Item: Vauxhall Vivaro
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

Citroen Dispatch

Fiat Talento

Ford Transit Custom

Mercedes Vito

Nissan NV300

Peugeot Expert

Renault Trafic van

Toyota Proace

Vauxhall Vivaro

Volkswagen ABT e-Transporter 6.1

Volkswagen Transporter T6.1

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

If you want to buy a British-built van, look no further. The Vivaro is still the only model that can proudly wear a&nbsp;'Made In Britain' badge.

If the Luton-made van does tempt&nbsp;you, we’d recommend the higher-powered of the two 1.5-litre engines if your work requirements allow it. The 118bhp version is sufficient, and&nbsp;the fuel economy it achieves over the 118bhp 2.0-litre engine is worth the slight performance sacrifice.

The two engines do&nbsp;have slightly different servicing requirements, however, which should be factored into running costs;&nbsp;the 1.5-litre needs a service&nbsp;every 25,000 miles, while the service interval&nbsp;for the 2.0-litre engine is every 30,000 miles.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Specification on each of the three trim levels is generous, but we'd expect most drivers would prefer the added features of Sportive, including the 7.0in infotainment touchscreen.

As with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/expert/van/review/n20207">Peugeot Expert</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/dispatch/van/review/n18249">Citroën Dispatch</a>, there are a few additional extras you might also want to consider, including the hands-free loadspace access and the head-up display, which beams your speed and sat-nav info onto a small panel behind the steering wheel. Other features&nbsp;include forward collision alert, a drowsiness warning alert and automatic emergency braking.

All of the Vivaro's features come at a price, though, and&nbsp;you'll pay more for one than you would for either the Peugeot Expert or Citroën Dispatch. The Vivaro is, however, marginally cheaper to buy than <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/transit-custom/van/review/n18288">Ford's Transit Custom</a>.

For all the latest van reviews, news, advice, and videos visit our dedicated van section&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/class/vans">here</a>

Vauxhall Vivaro buyers have a choice of two Euro-6d diesel engines:&nbsp;either a turbocharged 1.5-litre or a turbocharged 2.0-litre.

The 1.5-litre engine makes&nbsp;99bhp or&nbsp;118bhp and 199lb ft&nbsp;or 221lb ft of torque respectively.

The 2.0-litre engine makes 118bhp, 148bhp or 178bhp. The big difference between the three&nbsp;versions is the far greater torque available:&nbsp;251lb ft, 273lb ft&nbsp;and 295lb ft.

If you’re planning on towing, the 2.0-litre engine will undoubtedly make all the difference, especially as the Vivaro can tow 2.5 tonnes, which is more than some rivals.

While the 2.0-litre engine&nbsp;is&nbsp;the more refined and&nbsp;gutsier option, it’s interesting that it&nbsp;and the 1.5-litre engine&nbsp;overlap at 118bhp. Back-to-back comparison reveals&nbsp;the added torque of the 2.0-litre makes progress more effortless, but that the&nbsp;1.5-litre isn't lacking in pace; it's&nbsp;a capable performer with a moderate load on board.

As a result, if you’re not going to operate your van fully laden&nbsp;it’s well worth considering the smaller engine: the initial purchase price is slightly less and&nbsp;running costs sightly&nbsp;lower, thanks to official fuel consumption of 56.5mpg for the 1.5-litre engine and 52.3mpg for the 2.0-litre.&nbsp;

On the road, the Vivaro is secure and comfortable to drive. The car underpinnings upon which the front half of the vehicle is based really do&nbsp;help it feel more dynamic and far more connected to the road than some rivals. It rides quite softly compared with&nbsp;some of the other vans in the mid-sized segment, but it’s comfortable with or without a load on board.

The Vivaro also offers an automatic gearbox with the 118bhp and 18bhp 2.0-litre engines. It’s not the best unit in the class, but it shifts in a&nbsp;fairly smooth and hassle-free manner. The standard six-speed manual gearbox&nbsp;feels a little bit floppy as you pull or push the lever&nbsp;through the gates.

The Vauxhall Vivaro is one of the best-selling vans in the UK and, importantly, it's built here&nbsp;too.

Today, it is based on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/dispatch/van/review/n18249">Citroën Dispatch</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/partner/van/review/n20209">Peugeot Partner</a> vans - all made by its parent company, PSA Group.

As such, there are some similarities: the&nbsp;turbocharged diesel engines, for instance, much of the interior and even some of the exterior all carry a familiar if not identical look.

Buyers must also weigh up new dimensions, especially if they have previously bought older versions of the Vivaro. The option of two different lengths&nbsp;remains, but both standard and long-wheelbase vans have become ever so slightly smaller, yet payload has increased by a massive 200kg on some models.

Trim levels have been updated too, with Edition and Sportive joined by a new Elite option. All three have received an uplift in specification , making the Vivaro better value for money than ever.

The interior of this new Vivaro has&nbsp;undergone something of a renaissance. Out has gone the drab, poorly laid out interior of the previous generation model, and in has come something that competes with the class best.

The first impression you now get on climbing in is of the&nbsp;several different grades of plastic which make&nbsp;it a much more aesthetically pleasing place to be. The number of storage areas is also better, as is the layout, which means finding what you need is intuitive.

However, this does come at a price. While the size of the interior is on a par with that of rivals, previous owners will notice that it is&nbsp;a little claustrophobic in comparison to the older model. Most notably the travel in the driver's seat is notably shorter, meaning taller drivers may have to sit more upright than they would like, and the position of the gearlever is very close to the driver's knee. The relatively small windows and upright dashboard are also noteworthy and may not appeal to all would-be buyers.

The Vivaro's comparatively&nbsp;low seating position also compromises visibility a fraction, too, something that is not&nbsp;i not helped by the particularly small door mirrors, which not only cause issues with blindspots but also when you're reversing.

Kit levels for the Edition base model are generous. It gets Bluetooth, a DAB radio, electric&nbsp;windows and door mirrors, cruise control, a speed limiter, steering wheel-mounted controls and a multifunction trip computer.

Sportive vans get the FlexCargo load-though bulkhead, an alarm, a fold-flat centre seat to give you a working area, air-conditioning, rear parking sensors, automatic windscreen wipers and a 7.0in infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone compatibility.

Elite models add sat-nav, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, folding electric mirrors, front parking sensors and blindspot monitoring.

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

VIVARO

The Vauxhall Vivaro delivers an enormous payload and excellent fuel economy

Unlike its French siblings, which offer a compact bodystyle, the Vivaro is available in only two lengths: a standard L1 or a long L2.

Maximum loadspace lengths are 2512mm for the L1 and 2862mm for the L2;&nbsp;with the load-through bulkhead available on Sportive vans, those figures increase by 1162mm.

Width in both vans is 1636mm and load area height is 1397mm. The L1 measures 4959mm long and the L2 5309mm long.

Load volumes equate to 5.3m3 and 6.1m3 for the two models.&nbsp;Payloads are impressive, with the best-performing 3.1-tonne vans able to move as much as 1458kg. The L1 and L2 sizes are available with 2.9-tonne and 2.7-tonne gross vehicle weights.

Another feature worth noting on the Vivaro is the optional easy-access side door, which uses a motion sensor under the rear bumper to detect when a foot is waved underneath the area to automatically open the door. Regular nearside and offside side doors are standard on all models, along with twin rear doors that open to 180deg.

The Vauxhall Vivaro is a better and more rounded van than ever. An enormous payload, a wide range of choices and excellent fuel economy are, however, compromised by a compact interior.

Medium Van

Vauxhall Vivaro review

Fill out our 2022 Reliability Survey - and win a prize!

Alfa Romeo Giulia

Volvo XC60

Nissan Ariya

Fiat 500

Hyundai Ioniq 5

Honda HR-V

Dacia Jogger

/news/complete-the-2022-what-car-reliability-survey-for-the-chance-to-win-a-prize/n15554

New car deals >>

site ribbon config

Read review covering Vauxhall Vivaro boot space, size and dimensions, front and rear seat comfort by the expert What Car? test team.

Unlike its French siblings, which offer a compact bodystyle, the Vivaro is available in only two lengths: a standard L1 or a long L2.,Maximum loadspace lengths are 2512mm for the L1 and 2862mm for the L2; with the load-through bulkhead available on Sportive vans, those figures increase by 1162mm.,Width in both vans is 1636mm and load area height is 1397mm. The L1 measures 4959mm long and the L2 5309mm long.Load volumes equate to 5.3m3 and 6.1m3 for the two models. Payloads are impressive, with the best-performing 3.1-tonne vans able to move as much as 1458kg. The L1 and L2 sizes are available with 2.9-tonne and 2.7-tonne gross vehicle weights.Another feature worth noting on the Vivaro is the optional easy-access side door, which uses a motion sensor under the rear bumper to detect when a foot is waved underneath the area to automatically open the door. Regular nearside and offside side doors are standard on all models, along with twin rear doors that open to 180deg.

New car deals >>

Vauxhall Vivaro review

Toyota Proace

Citroen Dispatch

Passenger & boot space

How it copes with people and clutter

What Car? has a buying service

Quick search

Tools & services

Legal bits

Information