Vauxhall Zafira Tourer Tech Line 2.0 CDTi 170hp review

Believe it or not, Vauxhall has been manufacturing cars here in the UK for 113 years, and although well-known models like the Corsa and Astra take the lion’s share of the limelight, cars such as the Zafira Tourer are also proving very successful for the firm.

Joining the Zafira range in 2012, the Tourer has taken 44% of MPV sector sales since its launch. More than 50,000 have found new homes and now, following an update in 2016, Vauxhall is hoping to continue that success even further.

What’s new?

Featuring a new headlight design, a reshaped grille, an upgraded infotainment system, a significantly de-cluttered centre console and the latest advanced kit, this latest Zafira Tourer takes a big step forwards, especially in interior quality.

Vauxhall is not exactly historically renowned for its advanced infotainment systems – however, the firm’s latest-generation IntelliLink system, with seven-inch touchscreen, is a marked improvement. It also comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibilities as standard. 

There’s a whopping eight trim levels to choose from. Here, we’re testing the company car-tailored Tech Line spec, which comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, the new IntelliLink system, satnav, cruise control, automatic lights, front and rear parking sensors, climate control, and the firm’s personal assistant system, OnStar, as standard.

OnStar includes wifi capabilities for up to seven devices, crash response, which will automatically alert the emergency services if the airbags are deployed, and a 24/7 call centre service activated by touching a button in the cabin. It’s not perfect, especially the call centre service as you need to allow for human error, but the wifi capabilities are excellent and the extra piece of mind you get from the safety benefits diminish any real niggles with the technology.   

Interior quality sees a significant uplift but still doesn’t quite match up to some of rivals’. The cabin is well built though, and there’s a good use of materials throughout. Some of the features look a little dated, like the trip computer, and although loaded with useful features the infotainment system feels quite clunky to use.

Three engines available

There’s a choice of one petrol and two diesels in the Zafira Tourer, and here we’re testing the most powerful in the line up, the 2.0-litre diesel.

The engine’s 170hp and 400Nm of torque provide enough pull to help the big car feel quite quick on its feet, overtaking manoeuvres shouldn’t be a problem, and although there’s a little bodyroll, there’s no more than you would expect from a car of this size.

Mated to the engine is a well-judged six-speed manual gearbox. The steering is weighted fine too, although it lacks any feedback to the driver, and the suspension does a good job at keeping potholes and bumps at bay.

As you’d probably expect, the car doesn’t major in handling, but it is comfortable over long distances and offers composure and sufficient grip in the corners.

Running costs for an engine and car of this size are okay, but with a combined fuel economy of 57.7mpg and CO2 emissions of 129g/km, rivals like the Ford Grand C-max and Citroen Grand C4 Picasso do better. For the best performance you’ll need to look towards the 134hp 1.6-litre diesel in Ecoflex guise, which is capable of a claimed 62.8mpg combined, with CO2 emissions of 119g/km.

Majoring on practicality

All the passenger seats in the Zafira Tourer can be folded into the floor in a variety of ways. Lounge Seating, standard on our test car, is available, and when the middle seat is collapsed it releases armrests for the outer seats, which can also be moved 5cm inwards and backwards for further space.

The third-row seats are mainly suitable for children because of legroom; however, overall the Zafira Tourer feels spacious. The cabin is light and airy too, thanks to the large windscreen. Opt for higher-trimmed cars and the windscreen is extendable too.

According to Vauxhall, there are 30 storage options available inside the Zafira Tourer including the excellent FlexRail centre console, which provides different sections of storage that you can slide into the right position, including cupholders and a deep cubbie at the bottom. There are also two gloveboxes, deep door pockets, and drawers under the seats ideal for hiding bags from view. 

With five seats in place there is 710 litres of luggage space, while with all five seats down you get a maximum of 1,860 litres.

Whole-life costs

Competitive with its rivals, the Zafira Tourer has a pence-per-mile figure of 53.7p. Residual values also better most of its rivals at 34.2% based on three years and 60,000 miles. CO2 emissions are quite high, though, so monthly tax bills are more expensive than most of the competition.