AN engine so quiet it's being called the Whisper Diesel is being introduced by Vauxhall in an updated range of Meriva compact MPVs.

Replacing the long serving 1.7-litre engine in all but the diesel automatic versions of the popular little family car, the new powerplant delivers greater economy and lower emissions without compromising performance.

And with prices starting from £19,340 the new 1.6-litre diesel is almost £1,000 cheaper than the previous model.

The new engine is arriving as the Meriva undergoes a facelift for 2014 with sharper bodylines, some extra brightwork and the option of some high tech equipment inside.

It brings the Meriva - the car with the rearward opening back doors - bang up to date in a market that has seen several newcomers including a new Nissan Note and Ford's B-MAX arrive since the current Vauxhall hit the streets in 2010.

The new line up is priced from £12,620 for a 1.4-litre petrol Meriva in base level Expression trim and tops out at £22,355 for a 1.7 diesel automatic in top grade SE specification.

Four engines - there is also a 1.3-litre diesel available - and six trims are on offer with all featuring an electronic parking brake, heated door mirrors, electric front windows and a fully adjustable steering wheel although air conditioning is not standard on the lower grades.

In top trim the Meriva with the new 1.6-litre diesel engine costs from £21,370 which puts it at the top of the pile for compact MPVs.

Nevertheless it has plenty of big car features and comes with a panoramic sunroof which creates a bright and pleasant interior.

The new engine certainly lives up to its whispering name and on the road the Meriva is very quiet inside.

The ride is also very refined for a relatively small car and only at idling would you know there's a diesel under the bonnet.

It is the first of a new generation of engines from Vauxhall and it develops 136ps giving a good turn of speed throughout the six speed gearbox.

With 0 to 60 taking 9.9 seconds it is the quickest of all Merivas. Top speed is 122mph and Vauxhall is claiming an average fuel return of 64.2mpg with emissions of 116g/km.

It's an easy driving car and with stop/start fitted we found it nicely economical and managed 52 to the gallon without any trouble.

The Meriva is very much a family focused model and has good luggage capacity ranging from 397 litres to near estate car proportions of almost 1,500 litres.  With all seats in use there is also some handy extra luggage space below the boot floor.

The door arrangement makes for easy access and with independently folding and sliding rear seats it can be a very accommodating four seater.

Onboard storage is plentiful and includes a sliding compartment between the front seats as well as underseat bins and foldaway tables on the backs of the front seats.

There is good head and leg room throughout while the version we tried was fitted with Vauxhall's new Navi 950 system, a £1,200 extra with a seven-inch display screen which adds sat nav, Bluetooth connectivity and smartphone integration. It can also handle text messages via voice control.

The Meriva can now also be fitted with an integrated bicycle carrier which retracts from the rear bumper and can carry two bikes. It's a £405 accessory but a compelling feature for action families who enjoy life on two wheels as much as four.