VAUXHALL has a smooth new diesel which will be making its debut in the latest version of the Zafira Tourer MPV later in the year.

The 1.6-litre engine is both lean and mean and makes the sportier version of the Zafira exceptionally economical to run.

Vauxhall is claiming an official fuel return of 68.9 to the gallon and with emissions of 109g/km it meets the latest EU requirements which are not due to come into force until late 2014.

With the Zafira Tourer capable of seating seven it makes the new model one of the cheapest ways of transporting a family.

The new diesel is one of 13 engines Vauxhall will be introducing in the next three years and follows on from the state of the art direct injection 1.6 petrol featured in the new Cascada convertible.

In the Zafira Tourer the new engine joins the current clutch of two-litre diesels and with a power output of 136ps it has more than enough performance.

With plenty of mid range pull it can accelerate from 0 to 60 in 10.4 seconds going on to 125mph maximum.

On the road it is refined and very quiet and all in all a most impressive package.

Its forte is economy - it is the most frugal diesel Vauxhall has ever made - and although we couldn't match the claimed figure we recorded 47 to the gallon on a drive which included a fair stretch of motorway work.

The new 1.6 diesel will be fitted to the Zafira Tourer in Exclusiv, Techline and SE trims and priced from £23,175 to £26,750 it slots into the middle of the range.

The engine is made in Hungary while the Zafira itself is produced in Germany and compared to other medium sized diesels it is ahead of the game.

It matches the class leading economy of the diesel Renault uses in the Scenic and beats it on performance. It also out performs the diesel engines Ford uses in the C-MAX.

To help economy all versions are fitted with stop/start systems and as a further aid to low emissions the car uses an AdBlue additive in the exhaust to eliminate nitrogen oxide.

It will be on sale in October and the engine is so clean that for company car users it reduces tax charges to 16 per cent - the lowest of all Zafira Tourers.

Vauxhall has high hopes for the new diesel and with turbocharging allowing it to be produced in a variety of power settings it will replace the 1.7-litre and some of the lower powered two-litre diesel engines currently used across the company's line up.

Following on from the Zafira Tourer the new engine will appear in other Vauxhalls including the British-built Astra and the all new Insignia.