A FAMILY with three children can choose any number of cars for everyday transport, writes David Duffy.

A family with four youngsters and their associated baggage to move around has a bigger problem and a smaller choice.

They are into people carrier territory and up to now that has meant a big car, a high car and a heavy car.

Now some people don't like driving big cars, even when everyone says they need one, so the market was crying out for something big on space and small on external dimensions.

Vauxhall got in first and is leading the way in providing seven-seater carrying capacity with the exterior dimensions of a small estate car, with other makers hot on their heels.

Vauxhall says in the next few years, this new market segment will see the highest growth in the car industry.

In 1998, mini-MPVs took two per cent of the total car market across Europe, but Vauxhall predicts that figure will rise to ten per cent of all car registrations by 2005 and reckons it will sell 25,000 Zafiras in the UK alone next year. The German-built Zafira's ingenious ace in the hole is its seating system, called Flex7, which gives an extra third-row pair of individual seats, which fold into a recess in the floor, giving a large and flat load area.

This means that for most of the time you can use it as a five-seater with a chunky loadspace, but when the need arises, in seconds you can transform the car into a seven-seater.

It doesn't end there, as the second-row bench moves forwards and back, giving the choice of either loads of legroom or a larger loadspace.

With only two people sitting in the second row, the large through-loading hatch can be used to transport longer objects.

The 60:40 split backrest can be folded down to take bulkier loads and, if even more space is required, the whole bench can fold together and slide up against the back of the front seats.

This allows space to carry a huge range of objects including, for what it's worth, a 3ft-tall potted tree.

By juggling the position of the front two rows of seats we also managed to seat three adults in line astern without any difficulty.

All this clever stuff is contained in a good-looking, high-riding car just an inch longer and wider than the best-selling Vauxhall Astra Estate.

The Astra-like dimensions are reflected in Astra-like ride and handling. Power steering and capable 1.6-litre and 1.8-litre engines, tried and tested on both the Astra and Vectra, make the stylish Zafira feel and drive like a car, not a minibus.

Four-speed automatic transmission is an option on the 1.8-litre, with an innovative system that shifts into neutral when the car comes to rest. Engineers say this can cut fuel consumption by almost three per cent in stop- start traffic.

A 2.0-litre diesel engine will follow later in the year and more high-performance petrol and diesel units will be introduced in the future.

Prices start from £14,300 and rise to £17,820 and buyers have a choice of three trim levels.

Safety equipment includes twin full-size airbags, front seatbelt tensioners, three-point seatbelts for all the outer seats and adjustable head restraints on all seven seats. Side airbags in the front seats are optional.

AUTO FACTS: Vauxhall Zafira 1.8i 16v

PRICE £16,070 on the road

INSURANCE GRP n/a

FUEL CONSUMPTION:

Urban 24.6mpg

Extra Urban 41.5mpg

Combined 33.2mpg

LENGTH: 170in

WIDTH: 68.5in

COMFORT: Excellent

LUGGAGE CAPACITY (5 seats): 21.2 cu ft

FUEL TANK CAPACITY: 13 gallons

TOP SPEED: 115mph

Story date: Wednesday 24 November

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