Vauxhalls Vivaro van has carved a very useful niche for itself in the medium-sized UK van sector. A combination of smart styling, tight pricing, low running costs and a wide variance of bodystyles have all added to its favour. The already striking looks of the Vivaro, with its distinctive ‘bubble’ roof, have recently had a nip and tuck to make it appear even more modern and dynamic. The redesigned teardrop-shaped front headlamps give the nose a smoother appearance, while the indicator lamps have been moved from the bumper to be housed inside the light units. The fresh nose is set off by a wider, more prominent V-grille to bring it in line with the rest of the Vauxhall model range. At the rear, the tail lights extend high up towards the roof from the rear bumper for better traffic visibility. These new features highlight the Vivaro’s appeal to customers who focus not only on practicality, but also on style.Vivaro is modern-looking inside, comfortable and very practical. This is without doubt one of the most comfortable driving environments in light commercial vehicles. There's room enough in the cab for three without feeling cramped. The dash-mounted gearstick is easy to use and frees up floor space, allowing the driver to leave the van via the passenger door if needed. The dashboard is hooded, so that any items placed in the fascia cubbies do not cause irritating reflections in the windscreen. The driving position is adaptable, with a height-adjustable driver's and a height and reach-adjustable steering wheel. 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. Big door bins take care of odds and ends and are large enough for large bottles. There are a number of shelves for paperwork and odds and ends. Vivaro buyers will also benefit from GM’s latest technology, with standard ABS, optional ESP and alloy wheels.
The revised engine range includes 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 old 1.9-litre units. A revised 2.5-litre CDTi powerplant completes the line up, with 145PS. All Vivaros get a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, while 2. 5-litre models are offered with optional Tecshift semi-automatic transmission. You can also now get this innovative gearbox on 2.0-litre 115PS versions for the first time. They offer higher performance with practically the same fuel consumption, but have up to 26 per cent more pulling power than their predecessors.
The latest Vivaro has one of the most versatile line-ups in its class, available in several versions 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. To save you doing the sums, that means a loading capacity of around five 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. 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.
On the road, Vivaro is an excellent performer. It's easy to drive, with good steering and sharp brakes. Handling is excellent and it copes as well with twisty roads as it does with the outside lane of motorways.
