The Zafira Tourer has been given a mid-life update as Vauxhall bids to keep its seven-seater up to date.

The vehicle’s facelift includes a nose job, bringing the car into line with stablemates such as the Astra.

The compact people carrier’s front end is now dominated by a large black chrome bar across the new nose, blending into a stylish daytime running light design.

The vehicle also benefits from a fresh interior and new equipment, including a revamped infotainment system.

Behind the wheel, the 2.0-litre diesel engine is punchy, muscular and responsive. It’s especially potent higher up the rev range, but takes a little while to pick up when accelerating from under 2,500rpm.

When you factor in the vehicle’s reasonably precise steering, you’ve got a car that’s capable of being driven with a bit more purpose and urgency than most MPVs.

The Zafira Tourer seems to strike a good balance between handling and ride comfort, coping well with gentle undulations while containing body roll better than some rivals. While the 2.0-litre unit felt ideally suited to a fairly bulky vehicle, I couldn’t help wondering if the less powerful vehicles in the range would have the necessary grunt to provide quite the same driving satisfaction.

In a world of rapid developments in terms of in-car technology, this update is as much about delivering the latest connectivity as anything else.The Zafira Tourer can now quickly and easily hook up to 95 per cent of the mobile phones in use, including all Apple and Android devices. The outcome is a better and more intuitive second generation of the company’s IntelliLink touchscreen infotainment system, which has been integrated in a new dash that is much sleeker than the previous model.

The IntelliLink system, which is something that can also be found in the Astra, is situated lower down on the dash, rather than mounted on top of it. This brings it into easier reach for the driver, making it much more user-friendly.

In line with current trend, a number of physical switches have been deleted in favour of touchscreen controls.

A DAB radio comes as standard, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Overall, there’s no doubt that the quality of the interior is impressive, with a number of soft-touch plastics in evidence.

A smart feature of the cabin is the Flexrail centre console, which has a number of layers on a sliding system to make it easier to store phone, cards, keys and the like. The modular storage system also includes a large storage box and cup-holders that slide on aluminium rails to the desired position. Like in the previous Zafira Tourer, the driver and passenger can enjoy a comfortable drive thanks to the optional six-way adjustable sport seats. Meanwhile, passengers in the second row can enjoy the so-called Lounge Seating system, with a folding mechanism meaning the back of the middle seat in the second row can fold down and rotate to offer armrests for the passengers in the outer seats.

While there’s generous legroom on the second row, the third row of seats is certainly more suitable for children than adults.

However, the interior space also creates flexibility because the third-row seats can be folded down flush with the floor of the luggage compartment, creating a level load surface.

The feeling of comfort and space in the Zafira Tourer is enhanced by the fact the windsreen seems huge, stretching from a low point that so far in front of you you’d struggle to touch it from the driver’s seat to a high point way up above your head.

Of course, that also aids visibility, combining with a high seating position to provide a commanding view of the road ahead.

Vauxhall’s OnStar system is standard across the range, with a 4G-powered wi-fi hotspot, emergency assistance in the event of a crash and a variety of concierge services.