Insurance Group: 15
MPG: 39.2
CO2: 168
0-62 Mph: 10.8 secs
BHP: 138 BHP
Range: 500 miles
PROS: Decent performance, practical, spacious
CONS: Diesels are better value, rear seats are cramped
The 1.8-litre four-pot petrol in this Zafira produces 138 bhp at 6300 rpm and 129 lb-ft of torque at 3800 rpm. This translates into an impressive 0-62mph time of 10.8 seconds and a top speed of 122 mph. The engine pulls well and is more than capable of lugging the not inconsiderable weight of the Zafira around.
The Zafira handles very competently and grips well. The ride is also very good and manages to be smooth without being wallowy. The engine is nicely hushed and although there is a bit of wind noise at motorway speeds, this is only to be expected from a big, tall car like the Zafira.
The Zafira has some nice finishing touches - the rear light clusters in particular are well designed - but it's a people carrier, and people carriers are not good looking.
Standard equipment on this model includes power steering, central locking, stability control, air conditioning, electric door mirrors, electric front windows and a stereo with CD player. MP3 connectivity can be added to the stereo for £90 whilst Bluetooth connectivity costs £315. Other options which become available at this trim level include climate control, an alarm, rear parking sensors and cruise control which are priced at £305, £250, £395 and £220 respectively.
A built-in sat nav, alloy wheels and leather seats are not available with this model.
In terms of practicality, the Zafira performs admirably but fails to match some of the more advanced features of its rivals. The seats can be folded and repositioned to accommodate the needs of the occupants.
The cabin is roomy in the front and middle seats but passengers in the rear seats will be cramped and the third row is only really suitable for children. The boot capacity varies greatly depending on the number of passengers in the car, with just 140 litres available when all the seats are in place, expanding to an impressive 1,820 litres when all of the seats are folded down.
The Zafira comes fitted with a good amount of safety kit as standard. Included in this are driver, passenger and front side airbags whilst an immobiliser is fitted to protect the car from theft. The car does lack the option to have a fitted alarm however, which is a disadvantage when compared to rival cars.
The Zafira should be a very safe car and scored the full five stars in the Euro NCAP safety tests. Reliability is also expected to be good and the car is covered by a 100,000 mile warranty.
Priced at just £19,400 this car is still affordably priced for its class but is significantly dearer than the 1.6i Expression model. Despite the increase in price and performance, the trim level remains sparse and adding all of the optional extras would incur a hefty bill.
Running costs are also higher than on the 1.6i model with fuel efficiency of 39.2 mpg. Road tax will be steep, falling under tax band H due to high carbon emissions of 168g/km. Insurance premiums fall under bracket 15.
The small improvements made over performance and trim are therefore not enough to justify the higher purchase price, making the more basic 1.6i Expression better value for money – providing buyers are willing to sacrifice some luxuries. The Zafira range also benefits from fairly strong resale values.
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