This is the lairy, high-performance version of Vauxhall's normally staid, compact people carrier. Sounds like a freak, but it actually works. It has the same spacious and flexible, five-seat interior as the rest of the Meriva range, but adds a turbocharged engine, beefed-up chassis and bolder looks. This means you can drive it pretty fast!

It sits on grippy tyres wrapped around 17-inch alloys, showing off extra big brakes with blue-painted brake calipers. The suspension has been lowered and firmed-up, so it rides a bit less comfortably than its slower relations, but it’s not harsh. It also does a good job of putting its considerable power to the road without feeling unruly, unless encountering bumpy tarmac. An electronic stability control system prevents wheelspin and makes it more manageable to drive. Unlike some systems you can’t turn this one off.

Power comes from a 1.6-litre engine turbocharged to produce an impressive 178bhp. This Meriva also has a neat trick, which Vauxhall calls overboost. When floored, the engine produces an extra bonus surge of strength for up to five seconds, which is very handy for overtaking. The gearbox is a six-speed manual, but the engine’s strength and flexibility mean that once on the move you don’t need to change gear much.