Vauxhall Combo van - review

I’ll be honest, I got into this gig of reviewing cars with the rather innocent expectation of writing a few reviews about hatchbacks, and then by week four or five I’ll be a rocking and a rolling with the Bentley Continental GT, the Lamborghini Gallardo, the Aston Martin DB9, who knows? Well I do. And needless to say it hasn’t quite panned out like that. No, this is the real world we live in I’ve now realised, and as a salute to this new found awareness I’ve decided to review a vehicle as practical and unassuming as they come; a  true workhorse; a relentless symbol of automotive determination and tenacity. Ladies and gentlemen I give you the Vauxhall Combo van! I’ll take a brief moment to let you calm down, mop your brows and dry those eyes. I know how you feel.

Seriously though, a van is a serious thing. So let’s treat it as such. Being essentially commercial and functional in design this smaller type of van is predominantly bought by small businesses and the self employed. This means it has to provide all the utilities and practicalities of a much larger van while still being attractive and affordable to your average chap, providing a versatile and practical platform and yet manoeuvrability and visibility that is comparable to say only a large estate or people carrier. This combination of elements will always be a challenge for a manufacturer. It’s like telling a chef to make a chocolate pudding which has the same calorie content as a stick of celery. It’s theoretically possible but the end result might not be very appetising. I guess it boils down to creating a relatable image. If a manufacturer can build a vehicle that you could actually see yourself driving, even just to test it then they’re half way there already. In this case the Combo is derived from the Vauxhall Corsa platform, the front of the van up to the A-pillar being straight off the little hatchback. I say Vauxhall; to the rest of Europe outside the UK it’s Opel we’re discussing. And for any Australians reading this it’s Holden.

Now as we know the Corsa is a small hatchback, available in either three or five door configurations, known for its smart looks and agile nature. So what happens when you bolt a shed on to the back of it? In this case quite a lot really. For a start it is considerably taller than the little car, by thirty six centimetres no less. It is also longer by over half a metre. Oh and it is four centimetres wider (every little helps I suppose). Now at this stage please note that this Combo is of 2003 on a 03 plate. As a result it is of course related to the Corsa of that era. Since 2006 the Corsa went all angular and modern, and as of 2011 the Combo has gone all bloated and odd looking, now based on the Fiat Doblò. These things we dare not speak of.

Now looks, I mentioned that a van has to be practical and functional and it does, but this doesn’t mean it has to be ugly. The combo does well here. That Corsa front end is smooth and rather flush is design. This leads to the bulk of the vehicle without any odd bumps or raised areas that vans of this type can sometimes have. Side panels are subtle and functional in appearance and door handles and other similar trim are a serviceable black plastic which one would expect. On the inside it’s a similar story really. It certainly isn’t dynamic and luxurious, but it is quite smart. The cabin is airy and light with buttons and switches that are reasonably chunky and easy to use. On the whole it’s quite attractive, with curved lines here and there such as the panel around the central air vents. This breaks things up giving a more comfortable feel. The instrument binnacle is very down to earth. Two big analogue dials and two smaller dials, all in a variety of greys. Come to think of it the whole interior is very much a celebration of the colour grey. There are so many shades of which it does make one realise why woodlice always seem so pleased with themselves. I say this light-heartedly of course but another colour would be nice, say a black for the steering wheel and gear stick. Maybe silver on the dash board. Colour on the seats would be appreciated too, as, you guessed it, they’re grey.

The whole interior is certainly practical; lots of little cubby holes and storage areas including a very good one above the driver and passenger, a sort of in built attic that the added height has no doubt created. But it can feel a little bare and what with all the grey plastics almost a tad austere. It doesn’t need to have a full chaise Lange and plasma TV cinema system by any means, after all this is a van, the purpose of which we have discussed. There can be however, subtle touches and design motifs that can embellish interior design, adding a sense of comfort without having to install expensive technology. The Combo sadly seems to lack these.

When it comes to driving the Combo we’re in very similar territory. It feels functional. Steering is calm and somewhat responsive but there is noticeable give in the wheel. Meaning you can turn it slightly without the front wheels realising what you’ve done. Presumably so that it isn’t tiring over long distances constantly having to make tiny corrections. The suspension is comfortable to a degree but the rear comes across as a tad bouncy. You’ll notice when driving over speed humps. Again functionality being the helmsman; with the back loaded up the rear springs will be compressed and as a result the back end will become more responsive and stable. That’s the plan anyway (apologies if this is getting a bit technical but I’ve not reviewed a van before and I didn’t really know what to write).

Finally we get to the engine. I’d have thought that for a van driver the engine is quite important really. You’d want something powerful to shift all the stuff you’re going to load it with, but you’d want fuel efficiency, after all this is a business vehicle we’re talking about. Who would buy a van with a twin turbo V8? Microsoft wouldn’t have made any money if Bill Gates had done that. No, you want to be careful. The Combo does have a good range of engines to choose from, Including 1.4 and 1.6 petrol engines and a 1.3 diesel as well. In this case it’s a 1.7 DTI, the big one, well excluding the 1.7 CDTI. That’s the really big one. It’s a tad more powerful but the good old DTI suits the van well. The grunt is good enough that it can cope with a full load. I’d imagine that the 1.4 or 1.3 might feel a little underpowered if it’s very full. As with diesels the low down torque or oomph as I refer to it is good. It’s a good engine for long distance cruising really. In the sense that it’s large enough to be comfortable with the vans weight, the oomph low down in the gears means you don’t have to change gear that often but it still has good fuel efficiency, compared to the petrol incarnation at least.

Now on the whole I think I’m going to have to revert to what I originally said. This vehicle is based on practicality, functionality and affordability. All other aspects are by definition secondary. As a result I will have to come to a conclusion that is befitting, and to that degree the Combo 1.7 DTI is very good. Every practical and logical measure of a van it meets with distinction. So why am I unsure? I guess it’s because I’m just not used to reviewing vans. I review cars, as part of which I review the experience of driving and using a car. That’s probably why I tend to use words such as nice, like, enjoy, fun. These are all emotional in origin, and that is why I’m a bit stuck with the combo; I’m thinking of it how I think of cars. I’m analysing it with the same brain. I don’t suppose it matters to a business owner if the bit around the air vent looks quite nice. But if I was to buy, own, maintain and experience the Combo it would matter to me.

That being the case I will have to conclude by saying that the Combo does everything it sets out to do but nothing more. Everything is competent but there’s no surprise, no wow factor, no zing. It is therefore up to you to decide whether that matters in a van. If it does matter then take a test drive and see what you think. If it doesn’t matter then I can safely say that the Vauxhall Combo 1.7 DTI is the van for you.