Everything you need to know about the Vauxhall Combo

Compact and economical to run, the space on offer in the Vauxhall Combo can go a surprisingly long way. A well-established favourite in the small van sector, all kinds of businesses find a Vauxhall Combo is perfectly suited to their needs. If you think that might apply to you, read on for everything you need to know about this reliable van model.  

 

 

History of the Vauxhall Combo

The Vauxhall Combo can trace its origins back to 1986, when Vauxhall’s European partner brand Opel launched the Kadett Combo, a three-door panel van. An estate edition of the model was later made available in the UK and was initially known as the Bedford Astravan, before switching to the Vauxhall Astravan in 1990.

 

Since then, there have been four generations of the Combo, with the most recent arriving in 2018. Known as the Combo E, it shares its platform and bodywork with the Citroen Berlingo, as well as Peugeot’s Partner and Rifter models.

 

Today, this compact van is available as either a four or five-door panel van, as well as a five-door minivan/leisure activity vehicle.

 

 

Vauxhall Combo Awards

 

With its excellent reputation, it’s no surprise the Combo has won plenty of awards in its time. These include the title for WhatCar? ‘Van of the Year 2022’, ‘Best Small Delivery Van’ at the Business Vans Awards 2020, and ‘Small Van of the Year’ at the Commercial Fleet Awards 2019. It was even selected as ‘International Van of the Year 2019’ by a panel of 25 motoring journalists from across Europe.

 

 

What variants of the Vauxhall Combo are there?

 

With its relatively compact dimensions, there’s less variety in the Vauxhall Combo range when compared with some other well-known names in the light commercial vehicle sector. That’s not to say you can’t customise your Combo however, with two wheelbase options on offer as well as differences in height.

 

• Panel van – perfect for businesses that shift small volumes of cargo or carry a set of equipment between jobs, the panel van Combo offers either four or five doors and can be loaded from the side or rear.
• Crew van – ideal if you have people to move as well as cargo, the crew van Combo sacrifices some of the load space in return for an extra row of seats behind the driver.
• Combo Life – seating up to seven, the Combo Life takes the model’s small van dimensions and turns this vehicle into a practical minicab or family car that’s an excellent choice if you have people to move rather than cargo.

 

 

Vauxhall Combo best features

Constantly in production for more than three decades, Vauxhall have had plenty of time to fine-tune the Combo. That’s just one of the reasons why you’ll find a whole host of useful, space saving and technologically advanced features across the Vauxhall Combo range, including the likes of:

 

Space

 

The Combo is available in two sizes. The smaller model measures in at 4,403mm in length, with a load space that’s 1,781mm by 1,236mm height, giving a volume of 3.3m3. Meanwhile, the larger edition comes in at a total length of 4,753mm, with 2,131mm of that given over to cargo. Combine this with a height of 1,243mm and you’ll get a load volume of 3.9m3.

 

Naturally, you’ll lose some load space in the crew version of the Combo when the rear seats are in use. Either way, you can always add the optional FlexCargo system which includes a hole in the bulkhead and a fold-down front seat to cater to items that are up to 3.4 metres in length. There’s also the option of a roof flap, as well as a cargo bag to protect the van’s interior.

 

Cabin

 

The cabin of the Combo is very much up-to-date and in line with the quality on offer right across Vauxhall’s range. The centre console features simple climate and radio controls that are easy to operate, but you’ll also find these controls located on or around the steering wheel for the driver’s convenience. For a small van the cabin is surprisingly spacious, with plenty of room for the driver to adjust their rake and reach, and find the most comfortable setup. That comfort is further enhanced by the seats, which are made with durable materials and provide the right support for those long drives.

 

Safety

 

There’s an excellent variety of safety features that come as standard with the Vauxhall Combo. These include a full-height steel bulkhead to separate the passenger and cargo areas, along with hill-start assist, emergency brake assist and electronic stability control. But you can go even further by adding Vauxhall’s Safety Pack, with key elements including a speed limit recognition, lane departure warning, forward collision alert and a front camera system. Either way, you’ll be glad to know the Combo scores four of five stars with Euro NCAP as of 2018, with an impressive 91% protection for adult occupants in the event of a crash.

 

Engines and performance

 

In terms of engines, your options for the Combi include a 1.5 Litre Turbo diesel in 75, 100 and 130PS outputs, as well as a 1.2 Litre petrol edition at 110PS. These each come with either a five-speed manual, six-speed manual or eight-speed auto gearbox. This can be added to with the IntelliGrip Pack, a system which adds switchable traction control that makes the van’s handling adjust to different road services at your demand.

 

Reliability and running costs

 

You can expect your Vauxhall Combo with a 1.2 Turbo petrol engine to require servicing annually, or every 12,500 miles driven. This rises to every two years or 25,000 miles if you opt for an alternative like the 1.5 Turbo D engine.

 

Fuel economy with the Combo compares favourably across the small van segment. With help from the stop-start technology that comes as standard, you should get between 48.7 and 54.3 miles per gallon.

 

 

Where can I find a Vauxhall Combo for my business?

Whether your set on getting Vauxhall commercial vehicles for your business or are happy to consider other marques, Northgate’s transit van hire is here to help. Our flexible contracts give your business all the tools it needs without restrictive upfront costs, so you can focus on the job at hand. See what vehicles we currently stock by using our van or car hire finder, and call in to meet the team at your local branch today.