The fresh face of Vauxhall’s stylish panel van went on sale this autumn. Already regarded as one of the most distinctive models in its class, the British-built Vivaro brings with it a few tweaks to make the successful formula of its original, unique styling stay fresh for the next few years. Vivaros primary virtues are its distinctive ‘bubble-roof’ and exciting, aerodynamic, profile. A smart new V-grille and revised front light clusters, with indicators integrated into the lenses, gives the Vivaro a bolder front, while clear rear lamp lenses and revised clusters freshen up the back end.Inside, the cabin also gets a few changes. Fresh upholstery and fabrics give the interior a smart, clean appearance, while top models get alloy-effect detailing on the gear lever and door trims, as well as smart chrome rims around the dials. A revised range of infotainment systems are on offer, including colour sat nav. Vivaro buyers also benefit from GMs latest technology, with standard ABS, optional ESP and alloy wheels. The changes add to the Vivaro’s driver-oriented feel, with its car-like driving position, slick six-speed gearbox and surprising dynamic ability.
New powerplants include two all-new 2.0-litre CDTi units, which are fully Euro IV compliant. The engines develop either 90PS or 115PS – compared to the 82PS and 100PS of the existing 1.9-litre units. They offer higher performance with practically the same fuel consumption, but have up to 26 per cent more pulling power than their predecessors.
A revised 2.5-litre CDTi powerplant completes the line up, with 145PS up 10PS over the existing 2.5 CDTi. All Vivaros get a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, while a six-speed TecShift automated-manual transmission is available on 2.0 115PS models for the first time, and also on 2.5-litre models. A further boost to high mileage users is that the new powerplants use a service-free cam chain, rather than a rubber belt, reducing the cost of maintenance and minimising the amount of time the van must spend off the road.
Vivaro offers a choice of load space volumes up to 2.9 tonnes in gross vehicle weight and offered with two wheelbase options (3098mm and 3498mm) and two roof heights giving a maximum load volume of over 8m3. The short-wheelbase low roof panel van has a length of 4.78m, a width of 1.90m and a height of 1.96m. Inside the load area is 2.41m long and 1.32m high with a loading capacity of around 5 cubic metres. Opt for the long version and that rises to nearly six cubic metres, thanks to a length of 5.18m and a load area length of 2.81m. In other words enough for three Euro-pallets. Go for the long wheelbase, high roof model and there is a load volume of 8.4m3. To help access all this space, a one metre-wide sliding door is fitted as standard on the passenger side. A second sliding door is available as an optional extra, as is a hinged rear door opening to an angle of 270 degrees for the long wheelbase version.
Vauxhall’s 18,000-mile service intervals and 100,000-mile, 3-yr warranty add further to the low running costs and added peace of mind. Vivaro customers can also take advantage of Vauxhall’s new Premier Service Centres. Aimed at minimising downtime while maximising mobility, the Premier Service Centre promise includes CV-trained technicians at each PSC retailer, meaning they will guarantee a same day repair providing parts are in stock, while for diagnosis or repair taking no more than 90 minutes, no prior appointment is needed. Should the vehicle need to be taken off the road, suitable alternative transport and onward mobility options are available. Every centre also has a dedicated service phone line for customers wanting to book in advance. Covering a huge area of the country from Glasgow to Plymouth, there is a centre within one hour’s driving time of almost 90 percent of UK households.
The new models represent the latest chapter in Vauxhall’s amazing commercial vehicle success story – one that has seen sales more than double since Vivaro’s introduction in 2002, to a record high of over 52,000 commercial vehicles sold in the UK last year.
