Item: Used Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2013-2018
Rating: 4
Author: Steve Huntingford

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/touran/mpv/used-review/n806">Volkswagen Touran</a>&nbsp;is one of our favourite MPVs. It’s good to drive, with decent fuel economy, a spacious interior and Isofix points for all five rear seats. It’s practical, too, and excellent value for money.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/grand-c4-picasso/mpv/used-review/n818">Citroën Grand C4 Picasso</a>&nbsp;also has a spacious and practical interior, as well as superb visibility and a range of punchy yet economical engines. As with the Zafira Tourer, though, there is a question mark over its reliability, especially as the car becomes older.

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If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/vauxhall/zafira?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Zafira Tourer,</a> check out our used car classifieds section <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here.</a>&nbsp;

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There have been reports of minor non-engine electric problems, related to starting the car and a malfunctioning sat-nav system. There have also been issues with the diesel particulate filters getting blocked.

Xenon headlights, where fitted, have been known to fail and cost a considerable amount to fix. Be sure to check the electrics in general, since interior lights and radios have been known to be troublesome.

A well-publicised case of a regular Zafira catching fire led to a recall of more than 220,000 UK cars in 2015 to upgrade parts of the heating system. Note that this doesn’t apply to Zafira Tourers.

Recalls include for -&nbsp;

Affected vehicles may have a chafing condition on the fuel pipes.

The thread on the swivel pin of the track rod end might not be to specification. Therefore when the nut was tightened onto the thread the correct clamping force may not have been attained. After high mileage damage might occur and develop. If not attended to there is a possibility that the component might fail and steering control would be lost.

A front seat side air bag may not deploy as intended.

Check all remedial work has been carried out.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Zafira Tourer didn't feature in our latest reliability survey, but in the last one in did feature in it scored a good 88%, which put it in mid-position in the MPV table.

Vauxhall as a brand finished in 23rd place out of 30 manufacturers.

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Vauxhall has an incredibly diverse range of cars on sale, a few of which stand out above the class average. Add in the fact that it still offers some of the largest Target Price discounts in the market (something it is trying, without huge success, to cut back on), and there are very good reasons to consider buying one of its better models.

However, you need to choose carefully, because it is also a brand in transition. It has a newish parent company – the same one that owns Citroën, DS and Peugeot. And while Vauxhall’s newer models tend to be competitive, some of the others feel dated; a quick check of our star ratings will reveal which is which.

Still, given the recent success of sister brands Citroën and especially Peugeot, each new launch should make its range more appealing to buyers.

VAUXHALL

ZAFIRA

The Vauxhall Zafira Tourer is spacious and well equipped, but it's not as practical or as good to drive as rivals

Used Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2013-present

The most economical model on paper is the 1.6 diesel, with a claimed fuel consumption figure of 62.8mpg and CO2 emissions of 119g/km, according to the NEDC tests relevant at the time. The 2.0 diesel is not far behind, with 57.7mpg, while the lively 1.4 petrol claims an average figure of 41.5mpg and CO2 output of 156g/km.

Cars registered before the tax changes of April 2017 came into force will vary in costs but all should be fairly cheap to tax. Those registered after that date will be taxed at a flat rate of £155&nbsp;per year.

Insurance groupings are modest, too, with a range starting from 16 and up to 22 for the more powerful diesel engine in higher trims. Servicing costs should be reasonable, with plenty of parts available and many specialists willing to take on the work at prices that will undercut main dealers. If you stick within the Vauxhall dealership network, there are a number of servicing plans available for older cars, which help to plan and spread the cost, including monthly payments by direct debit.

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Used Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2013-2018

The Vauxhall Zafira Tourer is spacious and well equipped, but it's not as practical or as good to drive as rivals

Prices for a high-mileage Zafira Tourer start at around £4500, but up the ante to between £5000 and £7000 and you’ll find good-condition, average-mileage 2013 and 2014 examples. Go up further to £8000-£10,000 and you’ll be able to find a healthy 2015 car with a full service history and an average mileage, bought from an independent dealer. More than £12,000 will net you a neat 2017 or 2018&nbsp;car from an independent, or possibly even a franchised, dealer.

For our money, the 1.6 diesel offers enough oomph and refinement (just) and has that promise of superb fuel economy to make it our engine choice. These models sell pretty well, too, so there should be a good supply on the forecourts.

If you can mate that to Tech Line trim, you’d have the sweet spot in the range. In fact, we think it's worth seeking out versions with the sat-nav option added, called Tech Line Nav.

Our favourite Vauxhall Zafira Tourer&nbsp;1.6 CDTi Tech Line Nav

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all the family and their paraphernalia</li> <li>Comfortable ride for everyone inside</li> <li>Seats with plenty of adjustment and versatility of layout</li> <li>Engine that can cope with a full load of people and luggage</li> <li>Excellent efficiency to avoid big fuel bills</li></ul>

Practicality is king in the MPV market, which has taken a hit as buyers have turned towards trendier SUVs. There are still plenty of decent offerings to suit most budgets, though, with Citroën fielding a particularly strong line-up. The French manufacturer’s Berlingo offers bags of space for not much money and you can easily haggle off thousands of extra pounds in discounts, too.

Citroën also scores with the larger Grand C4 Spacetourer, which offers seven seats, lots of oddment space and appealing running costs for something so large. A similarly priced and even better option is the Volkswagen Touran. Meanwhile, if you prefer a premium badge, there's always the BMW 2 Series Active and Gran Tourers or Mercedes B-Class and V-Class.

But for something sizeable that's still decent to drive, we’d recommend you check out the Ford Galaxy, which can offer three rows of seats and decent luggage space at the same time. It’s not that much pricier than the smaller S-Max.

The Zafira Tourer will have been used in tight urban car parks and on school runs, so check the front and rear ends for any signs of damage. Also look at the alloy wheels, where fitted, for kerb damage. Make sure all the electrical systems in the car work and check carefully that all the seats recline, slide and fold flat as they should.

The original&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/zafira/mpv/used-review/n973">Vauxhall Zafira MPV</a>&nbsp;wasn’t a thing of beauty, but it was good value and an immensely popular car for those who were in need of practical family transport.

The Zafira Tourer was, in fact, the third iteration of the Zafira, and it was&nbsp;a longer and wider car than the first two generations, thereby offering more interior space. There's also a higher-quality feel that pitches the car firmly against a newer generation of larger MPVs such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/s-max/mpv/used-review/n17409">Ford S-Max</a>. Indeed, the Zafira Tourer was substantially facelifted in 2017 to keep it fresh and boost its appeal against a batch of highly competitive rivals.

Underneath, the car is based loosely on the stretched underpinnings of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/astra/hatchback/used-review/n17406">Vauxhall Astra</a>, boding well for the Zafira Tourer's driving abilities. There’s a reasonable range of engines on offer; the car can be had with a 1.4-litre petrol unit that would appear worryingly modest were it not a downsized turbo capable of 138bhp. The diesel offerings are the 132bhp 1.6 CDTi Ecotec and the 168bhp 2.0-litre CDTi , which is the most powerful engine available and good for a 9.1sec 0-60mph time, a 127mph top speed and modest CO2 emissions of 137g/km. A six-speed automatic is available with the higher-powered diesel and the 1.4 petrol.

There are six trims to choose from: Design, Energy, SRi, SE, Tech Line and Elite. Entry-level Design equips the Zafira Tourer with a wealth of standard features, including 17in alloy wheels, cruise control, parking sensors and LED day running lights. Inside, expect to find air conditioning, Vauxhall’s IntelliLink infotainment system with a 7.0in touchscreen display, DAB radio and USB and Bluetooth connectivity, along with the new emergency assistance system OnStar, complete with wi-fi hotspot.

Upgrade to Energy trim and you’ll find sat-nav, foglights and some chrome detailings, while SRi models get bigger wheels, sports seats and a three-spoke steering wheel. Mid-range SE trim gets a wealth of intelligent technology, including climate control, automatic lights and wipers and lounge seating. Tech Line has SE’s equipment list but with the added option of sat-nav (making it Tech Line Nav), while the range-topping Elite (also available with sat-nav as Elite Nav) comes with luxuries such as a panoramic windscreen and sunroof, leather upholstery and heated front seats.

On the road, all versions prove to be relatively smooth and sufficiently punchy. The 132bhp 1.6 diesel has enough pull from low revs to haul around a fully loaded car without working the engine too hard. The 168bhp 2.0 diesel provides more push through the mid-range, although obviously its emissions and fuel economy figures aren’t quite as impressive as the smaller engine. That said, the extra shove will be welcomed if you regularly travel with a fully loaded car. The 138bhp turbocharged 1.4 petrol is the cheapest engine in the range and is more than enough for urban duties. It’s also the smoothest and most refined of the units on offer.

It may be an MPV but the Zafira Tourer is pretty game when it comes to corners. Its steering is pleasingly quick, there’s plenty of grip and very little lean, and its handling is entirely predictable and safe, if not immeasurably good fun. Surprisingly, perhaps, the car can make efficient and reasonably enjoyable cross-country progress.

The ride can be a little on the firm side, though, especially on the larger wheel options, but the car deals well with big troughs and crests, and remains nicely composed over road irregularities. As for refinement, the Zafira Tourer’s big door mirrors generate some wind noise at speed and some road noise can be heard. The diesel engines are a bigger issue, because they sound a little rough, especially when you work them hard.

Inside is an interior of obvious intelligence and neat design. The driving position is excellent and visibility in all directions good. The dashboard and its surrounding controls are logically laid out and pleasing to the eye. This may be one of the cheaper MPVs around but there is plenty of evidence of soft-touch plastics, chrome detailing and glossy plastics to lift the overall feeling of quality inside.

Space is good, too. There’s plenty of head and leg room in the first two rows and the three middle-row seats slide back and forth independently. However, three adults will find it a squeeze across that row because the centre seat is narrower than the others. Tech Line Nav and Elite Nav models get lounge seating, allowing you to fold the central seat in the middle row into an armrest and giving more space to the two outer seats. Access to the third row is reasonable, but grown-ups will find it uncomfortable for long journeys, so it's best to leave it for the kids.

The boot is a reasonable size and a handy shape, with good access, and all five rear seats can be folded flat to increase the space available.

If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/vauxhall/zafira?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Zafira Tourer,</a> check out our used car classifieds section <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here.</a>&nbsp;

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Used Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2013-2018 review

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Wondering what the best used Vauxhall Zafira 2013 - 2018 is for your money? The expert What Car? review team can help you out.

For our money, the 1.6 diesel offers enough oomph and refinement (just) and has that promise of superb fuel economy to make it our engine choice. These models sell pretty well, too, so there should be a good supply on the forecourts.,If you can mate that to Tech Line trim, you’d have the sweet spot in the range. In fact, we think it's worth seeking out versions with the sat-nav option added, called Tech Line Nav.,Our favourite Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 1.6 CDTi Tech Line NavPage 4 of 5

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