Oppinions on Opel Meriva

oli_ro

How about Opel Meriva as an alternative the family hatchbacks ?

Looks interesting in my oppinion.

Any good/bad experiences with these ?

What is the depreciation like for them ?

colm_mcm

Based on the Corsa. Popular with rental companies. Looks like an MPV but doesn't really offer space in the way a Scenic does. Something more mainstream like an Astra (or something in that class) will hold its value better.

I'd be surprised if they gave much trouble, as it's based on existing cars.

Alun

Well if you're comparing, a Scenic is more in the same league as the Zafira (based on Astra), C-Max (based on new Focus), Corolla Verso type of car. I have a C-Max myself and for my own needs find it far better than the equivalent Focus hatchback mainly due to the higher loading opening. The slightly higher seating position and roomier interior are a plus too. Never driven a Meriva, but have driven a Zafira once as a rental, and it was OK as Opels go (I don't like Opels ).

colm_mcm

Grand Scenic would be competing with the Zafira and Verso, Scenic somewhere in the middle!

Alun

colm_mcm wrote:

Grand Scenic would be competing with the Zafira and Verso, Scenic somewhere in the middle!

You're welcome to your opinion, of course.

colm_mcm

The Meriva has 5 seats, Grand Scenic, Zafira and Verso have 7.

The Meriva is competing with the Ford Fusion, Renault Modus and Nissan Note. My point was that for similar money to MPVs based on small hatchbacks you could buy a large hatchback (Golf, Focus etc.) and would be well advised to do so as resale values on these mainstream cars will be higher

oli_ro

Thanks. Colm.

Point taken, you are right - I am going to keep looking for a Golf.

alias no.9

I was taken by surprise by the new Nissan Note, I think it looks extremely well for this type of mini-mini-MPV and by all accounts it's a decent drive.

colm_mcm

Yeah, the Note is Japan's third best sellling car,

Still wouldn't buy one though, bit too Renault-ish

Alun

colm_mcm wrote:

The Meriva has 5 seats, Grand Scenic, Zafira and Verso have 7.

I don't now about the Grand Scenic or the Verso, but the rear two seats in the Zafira are useless unless your two extra passengers are midgets, or have had their legs removed below the knee. Believe me, I had one as a hire car in the UK last year and tried to carry 5 + two kids aged around 13-14. Absolute disaster. Number of seats isn't the be-all and end-all.

colm_mcm

Alun wrote:

I don't now about the Grand Scenic or the Verso, but the rear two seats in the Zafira are useless unless your two extra passengers are midgets, or have had their legs removed below the knee. Believe me, I had one as a hire car in the UK last year and tried to carry 5 + two kids aged around 13-14. Absolute disaster. Number of seats isn't the be-all and end-all.

Mightn't be the ideal car for 5 adults and two teenagers, but ideal for two parents, and up to five kids (a more realistic scenario)

Zafiras or Versos aren't designed to carry 7 adults, thats what large MPVs like Espace or Previa are for

Surely you should have hired out one of these, given that you probably had luggage?

Alun

colm_mcm wrote:

Surely you should have hired out one of these, given that you probably had luggage?

We'd actually asked for a 'compact' class car as we weren't originally planning on transporting all those people (we were visiting relatives for a funeral and the kids were a niece and nephew), but we got a Zafira instead 'cos that was all they had. The chances of getting the car you want, especially at the smaller airport car hire franchises are practically zero. The only certainty is that you won't get anything smaller.

colm_mcm

That's true about the rental companies,

but number of seats IS the be all and end all,
which is why the second generation Corolla Verso has massively out sold the first generation 5 seater model