The Perfect 7: The New Vauxhall Zafira Tourer Review

[fwduvp preset_id=”9″ playlist_id=”76″]

Aimed at offering the most at the best balance of size, the new Vauxhall Zafira Tourer is the ultimate in 7 seat cleverness, with sharp dynamics, supermini style emissions and distinctive styling. It’s a cut above the rest and ticks all the right boxes for fashionable and versatile MPV motoring.

It’s fair to say that MPV styling has moved on considerably since the days of merely being a big comfy box on wheels. This is the epitome of how far things have come – it’s distinctive and stylish with a purposeful body and eye catching boomerang style headlights which give the front an almost arrowhead-like effect.

Up in the front, the overall feel of the new Vauxhall Zafira Tourer interior is upmarket. The driving position is in almost every way adjustable and the seats can be specified with the Action for Healthy Back approved alternative for those who suffer from a bad back. A must if that’s the case and you travel far. The panoramic glass windscreen is a fantastic option that opens the world up to you by stretching from the bottom of the bonnet to just above your head for a brilliant field of vision and a supremely airy effect on the cabin. The new Vauxhall Zafira Tourer comes with pull down sunshade sections if you fancy returning to regular glass dimensions. If you also spec it with the huge glass sunroof then the cabin will be an extremely light and airy place indeed. Practicality is high with up to 30 storage places dotted around the cabin, including twin glove boxes and under seat compartments. On plusher models there’s the option of the amazingly useful Flex Rail system which works on an aluminium frame rail and slides back and forth in sections. The top layer doubles as an armrest and the lower section features a pull out cup holder and a selection of sockets for charging and connecting.

The backseats are naturally a priority in this kind of car and as such, the new Vauxhall Zafira Tourer basically amalgamates about every handy MPV idea you can imagine. The 2nd row seats for example, are individually fitted and can slide back and forth and recline. Plusher models also include a brilliant limousine style feature where you can fold down the middle seat and lift up its sides to become a big armrest, while sliding the 2 remaining chairs back and inwards for a great amount of leg and shoulder room for the ultimate in MPV comfort. The 3rd row seats fold out of the floor whenever you need them and create a space for passengers 6 and 7 to sit in relative comfort over short to mid length journeys. This area also includes charging sockets, storage areas and cup holders – so kids will love it.

As expected, luggage space is understandably limited with all seats up, although there is a handy underfloor storage area that you can fit the tonneau cover when not in use. With the 3rd row folded into the floor, you will have 710ltrs of fresh air to contend with and if you fold down the 2nd row too, this extends to a very useful 1860ltrs.

Behind the wheel, it has to be said that for a 7 seat MPV, the new Vauxhall Zafira Tourer is actually a very impressive thing to drive. The cornering is nice and sharp and the body roll is incredibly well controlled for its big size, meaning that if you’re late or in a hurry, you can really go for it around the bends. The rack assist power steering setup is delightfully feelsome and has been developed specifically to tackle UK roads. It’s a shame the same can’t be said for the suspension, which, in its standard form, is jittery over bad surfaces. This can be rectified by stuffing it with money (essentially) where you can opt for the Flex Ride adaptive damping system which allows you to alter the setup via several modes according to your mood/the road and your driving style.

Engine-wise, diesel will be the order of the day for most. The 2.0ltr CDTi unit comes in 3 forms – 110, 130 and 165ps. The 130ps will be the most popular of these due to being the best balance of performance and price. The 110ps isn’t much cheaper but is significantly slower, while the 165ps is pretty expensive. If you do stretch to the 165ps, it does get to 62 from standing in 9.1 seconds up to a top speed of 129mph. In the 130ps the figures are 0-62mph in 10.6 up to 119mph. If you’re looking at the nichier petrol units of the new Vauxhall Zafira Tourer, the 1.4ltr 140ps turbo unit gets to 62mph in 9.9 seconds up to 124mph. The more financially viable entry-level 1.8 petrol engine gives the same 140ps output but can’t really match the performance or running costs. Then again it is cheaper to get in the first place.

Efficiency for the new Vauxhall Zafira Tourer is pretty damn good for an MPV with the diesel models all giving exactly the same returns of 54.3mpg and 137g/pk of CO2. This is achieved through a combination of cleantech combustion technology, and Start/Stop engine and power steering. To compare, the 1.4ltr turbo petrol mode returns 42.2mpg and chugs out 158g/pk of CO2.

All in all, what’s the lowdown with the new Vauxhall Zafira Tourer? The new Vauxhall Zafira Tourer blends the virtues of impressive driving dynamics and extremely clever 7 seat versatility to a sporty, great looking MPV targeted between the compact and large people carrier segments. It’s fair to say that it’s pretty much the ideal MPV formula, which, when doubled up with good running costs and decent pricing means that… in fact why are you even sitting around reading this if you need a big family carrying car? Go and get one now!

If you want to get hold of the new Vauxhall Zafira Tourer then don’t hesitate to leave us a message on our contact us page or give us a call on 01903 538835 to find out about our Vauxhall lease deals.