These are leaked official images of the new Meriva MPV, badged here as a UK-spec Vauxhall (Opel in Europe). It appears to have survived the transition from concept to production pretty well, retaining much of the 2008 Geneva show’s Meriva Concept styling cues.
The design headline here is the suicide doors. Called FlexDoors, they can be opened to an angle of almost 90 degrees (only when the vehicle is stationary, of course!). The Meriva’s FlexSpace system has been updated to improve space usage. There is also an innovation called FlexRail – a rail above the centre console where storage bins can slide the length of the cabin.
As with the Astra and Insignia, a signature “blade” runs on the flanks of this MPV. The stepped windowline not only adds distinctiveness to the design, it gives the rear section more glass area for the kids to have a better view out. There’s also a full length panaromic roof. It’s more spacious than before too – wheelbase is longer and tracks are wider. A five-star EuroNCAP crash rating is almost a given.
