MotorsNews: The second generation Opel Zafira has to be good news for Opel and its bigger multinational parent, the much troubled General Motors. Zafira in its first incarnation was a success story, with 1.4 million sold since its launch in 1999.
It helped being in near the beginning of the MPV revolution that started with Renault's innovative Scenic.
Actually the Zafira trumped the Scenic by offering a third row of seats that could be completely folded down and stowed away, and that's what undoubtedly vaulted it into the number one spot in the ever-growing MPV segment in markets like Ireland, Britain and Germany. The winning formula that made the Zafira a seven-seater is called Flex7, and it's Opel patented.
Predictably, Flex7 lives on in the new generation that will be going on sale here from July 25th. Irish prices range from €25,745 for the entry-level 1.6i to €36,495, which buys a very spritely 150bhp 1.9 litre turbodiesel.
At the international press presentation last week in Gothenburg, the new Zafira was proffered with lots of designer hype which left many of us wondering, is it meant as a family wagon, or some nifty sports number. Marc Van der Haegen, a pleasant pony-tailed Dutchman who gave us his designer static tour, saw it as some kind of animal that was going to pounce and he talked too about "juicy surfacing" and "delicious lines".
For all its comprehensive and updated smartness, the Zafira remains an MPV in appearance, just like the Mazda 5 competitor that we wrote about last week. We know that designers like to get away from the notion of van-like construction and utilitarian load-lugging: it probably doesn't fit in with their emotional needs.
That said, those dads - or mums - who would have preferred more alluring, more potent badge but need all that space for offspring, need not feel too disappointed.
If they step into the 2.0 petrol-engined turbo version with around 200bhp, they are promised top speed capability of 140mph and a zero to 100kph time of just nine seconds. It will not, of course, be within the sights of most Zafira buyers, especially in Ireland where it has a tag of almost €36,000.
We here will be giving most attention to the humbler 1.6i with 105bhp as well as the two 2.0 litre diesels, 120 and 150bhp. A 1.8 litre petrol with 140bhp that also should have Irish appeal, will debut in the autumn.
It was the two diesels that we drove on well-manicured though curvy Swedish roads. They felt taut and controlled in cornering, and both engines rewarded with punch across the power band. Intriguingly, the technical presentation included a bit about Europe's deteriorating roads with grim screen shots of huge potholes and rutted surfaces. Opel people were making the point that ride and handling had been specifically designed to cope with this depressing scenario but one which is déjà-vu to us Irish.
What, then, are the essential differences between old and new Zafira? It's bigger and there's more space, although the Flex7 system is virtually unchanged. There's a longer wheelbase as well as being wider and lower: it's as much as 10cm lower at the back. In practical terms, it means a maximum load capacity of 1,820 litres or 120 litres more than its predecessor.
In a five-seating configuration, cargo space is 645 litres, an increase of 45 litres. With all seven seats in place, luggage space is still tight, but in five passenger mode, it's more realistic. The rearmost, or third row, seats don't offer a proper drop-down feel for adult legs: their role remains largely for smaller children.
From the driving perspective, the dash looks thoroughly modernised. The gear lever has been moved from the cabin floor to the bottom of the dash, and an aircraft-styled U-shaped handbrake has been added, like that on the Renault Megane.
The new Zafira comes with a wide range of cost options including a smart entry system that allows doors to unlock automatically with the key arrangement remaining in a pocket or handbag. Probably most appealing at last week's international launch was the panoramic glass sunroof which incorporates electric blinds and five aircraft-style storage boxes at roof level. It's clever but relatively expensive: the cost here will be €1,600. Standard specifications will be determined by four levels of trim, Life, Club, Design and SRi.
Zafira II will be challenging in a more crowded market, compared with the predecessor's launch in 1999. But the sales strength of the original should still enhance credibility in the forest of alternative offerings, models such as the Fiat Multipla, Honda FR-V, VW Touran, Mazda5 and of course the Scenic. The enhancing bit has to be what designer Van der Haegen called "maturity in design and detail". New Zafira, then, is good badly-needed news for Opel and General Motors.