2003 Opel Meriva Photos, engines & full specs

Opel showed the first generation of the small-sized MPV Meriva in 2002 and started to sell it in 2003, thus offering a vehicle big enough to fit a family of five but small enough to fit in tiny parking spots.

The small vehicle was based on the third generation of the Opel Corsa, and unlike its small-segment cousin, it featured an MPV stance with a taller greenhouse. It was meant to provide more interior room while still being lower priced than other minivans on the market. The result was surprisingly good, even though the market was already started to shift toward the SUV segment.

At the front, the little MPV showed a black grille adorned by a horizontal slat placed in the middle that sported Opel's badge. Its headlights were more vertical than longitudinal to create an impression of a taller vehicle. The hood was short and very steep, continued by the A-pillars and windshield. The car featured an unusual number of side windows, four, for such a small vehicle. Despite all the attention to the vehicle's shape, the carmaker didn't consider installing body-colored door handles or mirrors.

Inside, the Meriva offered high-mounted seats at the front with little side support. They were meant to provide easy access. Depending on the trim level and options, the carmaker installed a separate panel for the onboard computer in the middle of the dashboard, while the instrument cluster featured a four-dial layout for main information. The biggest advantage of the Meriva was the interior seat arrangement with a 60/40 split-folding rear bench seatback.

Under the hood, Opel offered a range of five engines, and two of them were turbo-diesels: one supplied by Fiat and the other by Isuzu.