Vauxhall Meriva 1.4 T SE (Price, as tested, £19,995) (From The Northern Echo)

Vauxhall Meriva 1.4 T SE (Price, as tested, £19,995)

5:33pm Monday 26th July 2010 in

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VAUXHALL is opening a door to the future with the launch of the all-new Meriva.

The company's baby MPV is being described as the most accessible car in the world, thanks, in no small part, to the use of so-called 'suicide doors'.

Outlawed for many years because of their unfortunate tendency to open while on the go, the rear-hinged doors ensure the Meriva stands out from the crowd.

New European Union rules mean this option is likely to become more and more common, but Vauxhall is ahead of the game.

Up until now you could only find them on the Rolls-Royce Phantom and while both the Mini Clubman and Mazda RX-8 have doors that defy convention these can only be used once the front doors are open. The Meriva's function regardless of the state of those in front.

The change in the law allows for manufacturers to use the doors, so long as they lock automatically once the car is in motion and cannot be operated again until it stops.

Vauxhall is not keen for its innovation to be associated with the more popular moniker, for obvious reasons, preferring instead to call them FlexDoors.

Opening to almost 90 degrees, it is virtually possible to walk into the rear of the car, something that is made all the easier by its high roofline.

If you have young children, like me, it also makes strapping them into their childseats a straightforward operation, unlike in most other cars where it requires the parent to be proficient in gymnastics.

Aimed in the main at those with young families, there are also obvious benefits for those more advanced in years who find getting in and out of cars a struggle.

The doors lock automatically as soon as the Meriva hits 2mph and the driver is also alerted should they not be completely secure.

However, in order to win awards this car needs to have more than just one quirky aspect.

Thankfully, it does - and then some.

For starters, it looks great - taking cues from the Insignia and Astra - and is a seismic shift away from the old design.

Function took precedence over form, but now both sit happily side by side.

From its purposeful snout, along its sleek flanks to its curvy rear quarters, the Meriva is easy on the eye from every angle.

Vauxhall has thought long and hard about those on the inside, looking out, ensuring the cabin is light and airy with the inclusion of plenty of glass. Our test car also came with a full length glass roof as standard which added to the overall effect.

The driver and front seat passengers windows rake upwards, but those in the rear benefit from a kind of dog-leg kink which affords even greater visibility. Some have suggested this is because children, due to their obvious lack of height, can suffer from car sickness if they cannot see out properly, but whether true or not it is certainly a benefit to the overall design.

The interior also benefits from two more PR-speak innovations in the FlexRail and FlexSpace systems.

The former is a cleverly-designed storage area which unsurprisingly runs on two rails enabling you to move it backwards and forwards depending on your requirements. The use of an electronic parking brake means there is even more space to play with, enabling you to store everything from handbags, to magazines and CDs.

While a good idea, I did find that, because it ran on rails, it was firmly flimsy in nature and was prone to coming off in your hands.

One of the main draws for anyone buying a Meriva in the past has been the way the seats fold down to increase load space.

This procedure has now been improved still further, with a simple pull of a cord causing them to drop into the floor to provide a flat loading area. The seats can also be moved to provide more boot, leg or shoulder room.

The Meriva's interior has a quality feel to it - the doors close with a reassuring thud, all the knobs and dials are chunky in nature and negotiating the six-speed gearbox - located high on the centre console - feels the same as breaking into a bar of premium chocolate.

As is the nature of MPVs you still sit high as the driver, giving a good all-round view, but you feel less like white van man in the new model.

Driving it is unvan-like too. Despite its high sides the Meriva handles corners well and the steering is light and direct. You do feel the odd bump, but the suspension soaks up most of the imperfections.

Engines range from the 1.3 and 1.7 litre diesels to 1.4 litre petrol versions. Our 1.4 litre turbo powered test car produced 140bhp and 200lb/ft worth of torque and while not exactly fast, it can nevertheless keep pace with its rivals and takes cruising in its stride.

The Meriva has come a long way since it was first introduced to the British public and its new innovations and step up in class should ensure it opens doors for Vauxhall for some time to come.