Opel Meriva 1.7 CDTI 130 CV, first contact (Part I)

>>Interior space, equipment and overall assessment of the Opel Meriva

Around this time last year, we got behind the wheel of a Opel Meriva equipped with the 1.4 Turbo petrol engine producing 120 CV, a model we liked for its practicality and design, but the petrol engine did not do it justice, nor was it the first choice when buying this compact MPV.

That is why, we have decided to test the Opel Meriva diesel, this time equipped with the 1.7 CDTI engine producing 130 CV, the most powerful option in the diesel range. Perhaps the most balanced option would be the 110 CV engine or even the 95 CV one, but this one won us over with its power delivery and it maintained fairly moderate consumption throughout. In addition, our test unit came with a very attractive price, as it was around 20,000 euros.

Engine and performance

This engine is an old acquaintance within the brand. With 1.7 litres it produces 130 CV and 300 Nm of torque (there is also a 110 CV version). Whether in this 130 CV variant or the 110 CV one, we find it one of the most balanced and capable options for moving the Meriva, since the 1.3 CDTI with 95 CV can feel somewhat lacking if we travel with the car loaded or with five adults.

The engine’s response is typically turbodiesel: it starts pushing from 2,000 rpm until reaching 3,500 rpm, where it begins to fade. It does not have a good response at low revs, a detail that will require us to make considerable use of the six-speed gearbox, but in return we can get the most out of this engine, which is more than sufficient to move the Meriva with ease.

The feel of the six-speed manual gearbox seemed correct to us. Overall we found the engine quite capable, with more than enough power to move the Meriva in all situations, whether overtaking or driving with the car loaded.

Handling

In terms of handling, we must make clear that we are dealing with a vehicle whose main purpose is relaxed driving, since sporty character is not what the Meriva aims for. For that reason it has suitable suspension, which maintains a good level of interior comfort, and despite its dimensions and height, it is a composed car.

That said, we noticed the difference between the front suspension (McPherson type) and the rear one (twist-beam axle), the front feels rather soft, something noticeable even when pulling away or braking, and when we tackle more demanding roads with frequent changes of direction or tighter bends we notice the car loses agility. But, as I said before, sportiness is not the premise of this model, and it earns high marks for comfort.

The engine seemed somewhat noisy to us, although work has been done on interior soundproofing, some engine noise still filters into the cabin. Finally, there is the steering, which feels firm (something noticeable when we need to manoeuvre) but is within normal limits, while the braking system impressed us with the response it offers (ventilated discs at the front and discs at the rear), as well as coping quite well with intensive use.

Consumption

On motorway the average consumption we obtained was 4.9 litres per 100 km (over a route of about 600 km at 110 km/h), while driving the Opel Meriva on country roads we can achieve an average consumption of 6 litres per 100 km. Figures that are not bad at all considering the power, size and weight (1.5 tonnes) of the car.

While in town the figures rise somewhat but remain below 8 litres per 100 km, on our urban route (60 km driven around the city) we achieved an average consumption of 7.5 litres per 100 km.

In the second part of this first contact we will look at the peculiarities of our test unit, such as the Flex-Fix system that allows us to carry bicycles with us thanks to a bicycle carrier hidden in the rear bumper. We will also cover prices and our overall assessment of the model.

Photos | David Taboada