“We have drawn a line in the sand with Opel,” said the high-ranking official from General Motors South Africa in a recent interview with CAR. “We are committed to it 100 per cent.” The first products that have arrived as a result of this renewed commitment are the Meriva MPV featured on these pages and the Astra GTC. But, Opel will no longer be a volume brand. This role falls to Chevrolet within the GMSA portfolio. Opel will provide more upmarket, performance-oriented models, as well as certain niche offerings.
The new Meriva certainly falls into the latter category. How else would you describe a compact MPV with suicide doors? Overall, the newcomer is quite a head-turner, featuring the blade motif in the side sculpting that appears on other new Opels, as well as a dip in the window line that draws attention to the positioning of the door handles on the rear doors. The dip, by the way, improves visibility out the vehicle for rear passengers.
The suicide doors, called FlexDoors, open to 84 degrees compared with the usual 67 degrees of most cars and consequently make ingress/egress easier. They are particularly beneficial when it comes to the fitment of baby seats and the like. There is one problem, however. When parked next to another car, the rear passenger will have to wait for the person entering the front of the vehicle to finish before moving past the rear door and opening it rearwards.
Inside, the Meriva is a marvel of flexibility and standard specification. It features a seat arrangement system called FlexSpace that allows it to be transformed from a normal five-seater, to a four-, three, or two-seater with adaptable load-carrying ability, all without removing a single seat. The outer rear seats can slide longitudinally over a range of 190 mm and also laterally by 50 mm. The size of the boot can therefore be tailored – from 256 to 328 dm3, and the maximum utility space is an impressive 1 320 dm3. A space-saver sparewheel is fitted under the boot board.
The rear seats are mounted theatre-style, meaning they are slightly higher than the front chairs, giving rear passengers an even better view. In fact, visibility out of the vehicle is particularly good. The driver’s chair offers a good range of adjustment (including height), and the steering wheel is also rake/reach adjustable. Nevertheless, some of our testers struggled to find a comfortable driving position; the interface with the pedals was a major issue – you tend to push down on them, like the pedals of a church organ.
Fronting the driver is a low, sweeping facia that is constructed of quality materials. From opening the sturdy doors, to the touch of real aluminium in the interior, this is a car that will surprise many a test driver that may have preconceived notions about the brand.
The standard specification will further raise eyebrows. A glass panoramic roof is part of the deal, as well as dual-zone climate control, leather/cloth upholstery, auto wipers, cruise control and a sound system with full Bluetooth/MP3 and USB integration.
As an MPV, the Meriva is therefore incredibly difficult to fault. You could almost forgive it an average showing in the performance and dynamic evaluations. But that’s thankfully not necessary. The turbocharged 1,4-litre petrol engine provides zippy performance, yet good fuel economy – our fuel-index figure for this vehicle is 8,04 litres/100 km, but the Meriva easily bested that on our fuel run, achieving 7,2 litres/100 km. The six-speed manual ‘box is certainly one of Opel’s better efforts, too, and combines well with the engine to endow the Meriva with a surprisingly fun driving experience.
Thankfully, the sportiness of the drivetrain has not been matched with an overly firm suspension. The Meriva rides with refined composure, yet doesn’t feel all that top-heavy in the corners. However, a minority of CAR’s testers complained that the electro-hydraulic steering system was a bit too heavy for this kind of vehicle, especially at low speeds.
Test Summary
After much stumbling by GMSA these past few years, there finally appears to be some clarity. Positioning Opel as a premium brand in South Africa won’t work – it’s legacy here is one of performance and innovation. But the fact that Opel is targeting the premium segment in Europe has a spin-off for South Africans, too – the perceived quality of the Meriva is exceptional. Under its quirky skin are many standard luxury features, but the Meriva is honest to its roots as a family taxi. So, if you’re in the market for a vehicle that fulfils practical needs, but also want performance and a bit of upmarket design appeal, the Meriva should not be ignored. The blitz is well and truly back from the brink.
