Astra la vista

Our Astra of 10 years and 100,000 miles has nagging problems and we struggle to get out of the low seating and to load a wheel chair in and our of the boot well. The Vauxhall Zafira is popular here and would suit our needs. Can you recommend any particular model or year to look for or to avoid? Diesel or petrol? We need the space for school runs and travel to Southern France several times a year and thus have a mix of short and long journeys. Is there an automatic in the Zafira range that is reliable?

Asked on 26 September 2011 by WM, via email

Answered by Honest John

The 1.9CDTI 120 6-speed auto seems at first to be a well matched powertrain. But the 1.9 engine can be a disaster zone and has now been dropped. Now there’s an ‘all new’ Zafira Tourer, available as a diesel automatic, but at a higher price level. You're probably better off with the Chevrolet Orlando diesel auto, that has a different, 2.0 litre diesel engine. Test and video: www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/chevrolet/orlando-20.../

Tags: petrol or diesel?

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