Vauxhall Zafira Tourer safety systems are many and varied. With the focus firmly on family motoring, the Zafira Tourer comes well equipped with safety equipment. Buyers get six airbags and the usual stability control and other safety features as standard. There are also a number of new safety systems available. These include a Following Distance Indication that encourages the driver to keep a safer distance from the car in front, as well as a Forward Collision Alert which warns the driver with an alarm if a crash is imminent.

This model hasn’t been tested by safety body Euro NCAP, but the previous model was awarded five stars (on the old scoring system). With the addition of new safety systems we’d expect this model to do just as well.

A significant development from the previous model is the middle row of seats. This was previously a bench seat and meant all three seats had to be lowered at the same time. There are, however, now three individual seats which means you can have a number of different configurations. 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.

Put up all seven seats and you’ll just about manage a couple of soft bags. Vauxhall claims that there are up to 30 storage compartments. There are the usual door compartments – a bit too small for a 500ml bottle – as well as two gloveboxes, and even a small hidden compartment directly in front of the sat nav. If you need to hide something in this car, then it shouldn’t be too hard.

Between the driver and passenger is a clever storage system that works on rails. This means you can bring the cup holders forward or the central armrest. Push them both back and you have a deep storage underneath this. If the sections on rails get annoying, then you can even take them out. The FlexFix bicycle carrier is available on the Zafira for the first time.

It can carry heavier bikes without a restriction on speed while an adaptor is also available to allow four bikes to be carried.