Vauxhall Meriva MPV (2010-2017) - Interior & comfort

Inside, the Vauxhall Merivashares much in common with the rest of the Vauxhall line-up, so interior quality is good, but not class-leading.

Vauxhall Meriva dashboard

The Meriva’s dashboard will feel instantly familiar to anyone who’s driven – or sat in – a Vauxhall recently. That means some clear and easy-to-read instrumentation alongside a rather dated red LCD trip computer.

The centre console is a cluttered collection of buttons and dials, controlling everything from the stereo to the air-conditioning. It takes a long time to get used to and often requires you to take your eyes off the road to make adjustments. The screen mounted on top of the dashboard is much better.

The gearstick is mounted high up on the dashboard, so it’s easy to operate, and the steering wheel adjusts in and out as well as up and down. The driver’s seat is height-adjustable, too.

Equipment

The entry-level Vauxhall Meriva Life comes with alloy wheels, front foglights, Bluetooth phone connectivity, cruise control and stereo controls on the steering wheel. It’s only available with the basic 1.4-litre petrol engine, too.

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The Club model is the next step up the range and it does without the alloy wheels of the Life to offer greater interior equipment. Here, buyers receive a centre console storage system to fit on the car’s FlexRail system, ambient interior lighting and a Protection Package, including additional airbags and a rear seatbelt monitoring system.

The Tech Line model adds electric rear windows, a heated steering wheel and front seats, aircraft-style tables in the rear, under-seat storage and parking sensors front and rear.

The top-of-the-range SE trim features a large glass roof with electrically operated shade, tinted rear windows, a sliding central storage module and chrome trim. Also including Vauxhall’s OnStar concierge service, it's got a lot of equipment, but prices tip well over £20,000, which is a lot to stomach for a car of this size.

Options

If you often carry children in the back, the vital option on the Meriva Life is the Protection Pack. It adds curtain airbags, whiplash-reducing headrests and rear seatbelt warning lights. It’s an essential for family motoring and is standard from the Club model upwards.

The headline option for the Meriva range is Vauxhall's OnStar connected services system for £395. It's standard on the top-spec SE model, but available as an option across the rest of the range. It allows you to check the car's diagnostics from your phone and get 24-hour assistance from a dedicated call centre, as well as sending automatic alerts to the emergency services in the event of a crash and creating a wi-fi hotspot.

You can also add DAB digital radio (£160) to all models, as well as satellite navigation (£850) and a range of packs – such as the Sight and Light Pack (£230) and Winter Pack (£220).