Model tested: Vauxhall Zafira 1.8 Active
Price: £16,525
Tested: August 2006
Road tester: Stuart Milne

Overall rating: 84%
Renault launched the first MPV in 1984, but only now are models appearing with the looks to match their practicality. The Vauxhall Zafira is one such car; it combines good looks with an uncanny ability to hide its girth, so it's a shock to find it's a fully-fledged seven-seater.

1. Looks
Looking like an inflated Astra estate, the Zafira is stylish with its corporate front nose and a rakish rear. Creases above the wheel arches provide a muscular stance, with 16-inch alloys completing the sporty picture.
8/10

2. Looks inside
The angular dash is lifted from the Astra, so it's well laid out, if uninspiring. A dash-mounted screen is the focal point while the seats provide support for all occupants. The Zafira is spacious, airy and a pleasant place to be.
8/10

3. Practicality
There's far more legroom than the previous Zafira offered, so it's perfect for large families. Vauxhall's ingenious Flex7 seating system means the Zafira can be a single-seat, 1,820-litre load lugger or seven-seat people mover - or any combination between.
10/10

4. Ride and Handling
In sharing many of its chassis components with the Astra, the Zafira can be thrown round corners with the kind of vigour that would have put the old model in a ditch, yet the ride quality is still good.
9/10

5. Performance
Performance from the 1.8-litre petrol engine is brisk, if not rapid – it'll do 0-60mph in 10.8 seconds, and can manage 122mph.
8/10

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6. Running Costs
The Zafira should be an excellent long-term prospect. It undercuts the Volkswagen Touran by up to £5,000 and comes with a three-year 60,000-mile warranty along with three years of breakdown cover.
8/10

7. Reliability
The Zafira borrows heavily from the Astra, which should render the MPV worry-free. There are no general issues to report, and our test car seemed very well built inside and out.
9/10

8. Safety
The Zafira has a five-star EuroNCAP rating, and comes with electronic brake force distribution plus driver, passenger and front side airbags and collapsible pedals.
9/10

9. Equipment
Our limited edition Active was loaded with air-con, 16-inch alloys, tinted glass, roof rails, height adjustable driver's seat plus a CD player and trip computer operated through the dash-mounted screen.
7/10

10. X-Factor
The most impressive thing about the Zafira is how it hides its bulk. If you're looking for a stylish and practical people carrier that retains a decent driving experience, the Zafira is among the best on the market.
8/10