As part of parent firm Stellantis’ complete overhaul of its van line up, a revised Vauxhall Combo has been introduced. The changes for the internal-combustion engined Combo and Combo Electric extend to an exterior redesign, while the EV also benefits from a powertrain upgrade.
As with the new Peugeot Partner van and E-Rifter MPV, the revised Vauxhall Combo has been given a new front end. It now wears the ‘Vizor’ grille that features on passenger cars such as the Mokka, Grandland and, more recently, the facelifted Corsa.
Unlike the updated Corsa Electric, the Combo version doesn’t get the larger 54kWh battery, but instead the existing 50kWh pack has been revised to deliver a longer range of up to 205 miles on a full charge – that’s 30 miles more than before. To help this increase in efficiency a heat pump is now fitted as standard. Power from the single electric motor stands at 134bhp with 270Nm of torque. As before, there are three levels of brake regeneration, which are selected by steering wheel paddles.
In terms of charging, the Combo Electric can replenish 0-80 per cent of its battery in less than 30 minutes from a 100kW DC source. There’s also a 7.4kW on-board charging system fitted as standard, with an 11kW version available as an option.
Vauxhall says diesel will still be offered with the Combo, although there’s no word on whether the 1.2-litre petrol will return. We expect the regular Combo to come with a 1.5-litre turbodiesel with 74bhp, 99bhp or 128bhp. Manual and automatic transmissions will be available with this engine.
The Combo’s carrying capacity remains the same with up to 4.4 cubic metres of storage, a 780kg payload and a 750kg towing capacity – identical figures between the diesel and electric Combo.
Vauxhall has set about making the cabin of the Combo better equipped with a new infotainment system. Two trim levels are available from launch whatever powertrain you choose – Prime and Pro. The latter gets an upgraded 10-inch touchscreen and 10-inch driver’s display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
Pro also adds ‘Dynamic Surround Vision’ – allowing the driver to have an image of the car’s blind spots whilst driving. A load-through bulkhead, underseat storage and automatic headlights are also included. As standard every Combo gets LED matrix headlights.
As with the current Vauxhall Combo, the new van will continue to be built at the company’s plant at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire, alongside its Citroen, Peugeot and Fiat counterparts, while we can expect to see a facelifted version of the Vauxhall Combo Life MPV before the end of the year.
The new Combo van will start from £20,850 (excluding VAT) and the Combo Electric starts from £28,550 (excluding VAT). Vauxhall will also launch both versions of the Combo in two lengths and there will be a choice of two or three-seat cab layouts, while the diesel will also be offered as a five-seat Crew Cab model with a folding mesh bulkhead.
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