Vauxhall Zafira (05 on) - Review

Review by David Ross on 15 September 2005

Last Updated: 23 September 2009

The original Zafira revolutionised the people carrier market with it's clever seating, spacious interior and plenty of family-friendly features. Vauxhall has carried these strengths on to this model but added sharper styling, improved build quality and refinement too. There are plenty of neat features such as storage boxes in the roof, keyless entry and an optional panoramic glass roof but compared to newer people carrier the Zafira is limited in its flexibility and the once class-leading Flex7 now seems clumsy and awkward. It's also not great to drive, however it is spacious and there's a huge range of engines and trims on offer. In early 2008 it was tweaked slightly with some styling changes and improved levels of standard equipment.

3.5 out of 5

Other Vauxhall reviews

3.5 out of 5

Summary

New price range:

£18,565 - £25,500

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Used price range:

£2,447 - £13,737

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See 14 new models for sale from £10,995

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Well built cabin, wide engine choice, good value for money, plenty on the used market

Rear seating system not as flexible as many people carrier, lacklustre styling, not great to drive

Driving & Performance

Performance

4 out of 5
"There's a very good choice of engines in the Zafira line-up with four petrols and two diesels. The..."
Handling

3 out of 5
"On the move, the Zafira feels safe and predictable but it does little to excite. It grips well..."

Comfort

Comfort

3.5 out of 5
"Models with the optional Panoramic glass roof (four glass panels in the roof) benefit from an..."
Practicality

3.5 out of 5
"The Flex7 seating system wasn't updated or altered from the first generation car and as a result the..."
Equipment

4 out of 5
"Entry-level Expression models come with electric front windows, twin front and side airbags, Flex7..."
Behind the wheel

3 out of 5
"The Zafira's driving position feels a little confined and the thick windscreen pillars hamper the..."

Costs

Running costs

4 out of 5
"The Zafira is pretty good value - although you should aim for a discount if buying new. Running..."
Green credentials

3.5 out of 5
"The Zafira performs adequately on the eco front and with an average of 162g/km CO2 across the..."

Safety & Reliability

Safety

4.5 out of 5
"The Zafira was awarded a five-star Euro NCAP rating, which makes it one of the market leaders for..."
Reliability

4 out of 5
"The 2004 Astra - on which this model is based - has a decent reputation for reliability and..."

Buying & Selling

Buying new

4 out of 5
"There's plenty of competition in the people carrier market so Vauxhall dealers will more than likely..."
Buying used

4 out of 5
"There's a plentiful supply of Zafira's on the second hand market so don't be rushed into buying one."
Selling

4 out of 5
"There are hundreds of Zafira's on the used market so you'll have plenty of competition to contend..."