Zafira Tourer buyer’s guide

How seven-seat Vauxhall MPV can be yours from £6,000

Seven-seater estates have been around for decades, but it wasn’t until 1994 that the compact MPV concept arrived with the Renault Mégane Scenic. It offered a new level of versatility but wasn’t cumbersome.

While Renault created a template, it was Vauxhall that perfected it with a seating layout that has since become the industry standard: a third row of pop-up seats offering flexibility like never before.

The original Zafira arrived back in 1999 and was replaced by an all-new model in 2005. The more upmarket Zafira Tourer supplemented and then superseded this in 2012. You can now buy one for less than £6,000, but should you?

History

WE got our first glimpse of the Zafira Tourer at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show and within a year the production car was in dealers.

There were two petrol engines available: a 138bhp turbocharged 1.4-litre unit and a normally aspirated 1.8-litre. Most popular, though, was the 2.0 CDTI diesel, which came with 109bhp, 128bhp or 163bhp; the latter boosted to 168bhp in summer 2015.

A 192bhp 2.0 CDTI Biturbo followed in April 2013 (it lasted less than two years), then in July 2013 an all-new 134bhp 1.6 CDTI engine joined the range.

A facelifted Zafira Tourer arrived in October 2016 with much better levels of connectivity, Adaptive Forward Lighting with LED headlights and a redesigned nose.

Which one?

THE manual box is nicer to use than the clunky auto, while the 1.8-litre petrol engine is underwhelming, but all other units are very good. As Vauxhall’s upmarket Zafira, all versions of the Tourer are well equipped.

Even the entry-level ES comes with aircon, cruise control, a multifunction steering wheel, a DAB radio, and electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors. It gets only front electric windows, so you have to go to the Exclusiv for powered rear windows, along with alloy wheels plus front and rear parking sensors. Tech Line adds sat-nav, SE gets climate control, automatic wipers and privacy glass, while Elite has perforated leather trim, heated sports front seats, and a panoramic windscreen and roof.

Alternatives

THE Vauxhall’s closest rival is the Ford Grand C-MAX, which looks smart, feels surprisingly sporty to drive and is readily available at keen prices. It’s generally reliable and generously equipped, too.

Sharing lots of these attributes is the Mazda 5 Mk2 (from 2010), but there aren’t so many of these on the used market. Not as spacious and dearer is the Volkswagen Touran, which comes with some excellent engines and offers very good build quality.

Don’t overlook the Renault Grand Scenic, because it’s comfy, well equipped and very good value; traits shared by the rare Kia Carens, which also offers strong reliability.

Verdict

ON the face of it the Zafira Tourer has everything a family could need. It offers smart looks, a spacious cabin and, apart from entry-level models, lots of equipment.

Most used examples available have a good engine and you can buy a version that’s fairly new and has covered relatively few miles for not much cash at all.

Throw in seven-seat versatility and the Vauxhall seems unbeatable, but our Driver Power satisfaction survey shows this is a car that many owners feel is no better than average in most respects, and not even that good in others. So while the Zafira Tourer has lots to offer, make sure that it really is the right car for your needs before buying.

“The car offers smart looks, a spacious cabin and, apart from entry-level models, lots of equipment”