WITH its streamlined design and distinctive boomerang shaped lights Vauxhall's Zafira Tourer is one of the most striking people movers now on the road.

The regular Zafira has been around for some time and has proved to be a popular choice amongst buyers looking for a medium sized vehicle capable of carrying seven people.

But while it gets high marks for functionality it's not the most striking of vehicles. The Tourer, on the other hand, really stands out from the crowd, thanks to its superbly designed "face".

And with its high seating position and good all round visibility - thanks to large windows and slim pillars - combined with the top-of-the-range punchy 165bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine this is an MPV which is a delight to drive.

It might be capable of carrying seven people in comfort but that doesn't, however, mean it can't offer some sporting excitement when you are behind the wheel.

Not only is it impressively lively but it's also surprisingly good around corners with very little body roll.

This is an upmarket vehicle with a lot a features carried over from Vauxhall's Insignia range raising its status and giving it a nice all round quality feel.

But MPVs need to be all about flexibility. And with the new generation of Flex7 seating there is a whole variety of permutations available on the Tourer, and flitting from one to the other is simple.

When carrying five people or less you can leave the two seats in the third row folded flat into the floor to give you plenty of luggage space. If you need them it's just one easy movement to restore them to their upright position.

By the same token if you need maximum carrying capacity you can drop the two seats in the third row and the three in the second row completely flat in seconds to give you the carrying capacity of a small van. It's simply a case of pulling a loop handle on each seat for it to drop it into the floor to give you a flat load surface.

The second row seats also have forward and backward movement as well as reclining seatbacks for extra comfort.

In its five seat configuration the Tourer gives you 710 litres of luggage space - 65 litres more than the standard Zafira. With both rows of seats folded down that increases to a hefty 1,860 litres.

Sensibly the large rear door on the Tourer reaches right down to the bumper, so there is no struggling when it comes to loading large items.

On the road the Tourer offers a rewarding drive with a very solid feel at high speed on the motorway.

Like so many cars it's equipped with a stop/start system to make it more frugal but nevertheless there is never any lack of response when you need a quick turn of speed.

I covered more than 400 miles over varying roads and managed to average just over 52 miles per gallon overall, which for such a lively performer was the icing on the cake.

My only real criticism is the power from the headlights. On country roads they were definitely lacking in intensity.

That apart the Zafira Tourer delivered from every aspect and far exceeded my expectations. I was genuinely sorry to see it go.