Opel Zafira is ideal for the holiday season
The Opel Zafira has grown up recently. This once compact MPV is now a large, good-looking people mover that is ideal for business and family use. We spent some time with it recently to see what it is like and if it can hold its own with the likes of the Hyundai Staria and iconic Volkswagen Kombi.
Design
The Zafira Life offers muscular, broad proportions combined with body-coloured contact points and chrome accents. The dark-tinted side windows stretch into the back of the third row, giving those inside not only a high level of comfort with plenty of daylight but also privacy from onlookers and protection against excessive sunlight. Zafira Elegance model features Electric Hands-free sliding doors allowing the driver to open the doors remotely.
The VIP lifestyle
Opel Zafira Life Elegance is a more luxurious offering aimed at business customers or those families seeking more comfort rather than outright seating practicality. With full-leather treatment, the second-row seating is reduced to two individual seats with arm-rests and a VIP sliding and folding table in the centre for a truly reconfigurable lounge. Natural light floods the interior thanks to the panoramic roof – a large two-part glass roof that extends to over the driver, passenger and first row seats of the Zafira Life.
Convenience items
The Zafira Life Elegance is equipped with front heated seats for both the driver and passenger for greater comfort. Sunshade Curtains are available on the side windows as a standard feature, enhancing passenger comfort by providing shading on hot summer days.
Dual-zone Electronic Climate Control air-conditioning systems (ECC) as well as separate rear air-conditioning are controlled by multi-zone sun sensors to adjust the ECC according to sunlight intensity, while controlled particle air recirculation prevents windows from fogging up. The particle and odour filter keeps air recirculating, preventing allergy-provoking pollens and bad smells.
Elegance is also equipped with Keyless Entry and Start for added comfort and convenience. The Keyless entry allows the driver to open both front and rear doors when the key is within range of the vehicle.
Power plant
Opel Zafira Elegance models come with a refined and powerful 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine with stop/start technology. Developing 110kW, the Opel Zafira Life has plenty of performance, whether around town or on the open road.
Mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, the Zafira Life offers exceptional fuel economy, largely thanks to 370Nm of torque being available from 2 000rpm. With a correct gear choice always available, the Opel returns just 6.3 l/100km on a combined cycle.
Safety features
Zafira Life Elegance has a Driver Attention Alert with a road behaviour feature. This system monitors the driver’s behaviour via a camera and steering wheel movements and sends an audible and visual alert if a loss of attention is detected. In addition, Lane Departure Warning (LDW) with lateral correction alerts the driver when the vehicle crosses a line without using the indicator. The system also detects unintentional lane departure and provides the driver with alert and visual feedback on the instrumental panel.
The Elegance model features Speed Sign Detection, which through the camera detects speed limit signs and provides the driver with this information on the instrument panel and via the Head-up display. Blind Spot Detection gives the driver an audible warning if a vehicle is detected in an adjacent lane.
