Family car review: Opel Zafira Tourer 2 litre diesel

Whenever a people carrier arrives into Mummypages HQ for inspection we always start by looking in the same place – the third row. Why? Because our mums tell us time and again that no matter how good looking or fuel efficient an MPV is, it is useless to them unless it has seats and luggage space big enough for their family today, and also in the future as the kids grow. So that’s what we did when the handsome Opel Zafira Tourer rocked up last week to say hello.

‘Flex 7’ is what Opel call the Zafira’s seating configuration options. In our language that means that there

are three individual seats in the middle row, all of which slide forward and back and also fold individually. It is geared towards giving families as much scope as possible to fit whoever and whatever they need to without anyone feeling cramped. So, any of the three middle seats can slide forward individually to allow more space in the third row for someone taller, or so you can fit in more luggage. There’s one seat in the middle row slightly smaller than the other two, but its fine for an average sized teenager. There’s acres of legroom, too.

Which brings us to the third row seats. Firstly, they are proper, upright seats and not a bench like in some other MPV’s so they offer reasonable comfort. While no large adult will be happy to sit in one for too long, when you slide the middle seats forward there is enough legroom to fit growing teenagers comfortably. For us, that’s the key area the Zafira Tourer succeeds. Your son’s Under-15 football team will be fine on a 30 minute drive to the match on a Sunday, or a family with four teenagers will not be cramped on a family holiday. So in theory, this car could work for your growing family for ten years rather than the five years it takes to outgrow smaller MPV’s.

There’s no lifting or tugging involved in moving the seats, they are quite light and have red pulleys so there’s no fumbling around to find a lever. Getting in and out of the third row is not too difficult. The middle seats tilt and fold so there is no climbing involved. They also recline so bringing a child out who is a little under the weather is less stressful for them. As you would expect there are loads of cubbies for storage, although the base model does come without the useful front passenger under seat storage box.

We were impressed with how upmarket the Zafira Tourer is – from behind the wheel it feels quite plush.

Mums will love the super light steering and the lack of body roll through corners that can often make people carriers uncomfortable to drive. We tested the 2 litre diesel automatic, and while most of you are unlikely to spend the €39,195 our test car was priced at, it doesn’t stop us recommending it. Mums have enough to be doing without having to change gear too, right? While the large alloy wheels on our car look great, bear in mind that smaller ones with chunkier tyres will mean the car rides more comfortably.

Prices start at €28,695 for a 2 litre diesel manual that costs €280 per year to tax. You will have to spend €30,695 on an SC model to get rear electric windows, parking sensors, a USB port, fog lights, and a front armrest. Our €39,195 ‘Elite’ model features niceties such as a full length glass roof; heated leather sports seats and privacy glass. There’s a 1.6 diesel available too, which is better suited to city use, more modern, and a touch quieter.

Is there loads of storage space?

With seven seats in use, the short answer is no. However, with two seats folded flat a boot about double the size of a Ford Focus is available, and crucially if you fold one rear seat and use the other for a passenger, you can fit a couple of large suitcases. So you may not need a roof box for a family holiday depending on whether you travel light or not. Fold all seats flat and you basically have a van!

Is it baby friendly?

The back doors are large and wide opening, so lifting in a baby seat complete with sleeping baby should be doable without walloping it off the door. The two outer seats in the middle row have child seat mounts, and you can slide the seat forward so the baby is easier to reach from the driver’s seat.

Is parking easy?

This is a big car, if you are not a parking specialist you will need practice to get comfortable with it. Opel has done what it can to make it easy though – a large flat rear window and decent mirrors mean visibility is good. Judging ‘bonnet in’ parking is actually quite easy because of the small extra windows on each front corner of the car. Front and rear parking sensors are a €529 option on base models and standard on all other grades – we highly recommend them!

What about safety?

Curtain (roof) airbags cover the first two rows. A clever front camera system costs €1,102 which detects if you are drifting out of your lane or if a crash is imminent, and also reads road signs such as speed limits and overtaking zones. The Zafira Tourer has a full five star Euro NCAP safety rating including an 83% child occupant score, and an impressive 85% safety assist rating.

Verdict:

Thumbs Up:

Can accommodate a growing family of six

Strong safety equipment available

Lots of seating options

It's sort-of cool, and most people carriers are not.

Thumbs down:

Base model is poorly equipped

No automatic 1.6 diesel available

Mummypages Ratings:

Baby friendliness: 4/5

Safety: 4.5/5 (shame the safety camera is not standard)