Review
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer MPV
Price: £21,010 - £28,470
/5
- Pros:
- Stylish looks
- Flexible and spacious interior
- Efficient diesel engines
- Cons:
- Lower powered diesels feel rough
- S-MAX is more fun to drive
- Rear seats only for children
pictured:
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer MPV 2011 front quarter
reviewed by Carbuyer
"The interior is highly practical, and with prices undercutting Ford's S-MAX, the Zafira Tourer is an attractive option"
At a glance
- The greenest
- ES 2.0CDTi 16v (130PS) ecoFLEX S/S 5dr
£22,950 - The cheapest
- ES 1.8i 16v VVT (140PS) 5dr
£21,010 - The fastest
- ES 2.0CDTi 16v (110PS) 5dr
£22,270 - Top of the range
- Elite 2.0CDTi 16v (165PS) auto 5dr
£28,470
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Think of the Vauxhall Zafira Tourer as a more upmarket and stylish replacement for the Zafira, and a more direct competitor to the Ford S-MAX. The Zafira Tourer will be sold side-by-side with the Zafira, but with prices for the Tourer starting from around £21,000, it's about £6,000 more. The engine line-up and suspension have both been updated for a better driving experience with improved performance and lower running costs. Our pick would be one of the 2.0-litre diesel engines – the 163bhp unit in particular – as we expect the petrols will be expensive to run.
Drive
Handles well but isn’t too exciting. Diesel engines are best
It's always difficult to make a great handling MPV and very few can pull off the trick. The Zafira Tourer gets close, as it always feels incredibly stable and predictable. There's a lot of grip and not too much body roll, but you'll have more fun driving a Ford S-MAX. The diesel engines suit the car best, particularly the 163bhp 2.0 CDTi, which is cheap to run and provides good overtaking power. We’d recommend avoiding the 138bhp 1.8 petrol engine - the 1.4-litre turbo petrol is much better.
Comfort
Spacious cabin can seat five adults and two children in comfort
The Zafira Tourer is a big car with plenty of space inside. The middle row of seats can slide forwards and backwards to improve legroom for rear passengers. We’d suggest that the rear seats are only really suitable for small children though. On the move, the suspension comfortably soaks up rough roads, and external noise is kept low. With optional adaptive dampers fitted, drivers can choose between Tour, Sport and Normal modes that can make the ride softer or firmer.
Reliability
Safety and reliability looks promising but only time will tell
Most of the Zafira Tourer's components have proved themselves elsewhere in the Vauxhall line-up. The front suspension, the 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine and 2.0-litre diesels are used in the Vauxhall Meriva and Vauxhall Insignia, with all the parts boasting a good reliability record. The Zafira Tourer has a five-star crash test rating, while buyers can boost safety with extras such as lane-keep assist, forward collision assist and blind spot monitoring.
Practicality
Seating for up to seven with the flexibility of a van-like boot
The spacious cabin gets seating for seven, and adults can comfortably fit in the second row, although they will struggle to fit in the rearmost seats. The seats can be folded away individually depending on what's needed. With five seats up, there's 710 litres of space, and with only two seats up there's 1,860 litres. A clever new arrangement means you can fold the middle seat down in the second row and turn it into a table for the outer passengers.
Value for money
Well-equipped basic models but higher-spec cars get plenty of gadgets
Entry-level models come with the basics like electric windows and air-con and some pretty basic cars come with front and rear parking sensors. As you move further up the range you’ll find cars equipped with automatic climate control, tinted windows and panoramic windscreens. Zafira Tourer prices start at around £1,200 less than the Ford S-MAX.
Running costs
Diesel engines are best, particularly the ecoFLEX model
If you’re worried about running costs, then the best option will be the ecoFLEX models which boast emissions of 119g/km and 62.8mpg. Alternatively, for a little bit more power the other 2.0 CDTi diesel engines – even the 163bhp – are quite cheap to run, with an economy figure of 52.3mpg. Although the petrol engines are quieter and smoother, they are more expensive to tax and fuel.
