a top speed of 122mph, with even the lowly 100bhp version giving a 13.6 second dash and a 110mph top speed.

But what families and most drivers want in these dire financial times is the frugal use of the golden liquid which the Meriva delivers with impressive combined consumption figures of 46.3mpg to 57.4mpg and emissions from 144 to 129g/km.

Not having children of my own I am not in the MPV market. However, through the Meriva’s clever use of space and frugality makes it a useable, economical and practical vehicle which can be a van, a small minibus, a mini travelling office or micro travelling bed. It also handles well, is good to look at and is kind to both the pocket and the environment.

With prices starting at £12,995 with the super blinged test model lightening your wallet to the tune of £18,920 for the petrol and £21,255 for the auto oil burner, the all-new Vauxhall Meriva is likely to maintain its hold on the small MPV market.

By Tony Brunskill
Car on test from James Haugh, Dumfries