2010/60 1.4 16V S (AC) 5d
Exterior
The Meriva is a much larger car then the previous generation model & now rivals the Focus C-Max & Scenic.The car is styled with direct cues from the larger Insignia & Astra including the "blade" that features on front doors, large back-swept headlamps and large grille. What makes the styling of the Meriva more interesting that some rivals is the stepped waistline (with kids in mind) and the shape of the rear window that meets the numberplate surround.Overall the exterior styling is clean and modern without being ground breaking, admittedly the model I tested would have looked better with larger wheels, preferably alloys.
Interior
Like the exterior the interior is very well proportioned and the "FlexDoors" are an interesting feature although it remains to be seen whether they are a more practical solution in tight parking spaces than sliding doors.The cabin is very well designed and is will screwed together with excellent perceived quality with the use of rich, rubberised textures on the top half of the dash and harder wearing, more scratchy plastics lower down.The S is very well kitted out with climate control, an electronic parking brake, CD player, cruise control & electric front and rear windows The driving position is multi-adjustable (both seat & steering column) making its easy to find a comfortable driving position. All the major controls fall nicely to hand and have a solid weighting even if the centre console is littered with equal sized buttons which are hard to read.
Drive
The relatively small 1.4 98bhp petrol engine was perfectly suited to town driving but needed to be revved on inclines and when overtaking but not excessively and always remained relatively hushed. The ride quality is very good, firm yet well damped & quiet, the handling is stable if lacking in entertaining on twisty country roads and there is little kickback through the steering .The gear-change is a touch notchy but the steering is nicely weighted at all times & the pedals are well spaced
Summary
The Meriva has come a long since the 1st generation model and is an attractive, well rounded proposition for small families.
Very detailed and useful description of what you get. Very readable piece. Good photos giving a realistic sense of the size & proportions. Will be back for more.
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