New Vauxhall Vivaro van - Vansdirect gets up close and personal
The NEW Vauxhall Vivaro van is here and we were lucky enough to get one at Vansdirect HQ to take a closer look at, here's what our team of van experts made of the brand new medium van from Vauxhall vans!
New Vauxhall Vivaro
Unlike some of the latest new models to the medium vans range, including the likes of the new Ford Transit Custom and new Renault Trafic vans which are facelifted versions of existing models, Vauxhall vans have opted for a complete overhaul of their medium van which now shares a platform with the award winning Citroen Dispatch and Peugeot Expert vans.
Despite being built on the new PSA platform, the new Vauxhall Vivaro van is still the best of British and is built in the same factory in Luton which built the previous model, which has received a multi-million pound refit so that manufacturing of the Vauxhall van could remain there. Let's take a look at the features of the new model.
New appearance
Whilst the shape and dimensions of the new Vauxhall Vivaro van are identical to those found on the Citroen Dispatch and Peugeot Expert vans, the front end design is inspired by some of the Vauxhall SUV range, such as the Vauxhall Grandland X. The new front end design is also found on the new Vauxhall Combo small van which also uses the EMP2 platform, providing a more professional image for your business.
New trim levels
The model we got our hands on was a new Vauxhall Vivaro Sportive van and whilst on previous models the Sportive trim was at the top of the range, that isn't the case on the new Vivaro van range which now compromises of Edition, Sportive and Elite models. All of which are generously equipped with an array of standard features which we will discover when taking a closer look at the new Vauxhall van. Sportive features which modify the appearance of the new Vivaro van include body-coloured mirrors, handles and body side moulds.
New interior
The first thing we noticed when sitting in the new Vauxhall Vivaro van in comparison with its predecessor is the lower seating position from behind the wheel of the new van. New running gear means that the driving position is very much like what you'd find in a car, there's also six-way driver's seat adjustment (sportive models and above) so that you can find the perfect position for you behind the wheel.
The dashboard of the new Vauxhall Vivaro is almost identical to that you'd find in the Citroen vans and Peugeot vans counterparts, whilst Sportive models boast a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto. Like before the cabin of the Vivaro van doubles up as your mobile office, with the middle seat folding down to create a table, whilst seat basis open to reveal under-floor storage, this is also where loads come through if you're using the load-through hatch in the bulkhead (standard on Sportive models and above). There's also dashtop storage and deep door bins to store all your vital paperwork.
How much can the new Vauxhall Vivaro van carry?
Like the previous version, the new Vauxhall van is available in two lengths, there is no high roof option, however the standard van is slightly taller than previously. The Vauxhall Vivaro L1 is 39mm shorter than previously, whilst the Vivaro L2 is 89mm shorter than the previous model. The new Vauxhall Vivaro van may be shorter and narrower than the Mk2 Vivaro, however most of this is found at the front of the van with a shorter bonnet than previously.
Load length of the new Vauxhall vans are slightly shorter than Mk2 models (2.512 metres on L1 models and 2.862 metres on L2 models, compared to 2.537 metres and 2.937 metres respectively), whilst width between the wheelarches has shrunk one centimetre to 1.26 metres. However due to an increased load height and less wheelarch intrusion to the load area, load volume is slightly larger than the Renault Trafic based model, with 5.3 cubic metres for the L1 and 6.1 cubic metres for the L2. Making use of the load through facility expands these to 5.8 and 6.6 cubic metres respectively.
In layman's terms, the new Vauxhall Vivaro van has space for up to three Europallets and an 8x4 sheet as standard, whilst access to the load area is easy with rear doors which open to 180 degrees and twin-sliding side doors. The new Vauxhall Vivaro gets class leading maximum payload of 1400kg.
What is the new Vauxhall Vivaro van like to drive?
There's a choice of new diesel engines available with the new Vauxhall vans which consist of 1.5-litre or 2.0-litre options. You can opt for the 1.5-litre engine with 100ps or 120ps, whilst the 2.0-litre is available with 120ps as well as 150ps and 180ps. The model we had our hands on contained the 1.5-litre 120ps combination and offered excellent levels of economy, whilst also having sufficient pulling power to carry heavy loads.
The 6-speed manual transmission offers smooth gear changes, whilst air conditioning (Sportive and above) kept us at a comfortable temperature throughout the journey. The new driving position gives an excellent view of the road ahead with good visibility through the large windscreen and mirrors. The steering is light to touch but offers plenty of feel around corners, whist the van is also easy to manoeuvre into tight spaces.
Check out our full photo gallery of the new Vauxhall Vivaro van on Facebook!
New Vauxhall Vivaro vans for sale
Interested in the new Vauxhall Vivaro van? Look no further! Vansdirect has a wide range of new Vauxhall Vivaro vans for sale and cheap van finance options available, including van leasing, van contract hire and van hire purchase. Simply fill in a contact form or call us on 0800 169 69 95 to find out more!