Thefirst Vauxhall Meriva was a budget value small family car based on theVauxhall Corsa, but was found wanting in many areas, not least quality and refinement.

In 2010 the Vauxhall Meriva B, or Mk2, delivered a huge leap forward in both those fields, without compromising the family-friendly practicality and versatility expected of an MPV. It’s considerably larger than the Meriva A (Mk1), and the big talking point is the rear-hinged side doors. These are a genuinely useful feature, and make getting into the back seats or fitting a child seat much easier than with conventional doors.

>Find a used Vauxhall Meriva for sale near you

On the move the Meriva is easy to drive, helped by light steering and excellent visibility, so it’s ideal in towns and cities. The interior is impressive too, with an easy-to-use layout and good quality materials borrowed from the Astra and Insignia.

After a facelift featuring a new grille, chrome accents that frame the front fog lamps and newly-designed headlamps, the Vauxhall Meriva was discontinued in 2017. You’ll identify facelift Merivas easily, thanks to their LED daytime running lights and optional LED tail lights.

TheVauxhall Meriva’s replacement is the Vauxhall Crossland X, which follows the industry trend for 4x4-like SUVs. A used Meriva B therefore has no direct modern equivalent, and its nearest rival isa used Ford B-Max.

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