The Opel Meriva was Opel’s mini MPV, built from May 2003 to June 2017 in two generations on the Corsa platform. Both cars were designed around a flexible interior, and the second generation introduced rear-hinged rear doors and five Euro NCAP stars.
Opel Meriva at a glance
| Maker | Opel, a General Motors brand |
|---|---|
| Production | May 2003 – June 2017 |
| Class | mini MPV |
| Platform | Opel Corsa |
| Meriva A | 2003–2010, on the Corsa C |
| Meriva B | 2010–2017 |
| Length, Meriva A | 4,052 mm |
| Length, Meriva B | 4,288 mm |
| Interior system | FlexSpace sliding and folding rear seats |
| Meriva B doors | rear-hinged FlexDoors |
| Replaced by | Crossland X |
| South American name | Chevrolet Meriva |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Opel Meriva.
History of the Opel Meriva
Meriva A
The first Meriva, the Meriva A, was based on the third-generation Opel Corsa C and went on sale in May 2003, after the first official pictures appeared in August 2002. It has been called a mini MPV, a supermini-MPV, a small people carrier and an estate car, which says something about how new the class was. Like the larger Zafira, the Meriva had a flexible interior marketed as FlexSpace: although it had only five seats in two rows, the second row could slide forwards and backwards or fold flat into the floor to make a level loading platform. In two-seat mode the rear seats were separated from the doors and from each other like the front seats; in three-seat mode the bench looked like a normal one-piece seat. The front passenger seat could be pushed fully back.
At launch there were three petrol engines and one diesel, with a 1.4 replacing the 1.6 8v in 2005. The 1.6 turbo came with a six-speed manual as standard, and the 1.6 16v and 1.8 could be ordered with a five-speed Easytronic. A facelift in February 2006 brought revised front and rear ends, new engines and an OPC/VXR trim level. In Europe the car scored four stars for adult occupants and one for pedestrians in the 2003 Euro NCAP test. From 2003 to 2012 the same car was sold in South America, except Chile, as the Chevrolet Meriva, developed with General Motors do Brasil and built in São José dos Campos; it was replaced there by the Chevrolet Spin.
Meriva B
The second generation was shown in November 2009, made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010 and went on sale on 12 June 2010. At 4,288 mm it was 236 mm longer than the car it replaced. It used a revised version of the previous suspension with the floorpan of the seven-seat Zafira Tourer, and its interior followed the 2009–2015 Astra and Insignia, including their front seats with 240 mm of length adjustment and 65 mm of height adjustment. Its most distinctive feature was a pair of rear-hinged rear doors, marketed as FlexDoors, and a panoramic sunroof was standard on the top versions. The Meriva B scored five Euro NCAP stars in 2010. A facelift was shown at Frankfurt in September 2013 and at Brussels in January 2014, together with a new 1.6 CDTI diesel in 95, 110 and 136 PS forms. Production ended in June 2017, when the Crossland X took over as Opel moved from MPVs to SUVs.
Design and features
- FlexSpace: a rear bench that slides, splits and folds flat into the floor.
- FlexDoors: rear-hinged rear doors on the second generation.
- Corsa platform: small-car mechanicals under a tall, roomy body.
- Five Euro NCAP stars: the Meriva B scored the maximum in 2010.
Opel Meriva versions
- Meriva A (2003): the original mini MPV on the Corsa C.
- Meriva A facelift (2006): revised ends, new engines and an OPC/VXR version.
- Chevrolet Meriva: the South American version, built in Brazil.
- Meriva B (2010): longer car with FlexDoors.
- Meriva B facelift (2014): restyled car with the new 1.6 CDTI diesel.
The Meriva was built on the Corsa and sat below the larger Zafira. More cars are in the Opel collection.
Sources
- Opel Meriva, English Wikipedia: generations, FlexSpace, engines, safety, replacement
_–_Frontansicht,_11._März_2012,_Heiligenhaus.jpg){kind=link}