Road test: Vauxhall Meriva SE 1.6

If there’s one thing any family car must have, it’s space to put the stuff of life: maps, sunglasses, books, CDs, tents, that kind of thing.

Which is where Vauxhall’s Meriva excels. When the newest model was launched, they claimed it had no fewer than “32 dedicated storage possibilities”. You could store something in this car and lose it for months. It’s brilliant.

There’s a storage box in between the front occupants that slides back, revealing more space below, and a tray beneath the passenger seat. Front door pockets are on the mean side, but compensation comes in the form of other hidden hatches leading to useful compartments. Has all this hit the fuel consumption?

I don’t think so; it still averages 36mpg around town and the 1.6-litre diesel is no slouch either.

So far I’ve only found a fraction of the claimed 32 cubbyholes and I sometimes forget where the ones I previously discovered still are.

Vauxhall Meriva SE 1.6
CDTi 16v (136PS) ecoFLEX
Top speed: 122mph
MPG: 64.2
Emissions: 116g/km
Price: £24,840