Perfect sense

These days it’s rare that basic intelligent design gets a look-in when car makers are under pressure to lower emissions and increase safety. The Vauxhall Meriva is a largely unsung hero of common sense, as Matt Kimberley reports.

It’s OK to be compromised. Few companies who produce and market products of any kind will ever admit it, but it’s the truth, especially when the product is as expensive as a new car. Compromise helps a product excel in the areas it is chiefly designed for. Take the 2014 Vauxhall Meriva. Without putting it next to the model it replaces you’d be hardpressed to tell the difference, especially from the rear. But that’s not a bad thing. It’s actually a bit of a looker, with the new Vauxhall family ‘hawk eye’ headlights and that distinctive kink in its shoulder line through the rear door. Form is following function though, and the curvaceous line’s real purpose is to give rear passengers a better view out and a lighter feel. The rear-hinged back doors are another feature you notice when giving the Meriva the visual once-over. If they’re a compromise in familiarity they allow much easier access to the rear seats and make mounting child seats so much easier. They open to almost 90 degrees for practicality’s sake, and what’s more there’s a convenient grab handle on the back of the B-pillar. It’s not pretty but elderly parents will love it. Even the front doors open to 84 degrees. These are some of the Meriva staples that separate it from its rivals. What’s really new about the 2014 model is the so-called ‘Whisper Diesel’, a cannilynamed 1.6-litre engine. While diesels aren’t often the best engines for urban motoring, this one’s charm is undeniable. It’s as quiet as a church mouse when cruising. The compromises come at higher speeds, where things get a bit noisy in the cabin. It’s not that the car won’t do it; just that its ultimate refinement isn’t on a par with, say, the Insignia’s. The thing is, by allowing compromise in this way Vauxhall has been able to achieve back-slapping excellence in terms of practicality and functionality. You’d be hard-pressed to find a car with so many interior storage solutions or that’s so wonderfully easy to live with. IN A NUTSHELL It makes sense, the Meriva. It’s not trying to sell itself on any curious new technology or trying overly hard to lure young buyers with the promise of in-car Facebook at every traffic jam. It’s just a well thoughtout design that’s perfectly suited to its target market. And that makes it pretty brilliant.