Item: Vauxhall Combo-e Life
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The Vauxhall Combo-e Life is priced so that every version falls under the £32,000 cost threshold for&nbsp;the Government's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/electric-car-grant-everything-you-need-to-know/n22815">electric car grant</a>. The five-seat M version we recommend is only a fraction more expensive than the less well-equipped entry-level <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/berlingo/estate/review/n23857">Citroën e-Berlingo</a>.

PCP finance deals weren’t available at the time of writing, but they might not be as good as those of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/rifter/estate/review/n23858">Peugeot e-Rifter</a> because the Combo-e Life has poorer expected resale values (they're used to calculate monthly payments).

Fortunately, it should be exceptionally cheap to run because there’s no annual VED road tax to pay. Home charging on an Economy 7&nbsp;tariff will be significantly less than filling up with petrol or diesel too.

Standard equipment with SE trim is generous, with 16in alloys, air-con, automatic lights and wipers, cruise control, the 8.0in infotainment system and a camera and rear parking sensors. You also get a heated steering wheel, which you can’t add to either the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/berlingo/estate/review/n23857">Citroën e-Berlingo</a>&nbsp;or e-Rifter.

As with those rivals, you get lots of active safety kit including automatic emergency braking <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">(AEB)</a> with pedestrian detection, a driver fatigue detector, speed-limit sign recognition and lane-departure warning.

This electric version hasn’t been crash tested by <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/top-10-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n20301">Euro NCAP</a> yet, and the regular <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/combo-life/mpv/review/n17869">Vauxhall Combo Life</a> gets only a four-star rating, partly due to a poor pedestrian protection score. If you want an alarm, you have to pay extra for it.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/vauxhall">Vauxhall</a> didn’t do particularly well in our most recent 2021 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey-brands/n23418">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>, finishing in joint 22nd place out of 30 manufacturers with its brand stablemate Peugeot. That’s well below Citroën and Volkswagen, and only just ahead of Ford.

A three-year/60,000-mile warranty is good, but hardly class leading, while the eight years/100,000 miles warranty for the battery is par for the course.

Charging the Combo-e Life will take a little over seven hours from a wall charger, or roughly 30 mins from 15-80% on a 100kWh rapid charger.&nbsp;

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While the Vauxhall Combo-e Life shares a 134bhp electric motor and battery pack with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/c4/hatchback/review/n22375/on-the-road">Citroën e-C4</a>, its shape and weight mean it's not as quick.

That said, the&nbsp;11.7sec 0-62mph time of&nbsp;the five-seater version actually beats the&nbsp;non-electric <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/combo-life/mpv/review/n17869">Vauxhall Combo Life</a>. It feels faster, too, because as with all <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-electric-cars-2021/n17000">electric cars</a>&nbsp;the power is available instantly and there are no gears to change, so it gets off the line swiftly.&nbsp;

The electric range is also important, and the official WLTP range of 174 miles is good for the class (although you're unlikely to get that in real-world driving). It matches that of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/berlingo/estate/review/n23857">Citroën e-Berlingo</a> and<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/rifter/estate/review/n23858"> Peugeot e-Rifter</a>, and is considerably better than the short 124 miles of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/e-nv200/van/review/n20139">Nissan e-NV200</a>.

Refinement is impressive because wind and road noise are well contained at higher speeds considering this is a big box on wheels, although a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/touran/mpv/review/n17348">Volkswagen Touran</a> is a little bit more refined in these respects. You’ll be able to hear a small amount of electric motor whine at 70mph, though, and at lower speeds there’s a bit of thudding from the suspension.

The Combo-e Life is quite composed over potholes and speed bumps around town. Sharper intrusions, such as expansion joints over bridges at higher speeds are dealt with well too, but if you’re after maximum comfort from your MPV, you’ll need to look at non-electrics such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/galaxy/mpv/review/n142">Ford Galaxy</a> or Touran.

As for handling, there’s a bit of body lean through quick corners due to the vehicle's&nbsp;height, even with the help of the heavy batteries keeping the weight low to the ground. The steering is accurate enough for faster B-roads, but also light in town work. Again, traditionally powered alternatives including the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/s-max/mpv/review/n81">Ford S-Max</a>&nbsp;and Touran handle better.

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

The 134bhp electric motor actually manages to keep up with the most potent 1.2-litre petrol-powered model. Its 0-62mph time of 11.7sec for the five-seater version isn’t exactly thrilling, but it gets off the line smartly and keeps up with regular traffic easily.

http://example.com

100kW

100kw

Perhaps surprisingly,&nbsp;the US military’s “keep it simple” mantra plays a big part in the Vauxhall Combo-e Life van-based MPV.

You see, while buyers of most cars get to choose from a range of trim options and engine or motor&nbsp;choices, the all-electric Combo-e Life only has one of each.

There is a choice when it comes to seating arrangements and body length, though. You can add an additional pair of chairs instead of having a boot in the regular-sized M&nbsp;version, or pick the extra long XL&nbsp;model to have the same number of seats plus&nbsp;a bit of cargo space.

That’s very similar to the size options offered by the near-identical <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/berlingo/estate/review/n23857">Citroën e-Berlingo</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/rifter/estate/review/n23858">Peugeot e-Rifter</a> – which share the same underpinnings – but they don't allow you to combine&nbsp;seven seats with the shorter (and easier to park) M bodystyle.

Powering the Combo-e Life is the same electric motor and 50kWh battery pack that can be found in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/c4/hatchback/review/n22375">Citroën e-C4</a>.&nbsp;The batteries don't affect practicality, and you get just as much room inside (including boot space) as the non-electric <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/combo-life/mpv/review/n17869">Vauxhall Combo Life</a>.

So while the important bits of an MPV seem unaffected by this electric conversion, is the Vauxhall Combo-e Life better to live with than the original? Read on to find out.

In this review, we'll tell you all about it, and compare it with the rivals you might be considering, which also include the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/e-nv200/van/review/n20139">Nissan e-NV200</a>.&nbsp;

Remember, when you've chosen your next new car, you can find the lowest price by searching our free&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car? New Car Buying service</a> and checking out all the&nbsp;new <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/vauxhall/combo-life/mpv/deals">Vauxhall Combo Life deals</a>.

If you like sitting high up, we have some good news: the Vauxhall Combo-e Life’s driving position places you much higher&nbsp;than&nbsp;in, for example, a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/touran/mpv/review/n17348">Volkswagen Touran</a>.

The upright position and huge windows do make it feel like a van, but also mean&nbsp;it’s easy to see out in all directions. The seats are very flat and offer little in the way of side support to hold you in place through corners.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/vauxhall">Vauxhall</a> gives you&nbsp;a 10.0in digital instrument cluster instead of&nbsp;the analogue dials of the regular <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/combo-life/mpv/review/n17869">Vauxhall Combo Life</a>&nbsp;plus a couple of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-electric-cars-2021/n17000">electric car</a> specific energy read-outs that are easy to see. The gear selector and the major controls are within easy reach, and the dashboard controls are relatively easy to follow, although the air-con dials are a bit small.

Rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera are provided as standard. One minus point is that the bodywork’s design slices a corner off&nbsp;each of the front side windows.

The Combo-e Life gets an 8.0in infotainment touchscreen as standard. It has&nbsp;Apple Carplay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring functions&nbsp;so you can run phone apps through the screen, saving you the expense of specifying the&nbsp;optional sat-nav system if you don't want to.

The infotainment is relatively straightforward to use, although the Touran's is easier and has faster&nbsp;response times. The screen is&nbsp;on top of the dashboard so you don’t need to divert your eyes too far from the road to see it, and you can specify a head-up display that puts your speed in your line of sight on the windscreen.

The most disappointing aspect of the Combo-e Life's interior is the quality of the materials used to construct it. The dashboard, for example, is a sea of hard, grey plastic and ill-fitting panels.

That's perhaps the biggest reason you might turn your nose up and look instead at conventional <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-mpvs-and-people-carriers-2021/n17001">MPVs</a>&nbsp;(such as the Touran)&nbsp;or posher versions of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/berlingo/estate/review/n23857">Citroën e-Berlingo</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/rifter/estate/review/n23858">Peugeot e-Rifter</a> with fancier finishes to lift things.

Vauxhall has an incredibly diverse range of cars on sale, a few of which stand out above the class average. Add in the fact that it still offers some of the largest Target Price discounts in the market (something it is trying, without huge success, to cut back on), and there are very good reasons to consider buying one of its better models.

However, you need to choose carefully, because it is also a brand in transition. It has a newish parent company – the same one that owns Citroën, DS and Peugeot. And while Vauxhall’s newer models tend to be competitive, some of the others feel dated; a quick check of our star ratings will reveal which is which.

Still, given the recent success of sister brands Citroën and especially Peugeot, each new launch should make its range more appealing to buyers.

VAUXHALL

COMBO LIFE

Electric MPV is practical and very well-equipped but costs more than similar alternatives

First, you need to choose whether you want five or seven seats in your Vauxhall Combo-e Life. Then you need to decide if you want the regular-length (M) car or the stretched XL version.

So far, we’ve only tried the regular five-seater, and even that’s really spacious. There’s so much head room in the front and back that you could almost be in a townhouse. Rear leg room is generous too, and both outer rear seats have Isofix mounting points for child seats.

The car's sliding rear doors are also very convenient when you’re parked up next to a wall or another vehicle. They’re operated manually by pulling the door left or right in the same way as you might the side door of a van.

There’s loads of stowage space, particularly in the front, and the cupholder on top of the dashboard is a nice touch – it’s easy to reach and doesn’t obstruct your view of the road.

When it comes to clever seating tricks, the Combo-e Life doesn’t do quite as well. The rear seats of the five-seat version can be split in a 60/40 layout and will fold down flush with the floor of the boot, thanks to a nifty hinged seatbase. However, you can’t slide the seats back and forth, recline them or tumble them forwards as you can in most conventional <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-mpvs-and-people-carriers-2021/n17001">MPVs</a>.

You can option a 35/30/35 split arrangement with the M version for greater flexibility, but if you want second-row seats that can slide back and forth, you’ll need to go for a seven-seat model.

Although we haven’t tried the seven-seater, it’s pretty obvious that head room won’t be in short supply for third-row occupants. The extra two seats can be folded down out of the way or even be removed from the car completely.

As for boot space, there’s loads of it. Even the regular five-seater has nearly 600 litres below the parcel shelf, which is&nbsp;more than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/touran/mpv/review/n17348">Volkswagen Touran</a> and some&nbsp;much pricier large SUVs.&nbsp;The boot is square, the aperture matches the width of the boot floor and there’s no lip at the entrance.

The only annoyance is the huge tailgate, which can only be opened when there’s plenty of clearance behind the car and is quite awkward to pull shut (there's no powered opening option). The saving grace is that you can open the glass instead of the whole tailgate when you want to load in smaller items.

The Combo-e Life's only trim level is well-equipped, with 16in alloys, air-con, automatic lights and wipers, a heated steering wheel, cruise control, an 8.0in infotainment system, plus rear parking sensors and a parking camera.

SE XL

se-xl

If maximum practicality and zero tailpipe emissions are what you’re after from an MPV, the Vauxhall Combo-e Life might fit the bill. It’s priced to take advantage of the electric car grant, and despite its high level of specification, is only a little costlier than a Citroën e-Berlingo, making it a good value choice.

Need to load up several people and all of their luggage for a big road trip? A van-based MPV could be the answer to your prayers. Although these vehicles are heavily based on commercial vehicles, most will include higher quality materials than their working siblings, and creature comforts designed to keep everyone comfy. Most are spacious, too, with a boot large enough to accommodate multiple large suitcases – even if every seat is also filled.

Van-based MPV

<h2>What we're looking for </h2><ul><li>Long range and ultra-fast charging capability</li> <li>Luxurious and comfortable interior</li> <li>Smooth ride and capable handling</li> <li>Lots of high-tech driver aids</li> <li>Strong performance and great refinement</li></ul>

Large Electric

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Sufficient range between charges to fit in with most people’s lifestyles – and in the real world, not on some far-fetched official test </li> <li>Quick charging times and compatibility with the most ubiquitous types of public charging points </li> <li>Priced to be within the grasp of more than just the privileged few </li> <li>As with any car, ride comfort, practicality and ownership costs can’t be ignored</li></ul>

We define an electric car as one that runs purely on battery power and has no tailpipe to puff out nasty chemicals. These cars qualify for the maximum plug-in car grant (PICG) of £1500.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/zoe/hatchback/review/n152">Renault Zoe</a> is one of the most affordable options and has a surprisingly long range of between 120 and 180 miles (depending on the weather and the road type). However, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/leaf/hatchback/review/n17338">Nissan Leaf</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/id3/hatchback/review/n21832">Volkswagen ID.3</a> are more practical and more accomplished to drive, even if the latter doesn't have a particularly long range between charges.

At the other end of the scale, Tesla’s ground-up EV philosophy – and the American brand’s network of super-fast chargers – makes the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-s/hatchback/review/n150">Model S</a> a tempting choice. It has a classy interior, loads of tech and a long enough real-world range to make inter-city travel a real possibility.

Electric

Vauxhall Combo-e Life review

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Review of Vauxhall Combo-e Life interior by the expert What Car? team. Compare in car entertainment system, driving comfort and visibility with similar cars.

If you like sitting high up, we have some good news: the Vauxhall Combo-e Life’s driving position places you much higher than in, for example, a Volkswagen Touran.,The upright position and huge windows do make it feel like a van, but also mean it’s easy to see out in all directions. The seats are very flat and offer little in the way of side support to hold you in place through corners.,Vauxhall gives you a 10.0in digital instrument cluster instead of the analogue dials of the regular Vauxhall Combo Life plus a couple of electric car specific energy read-outs that are easy to see. The gear selector and the major controls are within easy reach, and the dashboard controls are relatively easy to follow, although the air-con dials are a bit small.Rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera are provided as standard. One minus point is that the bodywork’s design slices a corner off each of the front side windows.The Combo-e Life gets an 8.0in infotainment touchscreen as standard. It has Apple Carplay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring functions so you can run phone apps through the screen, saving you the expense of specifying the optional sat-nav system if you don't want to.,The infotainment is relatively straightforward to use, although the Touran's is easier and has faster response times. The screen is on top of the dashboard so you don’t need to divert your eyes too far from the road to see it, and you can specify a head-up display that puts your speed in your line of sight on the windscreen.,The most disappointing aspect of the Combo-e Life's interior is the quality of the materials used to construct it. The dashboard, for example, is a sea of hard, grey plastic and ill-fitting panels.That's perhaps the biggest reason you might turn your nose up and look instead at conventional MPVs (such as the Touran) or posher versions of the Citroën e-Berlingo and Peugeot e-Rifter with fancier finishes to lift things.

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