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Looks like the 1.8 Easytronic Zafira-B would be a winner if Autoeurokar get the price right ! If the 2.2 is going for S$89,500.....the 1.8 should be in the region of S$82,000 plus...hopefully. Looks like I will be jumping ship soon ! Mirrored from : http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/car-reviews/car-a...ge-1005006.html Vauxhall ZAFIRA 1.8 ECOTEC RANGE Monday April 3 2006 (First written on 2005-11-24) The Supremely Successful Vauxhall Zafira Is At Its Most Buyable In Its 1.8-Litre Form. Andy Enright Reports The Vauxhall Zafira VXR is quite something. What wouldnt you do with 240bhp under your right boot? The body kit, the racy alloys, the sports suspension, the loft that needs insulating, the school uniforms for the kids, the credit card bill from the last trip to Europe: now were getting to more pressing priorities. Thats why as attractive as halo models like the VXR are, cars like the 1.8-litre Zafira represent Vauxhalls bread and butter. It may not have the glamour of the range-topping models but this is a more significant and, arguably, a better car. Heres why. The entry-level 1.6-litre Zafira may seem a tempting proposition at just ?2,995, but this is largely a construct to get a low opening price onto advertisements. This engine cannot manage a fully laden Zafira with any great effort and the ?,200 required to trade up to the far more powerful 1.8-litre version is definitely money well spent. Theres a whopping 34bhp differential between the two cars, so youll feel the benefit as soon as you prod the throttle. Taking just over 10 seconds to get to 60mph, this Zafiras 1.8-litre ECOTEC powerplant is smooth and generates more torque than you may expect. Unless you rack up enormous mileages, it works out more cost effective on a cost per pence per mile basis than many of the diesel variants. Its easy to be seduced by the diesel cars promises of eye-catching fuel economy figures, but reach for the calculator and tot up how much extra youll pay for the diesel model and how much that car would save you in fuel over your ownership period and there will probably be quite a gap. In short, the 1.8-litre petrol model is more cost effective. By all means splash out for the diesels if you want the surging mid-range torque and the excellent cruising range, but dont kid yourself that youre buying diesel to save on shekels. "This ECOTEC engine is a wholly different beast to the old 1.8-litre lump" The140bhp 1.8-litre ECOTEC powerplant is new to this generation of Zafira and compared to the outgoing models 1.8 unit has 14 per cent more power, consumes four per cent less fuel, has improved flexibility and is a good deal more refined. The generous power output means the new 1.8-litre engine is one of the most powerful in this class, but its far from being a highly-stressed race engine with peaky power delivery. Thanks to advanced valve and cam phasing technology, 90 per cent of the 175Nm maximum torque is available from 2200 to 6200 rpm. This wide range ensures lively performance and exceptional pulling power even at low engine speeds, making everyday driving more relaxed with less need to change gear. Trim levels run through Life, Club, Design and SRi with prices starting at ?5,695. Compared to rivals like the Renault Scenic, the Toyota Corolla Verso and the Honda FR-V, these prices are very competitive and Vauxhall will periodically offer some very attractive dealer incentives as well. These are well worth looking out for, or at least having a quiet word in your dealers ear to see if he can tip you the nod. The basic Zafira package is one that is increasingly consolidating its position as Europes favourite mini-MPV. The one thing you can never have enough of in an MPV-style vehicle is space and sure enough, the tale of the tape reveals that the Zafira has succumbed, if not to middle age spread, then at least a little loosening of the belt. This is perhaps understandable given the fact that with utility vehicles like the Meriva mopping up sales in the supermini-MPV class and no recognised full-sized MPV contender, there was a vacuum into which the Zafira would be drawn. Six inches longer, 1.5 inches wider and a shade taller than the outgoing car, the latest Zafira retains the seven-seat configuration, with a middle bench seat offering three berths and two seats in the back that also fold flat into the floor. What has changed is the amount of legroom on offer to the occupants. Whereas the old car would have been hideously cramped with all seven seats in use, the latest model offers a little more breathing space. Its still not ideally suited to a rugby sevens team and their kit, but for the larger family, its close to perfect. As before, the seating system is so versatile that the Zafira can be configured in two, three, four, five, six or seven seat guises in a matter of seconds. Most buyers will run in five-seat format, and in this mode the Vauxhall can cope with 620-litres of luggage fully 20 more than the old car. Depending on the trim level, the Zafira can also boast up to 30 storage compartments. The Flex Organiser luggage bay stowage system that has proved a success with Astra Estate buyers is also available on the Zafira. It is to the Astra that the Zafira owes many of its exterior design cues. Whereas the old Zafira was clearly related to the Astra Mk IV, the current model looks for all the world like a MkV Astra Estate thats been attached to a garage airline. A particularly interesting feature is the optional panorama roof. With four large glass panels, this system offers passengers a light, airy atmosphere in the back, while tinted glass and a powered shade protect against dazzle. A centre console running the length of the ceiling has a number of overhead compartments. The Zafira 1.8 ECOTEC is a key derivative in a Vauxhall stable thats increasingly eclipsing rival Ford as the most impressive of the truly huge mainstream manufacturer. Knuckling down and building cars that normal people like to buy used to be a Vauxhall strength, but they lost their way in the Eighties and Nineties when chasing dwindling fleet markets. Its good to see them getting back to form. FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Vauxhall Zafira 1.8 ECOTEC range PRICES: ?5,695-?7,795 on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 5-9 CO2 EMISSIONS: 187g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 122mph / 0-60mph 10.4s FUEL CONSUMPTION: (average) 34mpg [est] STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4467/1776/1637mm CBX750P