!NEW! Germany’s Best: Opel Meriva MPV Wins TÜV Gold Certificate

• TÜV general inspections prove: No other passenger car has fewer defects
• Good results: Opel Astra, Agila and Insignia also convince TÜV inspectors

Opel Meriva MPV

This Opel means a lot of space and very few defects. When Meriva drivers take their Opel to a TÜV (German Technical Inspection Agency) general inspection, then they can count on their car. No doubt about it. Because the Meriva will pass the inspection with flying colors. This is confirmed in the new TÜV Report 2014, which also announces that its experts have named the Opel Meriva MPV the car with the lowest defect rate (‘defects dwarf’) and awarded it the TÜV Gold Certificate.

Opel Meriva MPV - FlexDoors

With publication of the TÜV Report in tomorrow’s Auto Bild, the trade magazine applauds, “Opel is back. And how ! The Hessians have a real winner with the Meriva MPV.”

With a mini defect rate of 4.2 percent, the compact van is winner in the two to three-year-old cars category, beating strong rivals from Mazda (4.6 percent), Toyota (4.8), Porsche (5.2) and BMW (5.5) tied with Audi (places two to five). This excellent result is not achieved by any other vehicle in the entire TÜV Report and gives the Meriva the overall victory among all inspected passenger cars in Germany.

“The Meriva is a typical Opel. With its extremely flexible and ergonomically perfectly designed interior, it is a real winner. This year it already won in its class in the J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Survey, and now it adds the TÜV Gold Certificate to its accolades. Our well-known slogan ‘Opel the Reliable’ is once again right on the mark here,” says Thomas Simon, Vice President Quality at Opel, adding, “In January our new Meriva will be available with the economical whisper diesel engine, modern infotainment and lots of chic chrome. Our small van is going to make sure we have many happy and satisfied customers.”

In addition to the Meriva, three more Opel models were named “defects dwarf” and made it into the top 50 of the two and three-year-old cars category: Astra, Agila and Insignia all landed in the top sector of the TÜV evaluation.

Opel Astra five-door hatchback

Ranked 16, the Opel Astra even came in seven places ahead of its arch-rival, the VW Golf (23).

TÜV inspected a total of nearly eight million vehicles within one year.

!NEW! J.D. Power Report: Opel Meriva MPV Owners Most Satisfied Drivers

Opel wins renowned customer satisfaction survey with its compact van

Opel Meriva MPV 

The most satisfied compact van customers drive the Opel Meriva. In the J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Report 2013, the flexible van from Rüsselsheim reached 80.6 percent in the VOSS Index, leaving all the competition behind. With the VOSS Index (Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study), the market research institute J.D. Power and Associates measures the satisfaction of car owners who have been driving a certain model for an average of two years and have the corresponding practical ownership experience.

On stage: Marcus Behrendt, Head of European Operations J. D. Power and Associates with Thomas Simon Vice President Quality at Opel (on right)

For the Meriva, the victory in the J.P. Power Report 2013 and the associated title “Vehicle with the highest customer satisfaction in the compact van segment in the J.D. Power VOSS Germany 2013” is the latest in a list of accolades. The Meriva has also already won the “Golden Steering Wheel” and the “Plus X Award”. And the customer favorite is one of the best-selling vans in Europe. Thomas Simon, Vice President Quality at Opel, sees flexibility as the Meriva’s key factor for success: “To be a winner in the J.D. Power Report, a car has to be convincing across the board, as no one can better judge the qualities of a model than the drivers themselves. So I am particularly delighted with this award, as it underscores that the Meriva leaves nothing to be desired in everyday use.”

Passed practical drivers’ test with flying colors

These report results have been published regularly in the car magazine “Auto Test” since 2008. The largest driver survey in Germany with around 18,000 online interviews examines the categories quality/reliability, vehicle appeal, service and ownership costs. By achieving high satisfaction levels in all categories, the Meriva came out number one in its class. The survey evaluated drivers’ opinions on 25 manufacturers and 106 model lines in ten vehicle segments.

Outstanding ergonomic concept with AGR quality seal and FlexDoors system

In addition to its attractive design, high quality and unique onboard flexibility, the Meriva’s success is also due to its outstanding ergonomics. It is the first and only production car in the world to have been awarded the prestigious AGR seal of quality by the “Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V.” (Campaign for Healthy Backs) experts for its overall ergonomics concept.

Opel Meriva MPV - AGR Ergonomic Sport Seats 

A key component of the award-winning Meriva ergonomics concept is the revolutionary, patented FlexDoors system with its rear-hinged rear doors. For exceptionally comfortable access to the rear cabin, FlexDoors can open up to 84 degrees – much wider than the usual 68 degrees of conventional doors. 

Opel Meriva MPV - FlexDoors

FlexDoors are particularly convenient for parents who will find it easy to install Isofix child seats on the outer rear seats and to buckle up their children. When the front and rear doors are open at the same time, a safety zone is also created.

The Meriva boasts even more unique features with top ergonomics including the FlexSpace seating concept, the FlexRail center console and the optional, Opel-exclusive FlexFix bicycle carrier that is integrated in the rear bumper like a drawer. Prices begin at 16,670 euros.

!NEW! Opel Astra Sports Tourer - Best Compact Ever in 100,000 Kilometer Endurance Test Conducted by Trade Journal auto motor und sport

• 104,800 test kilometers without the slightest technical problem
• Best car ever tested in highly competitive compact class
• Driving comfort and long-distance performance impress the editors

Opel Astra Sports Tourer 2.0 CDTI

The respected trade journal auto motor und sport will publish the results of its endurance test with the Opel Astra Sports Tourer CDTI in tomorrow’s issue (12/2013). In the test article the author writes, “In terms of reliability, it completed the 100,000 km distance with flying colors and confidently stormed its way to the top of the defects index hit list for its class, easily claiming the number one position. Touché!“

The compact station wagon went into service for the Stuttgart editors on April 21, 2011 and covered exactly 104,800 test kilometers. During this time, the 2.0-liter diesel Astra only went into the garage for scheduled maintenance visits. In the summary, auto motor und sport thus certified the Sports Tourer’s especially high level of quality: “After almost two years and 100,000 demanding kilometers, the Astra Sports Tourer had no defects and only slight signs of wear. Opel deserves a lot of praise for that.”

The editorial office has a highest ranking list of all endurance tests. In the compact class, the Opel Astra Sports Tourer is now at the top, ahead of the VW Golf, the Mercedes A class and the Toyota Prius. Opel was the only car that did not need to make a non-scheduled garage visit during the long-term test. In contrast, the second-place car had to be repaired three times. With a defects index 2, the Astra Sports Tourer also achieves the second-best value ever of all cars tested by auto motor und sport. So fittingly the endurance test was headlined “Opel, the most reliable”.

Opel brand values precision, efficiency, reliability

With this headline, auto motor und sport alludes to the slogan “Opel the reliable” used for the first time in 1936. The German automaker advertised its products like this until the early 1980s. Now this key phrase is again the focus of the QUALITY!2022 strategy, in which Opel has set itself the goal of becoming better with each new product in order to be an industry leader in quality by 2022. Not only the Opel Astra Sports Tourer endurance test result impressively confirms that Opel is on the right track. The number of warranty claims for new passenger cars has also fallen by 50 percent since 2000.

Vice President GM Europe for Quality Thomas Simon is very pleased with the Opel Astra’s spotless endurance test result. “Our quality offensive is in full swing – and it’s obviously a real success. Now we want to go a step further. Typical Opel values are precision, efficiency and reliability. These obligate us to develop and build all new vehicle generations, bodies and powertrains in the best-possible quality.”

First-class driving comfort ensures best long-distance performance
Quality is not only apparent in technical reliability, but also in everyday suitability. auto motor und sport describes this in the Astra endurance test as follows: “You get into the car and immediately feel perfectly at home in it.” The reasons listed for this include the excellent seats, great suspension comfort, large luggage compartment capacity and the powerful yet economical diesel engine with 350 Nm torque. So all told, the editors see a “convincing touring car” in the Sports Tourer that also gets plus points for good traction and effective heating in the winter. The author summarizes, “The Astra shows its best side on long journeys.”