Vauxhall

Zafira/Zafira Tourer

Proudly holding the title of Britain’s best selling MPV, the Vauxhall Zafira is leading the pack in style. Boasting great versatility within this seven-seater, it has class-leading specification levels and a whole host of safety equipment too.

Test Drive

Vauxhall Zafira Tourer SE 1.6 CDTi 134PS ecoFLEX Blueinjection

Competition is fierce within the family car segment but the Vauxhall Zafira Tourer is a very worthy contender and boasts a fresh new look plus plenty of on-board technology to get your teeth into.

The seven-seater has recently received a mid-life facelift and boasts new adaptive LED headlights, extra chrome trim and a new-look interior which is clutter-free with less buttons and controls. In addition, the revised dashboard gives the car a more upmarket appearance than its predecessor.

The Zafira Tourer is a smart looking vehicle with its practical upright design and the look is completed with 17-inch alloys, silver roof rails, dark tinted rear windows, front fog lights and LED daytime running lights.

Step inside the spacious cabin and there is a wealth of techno treats at your disposal, including a seven-inch touchscreen, sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to connect to mobile phones plus Vauxhall’s impressive OnStar service which links to a control centre based in Luton where you will speak to a ‘real’ person. This service is useful for receiving directions or details about local restaurants, fuel stations and services etc., but it also has a vital role to play should the vehicle be involved in an accident. If the operator at Luton cannot get a response from you, then the emergency services will be contacted and directed to your location.

Other creature comforts include a six speaker sound system, climate control, cruise control with speed limiter, automatic lights and wipers, Bluetooth connectivity plus plenty more besides.

The test car was powered by a 1.6-litre 140PS diesel engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox and was priced at £26,675, although a number of optional extras bumped up the asking price to £28,415. It could reach 62mph from a standing start in 10.4 seconds, topped out at 120mph and according to official figures delivered combined fuel economy of 62.8mpg with carbon emissions of 119g/km.

The Zafira Tourer is pitched against the likes of the Ford S-Max and Citroen Grand C4 Picasso so it needs to offer all the flexibility and practicality demanded of a family car – and it does. The seating configurations are easily adjusted to suit needs with a pair of extra seats that fold flat to the boot floor. The boot itself is generously sized and elsewhere there are deep door pockets, a glovebox, cup holders, a central bin and a storage facility underneath the front passenger’s seat.

When it comes to driving dynamics and performance the Zafira Tourer is very capable too. It offers excellent levels of comfort for all occupants with good all-round visibility thanks to the high seated driving position.

The acceleration through the six-speed manual gearbox is smooth with plenty of power on tap to overtake or climb steep hills, and although the car is not the fastest kid on the block, it can perform very well in busy city centres and out on the faster motorways and country roads.

There is a little engine and road surface noise when pushed particularly hard but generally the car remains nicely hushed from the outside world. You can also expect to notice a little body roll if bends are attacked too enthusiastically, but once again, it’s not a major concern in this type of vehicle.

All in all, when you also take into consideration the comprehensive list of safety features, the Zafira Tourer is a well-equipped, stylish, practical and economical all-rounder that is ideal for any active family.

Test Drive

Zafira Tourer Elite 2.0 CDTi 165PS Start/Stop

Vauxhall has a long and well-established reputation for developing outstanding multi-purpose vehicles and the all-new Zafira Tourer is another fine example of that all-round expertise.

Building on the success of the popular Zafira model, the Tourer is bigger, bolder and I would have to say, better than the smaller model.

Boasting a whole array of flexible seating arrangements along with incredible on-board technology, the Zafira Tourer also handles exceptionally well.

First impression are vital to attract buyer’s attention and the model looks great from all angles with its silver roof rails, LED tail lamps, tinted windows, rear spoiler, body-coloured door mirrors, chrome window surrounds,18-inch alloys, massive panoramic sunroof and smooth body lines.

And the top-of-the-range features are just as apparent inside the Zafira Tourer with the finest materials incorporated in the classy design which oozes stylistic elegance.

The leather seats can be heated and boast extendable cushions as well as four-way electrically-adjustable lumbar support.

There is an adjustable panoramic windscreen that really is quite amazing and means occupants can control just how much or how little light floods into the cabin.

Further creature comforts include air conditioning, cruise control, snazzy sports pedals, a DAB sound system which is compatible with all modern day devices, Bluetooth connectivity and plenty more besides.

The test model was fitted with a few optional extras such as sat nav, a rear view camera, blind spot alert and a couple of other features which bumped up the asking price to just over £29k.

One factor that helps Vauxhall stand out in the MPV market is the company’s very comprehensive flexible seating configurations and the Zafira Tourer offers a whole range of options with seats that can quickly and easily be adjusted without any difficulty. The third row of seats can be folded flat to the floor to increase boot capacity, but the real technical wizardry is found in the second row of seats where Vauxhall engineers have been very busy redesigning the whole set-up.

Gone is the three-seat bench design found in previous models and in its place three individual seats that can independently slide, fold flat or even be reclined.

Then there is the fantastic Lounge Seating System whereby the second row of seats are transformed into two exceptionally comfortable and spacious seats with additional shoulder and leg space.

The middle seat becomes a double armrest and the outer seats slide inwards so passengers are further from the doors.

It may sound complicated, but the whole operation can be completed in less than a minute and the end result is comfort usually associated with more luxurious saloon models.

The Zafira Tourer also boasts more than 30 storage options throughout the cabin – the only difficulty will be remembering where you put your valuables.

So the Zafira Tourer certainly looks great, is packed with technology and offers class-leading flexibility, but how about performance?

Once again, it is a winner. Despite its large design, the vehicle proved very agile and easy to manoeuvre – the great all-round visibility is another bonus when parking in tight spaces.

The 2.0-litre diesel driven engine provided plenty of power both in and around town and out on the faster roads, and acceleration through the six-speed manual transmission was also nice and smooth. A quiet cabin with very little engine or road surface noise was another plus factor.

The vehicle has been fitted with a whole host of top notch safety specifications, such as anti-lock brakes, six airbags, electronic stability programme and lots, lots more.

All in all, the Zafira Tourer is a very welcome addition to the MPV segment and with a choice of engine and transmissions to select from along with Vauxhall’s lifetime/100,000 mile warranty, there is a model for anyone.

For more details visit www.localvauxhall.co.uk

Test Drive

Vauxhall Zafira Exclusiv Eco Flex 1.7 CDTI

Vauxhall seems to have found the perfect mix when it comes to combining versatility and performance.

Many multi-purpose vehicles boast excellent versatility with seats that can be arranged every which way, but the performance and handling is generally seriously compromised.

That’s not so with the Zafira, which handled exceptionally well and boasted plenty of acceleration and great road-holding credentials. In fact, the ride was so good that at times it was easy to forget you were behind the wheel of quite a hefty MPV.

The interior is very light and spacious and there is ample room to carry seven people along with plenty of luggage thanks to the generously-sized boot area. There are also plenty of useful storage compartments scattered throughout the cabin.

Now, it might sound like I’m describing a bit of a bus, but the Zafira is actually quite striking on the looks front.

It has neat streamlining with roof rails, colour-coordinated bumpers and door handles plus very large windows which offer up plenty of light for all the occupants.

My only complaint was the size of the front window pillar which was very large and meant that at times I was craning my neck to see round it.

Apart from that though, the all-round visibility was excellent and that, along with the great manoeuvrability, made congested city centre driving a breeze.

Out on the open road, the Zafira’s 1.7-litre engine delivered plenty of power and the six-speed manual transmission was very smooth.

Comfort levels inside the Zafira were exceptional and even at higher speeds, noise levels within the cabin were good, unlike some rivals which sound like you are hammering along in a tin can.

All occupants are treated to a whole host of quality creature comforts ranging from a very efficient air con system, sat nav, steering wheel mounted audio controls and, of course, a very comprehensive safety package including anti-lock brakes, parking distance sensors, numerous airbags and a great security system to keep away any uninvited attention.

For more details visit www.localvauxhall.co.uk