Vauxhall Vivaro review

Introduction

The Vivaro was the fifth best-selling van in the UK back in 2019 - the last ‘normal’ year before Covid hit - but has climbed to third in 2021 behind just the Ford Transit and Transit Custom. What that hides, however, is its popularity with retail buyers and lessors; they’re the small business rather than large fleets, where the Vivaro is frequently top of the list.

To achieve that, Vauxhall must be doing something right. With a lot of competition (some closely related) and a shift in consumer demands, is the time still right for the Vivaro?

At a Glance

The Vauxhall Vivaro has, for many years been a popular choice for fleets and small businesses alike that need versatility, practicality and low running costs. 

Although not often troubling the mighty Ford Transit, and latterly Custom at the top of the sales charts it (and its almost identical sibling the Renault Trafic) has enjoyed consistent success over the years.

With Vauxhall’s acquisition by the PSA (now Stellantis) group, which encompasses the Peugeot and Citroen brands, it was clear that a joint venture with Renault for the next generation of medium van would be unlikely, and, with PSA already having a worthy contender in the sector with the Expert and Dispatch, common-sense would dictate that the new Vivaro would share the same platform (and more) with these vans.

So, at the UK Commercial Vehicle show in the spring of 2019, the now current Vivaro was unveiled.

2020 saw the launch of the all-electric Vivaro-e. This van deserves a full review of its own but, with numbers such as an official range of up to 205 miles, standard charge times as low as 7.5 hours and payloads up to 1,226kgs it’s proving to be a very viable proposition for those wishing to embrace change and move into a fully electric van.

Key Features

There’s no lack of choice here – whether it’s body styles, weights, trim levels or engines, the Vivaro (mostly) has it covered. 

The van is offered in two lengths although there’s just the one height option. You can also specify the Vauxhall in Doublecab form, handy for those needing a dual-purpose vehicle, and there’s even a platform cab which is designed as a base for some more specialised conversions. There’s a choice of three weights, all offering competitive payloads.

Three trim levels are on offer. Entry-level Dynamic has a fair level of equipment as standard considering its position in the range. 

There’s perhaps not so much bling on the exterior but, things start to perk up with the Sportive which has some nice body-coloured parts such as the bumpers and side mouldings – perhaps disappointingly, there are no alloy wheels though, something over the years Vauxhall has repeatedly introduced then discontinued at Sportive spec. 

You do get them in the range-topping Vivaro Elite, some nice 17” silver ones that are designed to complement the chrome effect front grill you’ll find on this model.

Performance & Drive

There are two engines with three outputs – The 1.5-litre Euro 6D is offered at 100hp and 120hp, with relatively modest torque figures of up to 300Nm for the higher-powered version. The 2.0-litre unit is rated at 145hp and is available with an eight-speed automatic gearbox option. Go for this configuration and you’ll get a much more respectable 370Nm of torque.

Sadly, Vauxhall has now discontinued the 180hp option, although we’d guess that sales would have been relatively modest for what is a working vehicle.

Our test van was fitted with the 120hp engine. Although we were unable to test the Vivaro with a full load, the 2.0-litre engine proved very sprightly indeed, making light work of urban driving in particular.

The gearbox was slick and smooth, and noise intrusion, although not class-leading, was acceptable with only engine noise being apparent, all other potential sources having been successfully silenced.

Handling, when pushed, was good although on occasion the front felt a little light.

Running Costs

Vauxhall is well known for being value-oriented, and that continues with the Vivaro. List prices start at just under £27,000 plus VAT, although our test vehicle carries a rather more substantial price tag of £37,086 plus VAT.

When that's converted to lease rates, the Vivaro looks more compelling. Monthly payments start at just £231 (at the time this was written) which makes it the best value van against its Stellantis siblings - the Citroen Despatch, Fiat Scudo, Peugeot Expert and Toyota Proace.

Even looking at a top-spec model such as the one we’re driving, rates are still competitive and towards the lower end of the scale.

In the time we spent with the Vauxhall Vivaro, the onboard computer reported that we averaged just over 36mpg which compares well with the official WLTP combined figure of 37.1mpg.

Service intervals are 25,000 miles or two years on the 1.5-litre engined Vivaro’s. The 2.0-litre versions go on for 30,000 miles before needing a dealer visit but are also subject to the same two-year limit.

All diesel Vivaro’s have a three year or 100,000-mile warranty, although it’s probably worth mentioning that the Toyota Proace (which is essentially the same van) has a warranty that can run for as long as ten years, with the same mileage limit.

Interior and Technology

Vivaro Dynamic, although entry-level, boasts a fair level of equipment. A 7.0-inch touchscreen provides access to the usual multimedia offerings including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, and you’ll also find that very welcome air conditioning switch. Automatic wipers and lights help maintain visibility without driver intervention, and the rear parking sensors will help to keep bumps and scrapes to a minimum.

Sportive is more about exterior flourishes, but in the cab, there’s now a handy load-through bulkhead for those longer items. 

Elite comes with satellite navigation, a leather-covered steering wheel and a rear-view camera. At this trim point, some decent driver aids are added, including cruise control, lane departure warning, speed sign recognition with intelligent speed adaptation, and a driver drowsiness alert.

On entering the van for the first time initial impressions are that the dash is simple but functional, although some might say a little basic and slightly dated. Having said that, everything is where it should be, and the media unit is very clear and reasonably simple to use.

Cab storage is excellent. Huge door bins will take a plethora of driver’s bottles, newspapers etc, and additional capacity is offered elsewhere on the facia. The top of the dash has a large, deep bin together with cup holders for the driver and passenger.

All-round visibility is good, with forward vision in particular free of obstruction by a high dash. Seating proved very comfortable on a long journey, although the centre passenger will find that his or her right leg is fouled by the gear lever surround.

Our test van was a Doublecab, and we found that the triple bench seat in the rear to be easily accessed from the side doors and legroom is more than adequate. A mesh bulkhead gives passengers some decent protection from shifting loads in the rear.

Payload and Practicality

Easily accessed from the rear or by either of the now-standard twin side loading doors, the load space is functional – straight sides, minimal wheel arch intrusion and plenty of substantial lashing rings at floor level. 

Lighting is poor, as with most vans from manufacturers who are keen to keep costs down. LEDs are nowhere to be seen with just a couple of weak, standard bulbs to aid the driver in poor light.

Vivaro L1 has a maximum load length of 2,512mm which gives a volume of 5.3 cubic metres whilst the L2 van offers a maximum load length at floor level of 2.862 metres.

The Doublecab second-row seat reduces this but an ingenious folding mechanism allows the seat and bulkhead to be stowed behind the driver allowing the vast majority of the van load area to be used for goods; 5.5 cubic metres are available compared to 6.1 for the standard van. Capacity is 4.0 cubic metres with the seats in place.

Marketed at 2,700, 2,900 and 3,100kg GVM weights, the Vivaro has a very competitive set of available payloads. Opt for the panel van and you’ll have anywhere between 975kgs and 1,458kgs. Even the heavier Doublecab has a minimum of 1,170kgs, rising to 1,259kgs depending on the trim spec.

Safety

Safety is a mixed bag for the Vivaro. Euro NCAP awarded the van a ‘silver’ rating when tested earlier this year, which puts it on par with almost all of its rivals.

The Elite model benefits from most safety equipment, coming fitted with lane departure warning, speed sign recognition, driver drowsiness alert and a panoramic rear-view camera, as well as cruise control. However, the Sportive and Dynamic miss out on this essential technology.

It’s possible to upgrade the entry-level Dynamic model with an optional Driver Assistance Pack for £20 - which is reasonable value - although you can’t add that to the Sportive model. The rear-view camera adds a further £700.

There’s no way of adding the automatic emergency braking with pedestrian protection unless you opt for the electric Vivaro-e.

Options

Three trim levels mean there’s likely to be a suitable van for most, with the entry-level Dynamic coming reasonably well equipped. Sportive adds a bit of extra kit and a whole lot of stylish stick-on bits - body-coloured bumpers, metallic paint, fancy wheels, and so on- while Elite includes a navigation system, extra safety gear and smart alloy wheels.

All that extra safety kit is available on the Dynamic model for £320 but inexplicably, it’s not available on the Sportive.

All models have various options to boost practicality in the load area, from windows in doors to an anti-slip wooden floor with aluminium rails.

For those wanting to look good as well, upgraded wheels start from £200 while special paint colours run from £500 to £800, unless you want plain old white.

Rival Vans

The most obvious rival for the Vivaro is the UK’s best selling van, the Ford Transit Custom. It’s an excellent bit of kit, backed by Ford Pro service that should keep businesses moving, with car-like cabins and solid performance. There’s no electric version - yet - but there’s a strong range of engines, trim levels and even styles to keep most owners happy.

Volkswagen’s Transporter is comfortable and safe to drive, with powerful engines, but it’s a tad noisy, a little thirsty and, frustratingly, there's not much in-cab storage.

There are four more obvious rivals for the Vivaro, and they’re all very closely related. The Peugeot Expert, Citroen Despatch, Fiat Scudo and Toyota Proace are all, fundamentally, the same vehicle. Minor trim differences aside, the decision for which to go for should come down to monthly leasing rates rather than any brand loyalty.

That said, The Toyota might suit owner-operators and small businesses just a little more thanks to Toyota’s impressive commercial vehicle dealer backup and, for those on longer lease deals, a warranty package that’s unbeatable.

Verdict

Without that optional limited-slip differential, there’s not much reason to pick the Transit Connect Active over any other Connect models, unless you need that extra few millimetres of ground clearance.

However, splash out the relatively small amount on the LSD (and the £550 plus VAT will be reduced to a simple monthly uplift on a lease deal) and the van is transformed into something that’s entertaining to drive on the road and capable of covering most ground off-road.

The rugged add-ons will suit many, and they do genuinely (if not massively) improve the vans' capabilities. Even without them, the Transit Connect has enough style to appeal to owner-operators, strong enough value to appeal to fleet buyers, and enough payload and cargo capacity to appeal to all.

Where to next?

View our latest Vauxhall Vivaro Leasing Deals - from just £269.91 per month inc VAT**

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*Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top four leading independent website reviews of the Vauxhall Vivaro Van

**Correct as of 11/05/2022. Based on 9 months initial payment, 10,000 miles over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments or £2,429.19 Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.