A couple of weeks ago, I asked if there really was a place for honest-to-goodness family hatchbacks in today’s market.

The first generation Meriva, introduced in 2003, was as bland as a well-sucked lozenge. I had the chance to buy one a couple of years ago and, despite it being offered to me for next-to-nothing, I turned the desperate seller down. I just couldn’t bring myself to drive the equivalent of Harry Potter’s cloak of invisibility.

Despite my disapproval, the original Meriva did performed very well, selling more than one million examples and helping cement the small MPV market.

But ‘nice’ just doesn’t cut it any more.

The second generation Meriva - built on a unique platform not shared with any other car in the Vauxhall range - is a rather more impressive-looking vehicle.

It uses the styling motifs we’ve already seen on other Vauxhalls, like the Insignia, and adds some useful new features like its staggered side windows which give rear seat passengers a better view.

Then there are the doors...

The Northern Echo:

ON THE ROAD: ​ The big scoop for 2014 is the new 1.6-litre CDTi unit that’s due to replace the ageing diesel line-up in the Meriva and the Astra. Smooth and refined, it’s easier to drive than the outgoing 1.7 diesel and much quieter. Vauxhall boffins call it a “whisper diesel” and, while it’s not that quiet, it’s certainly up with the best in its class.

The six-speed gearbox makes the most of the engine’s flexibility. You can select the long-striding top gear early and just surf a wave of torque on A-roads and motorways. On the other hand, the 1.6 is happy to dawdle along at walking pace in second gear without a hint of protest.

The Meriva’s ride is surprisingly firm. It’s not uncomfortable, but your backside certainly gets the good news when the chassis crashes over a pothole. The wide low-profile tyres (225/45 R 17s) probably don’t help because they have precious little sidewall flexibility. They also produce a bit of road noise when you’re cruising at 70mph.

​ ON THE INSIDE: ​ The Meriva’s unique selling point is its unusual rear hinged door arrangement. Vauxhall calls them flexdoors, but drivers with long memories will probably remember the centre-opening arrangement as ‘suicide doors’.

They earnt that slang description in the 1920s because of the danger when a door opened on the move. The airflow pulled them wide open with predictably dire consequences for anyone sat in the back without a seatbelt.

Prohibition era gangsters loved them - because it was so easy to open a door and shove someone out.

To avoid similar disasters, intentional or not, the flexdoor system has a sophisticated rolling locking system. This means they can’t be opened by little hands in the back while the car is moving. You can hear the locks engage with a comforting ‘thunk’ as the car moves off.

The rear doors open to 84 degrees - wider than conventional doors - and make clambering into the back seat child’s play. Just to be sure, there are grab handles on the B-pillars as well.

Once there your passengers will be impressed by the Meriva’s accommodation. All three rear seats split, fold and slide independently for a really flexible interior.

The elevated driving position is comfortable and the classy-looking instruments hold no surprises. The top of the dashboard is covered in a pleasant textured plastic which runs into the door cards around the chromed door releases.

My biggest beef is with the gearknob which has a spring like a mouse trap when it drops out of reverse and removes the skin on your fingers.

​ WHAT DO YOU GET: ​ The audio controls are too complex. What appears to be two control knobs are actually three (one has an outer ring that has to be pushed to make selections) and the radio station presets are too small. The satellite navigation screen sits on top of the dashboard and is easy to see. It’s a shame the 1.6 CDTi doesn’t come with standard electric rear windows for £20,000.

HOW PRACTICAL IS IT? ​ The second gen Meriva is 30cm larger than the car it replaces and there’s been a big improvement in the cabin. Legroom and headroom in the back is particularly impressive.

The 397 litre boot is a split level affair and the spare wheel well is fully carpeted. There’s no full-size spare, just a tyre repair kit cunningly hidden behind a plastic panel in the boot. Another hidden cubby hole in the boot opens to reveal a luggage net and a first aid kit.

​The front doors have two small pockets; neither is big enough for a can or a bottle. The rear doors have a single pocket that’s larger and deeper.

Dropping the rear seat backs is as simple as pulling a cord. There are handy map pockets in the front seat backs and a massive centre console with a sliding tray/cupholder. The tray was reluctant to slide smoothly and, as the centre console’s sides are open, you can’t fill it with nik naks for fear of them spilling out.

The electric handbrake works well and frees up more space.

​ RUNNING COSTS: The 1.6 can’t quite dip below the 100g/km barrier and thus qualify for free road tax but you’ll still only pay £30 per year. It remains the cheapest engine in the line-up with a calculated annual fuel cost of £1,156 per 12,000 miles. That’s £200 cheaper than the older 1.7 diesel.

VERDICT: ​ The Meriva surprised me. I expected something as dull as a wet weekend in Skegness, but it turned out to be a genuinely useful family carry-all. The 1.6 diesel is the highlight of the range but the downsized petrol engines are surprisingly frugal too.

​ VAUXHALL MERIVA Price: £20,515 Spec:​ Engine: ​1.6 CDTi Power: ​136PS Torque: ​320Nm Top speed: ​122mph 0-62mph: ​9.9 seconds Fuel economy: ​64.2mpg (official combined figure) CO2 emissions: ​116g/km Insurance group: ​17E Equipment: ​ Electric front windows, power steering, MP3 connectivity, cruise control, electric mirrors, power steering, alloy wheels.

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