Vauxhall Combo Life: Practical Motoring

Graham

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See the blog feature on this - When is a van, not really a van? When it's a Vauxhall Combo Life, that's when. Welcome to one of the most practical vehicles that money can buy today.

Looking at the history books, the PSA group, who now own Vauxhall, have always created an MPV from their small van range, such as the... Read the Full Article Here



Read the Entire Article Here
 

Bryan

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Don't really get this whole badge engineering thing... it's really a Peugeot Partner/Citroen Berlingo/Fiat Doblo. No one seems to really want to make their own van now (except for PSA...)
 

Graham

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Don't really get this whole badge engineering thing... it's really a Peugeot Partner/Citroen Berlingo/Fiat Doblo. No one seems to really want to make their own van now (except for PSA...)
PSA own Vauxhall, so you're right, it is a Peugeot
 

stevieturbo

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Citroen dispatch etc.

I've actually had a new Dispatch van ( early 2018 registered ) for a couple of weeks and as much as I always hate anything French. It's actually not bad. The Partner/Berlingo I had before was utter *****.

Dispatch far more roomy up front, ok storage space although far from ideal. Could do with a central drinks holder too. But it's reasonably decent to drive for a van.
Not terrible looking from the outside either, twin rear doors always handy too.
 

stevieturbo

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Don't really get this whole badge engineering thing... it's really a Peugeot Partner/Citroen Berlingo/Fiat Doblo. No one seems to really want to make their own van now (except for PSA...)

Doubt there is any Doblo in it now after PSA bought Vaux over ?
 

stevieturbo

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Maybe not Doblo but look at the Mercedes Citan... glorified Berlingo.

Citan is a Kangoo, maybe different engines just. They might share some aspects with the Berlingo etc, but are visibly fairly different.

Berlingo/Partner definitely the same, and now Vauxhall's Combo same as Citroen Dispatch and whatever is the Peugeot equivalent.

I havent seen anything yet that is the same as the new Doblo
 

Graham

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Citan is a Kangoo, maybe different engines just. They might share some aspects with the Berlingo etc, but are visibly fairly different.

Berlingo/Partner definitely the same, and now Vauxhall's Combo same as Citroen Dispatch and whatever is the Peugeot equivalent.

I havent seen anything yet that is the same as the new Doblo
I was in the workshop one day when a fresh Merc A Class derv was getting serviced... the oil filter had black tape around it and once removed, revealed renault livery lol
 

Bryan

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You're right..

2019-mercedes-benz-citan-interior-1.jpg

Renault-Kangoo-2018-1.jpg


It's the older model Combo I'm getting confused with...
49260_22032017_12.jpg

DOBLO1.jpe


Still... it proves my point. They're all the same.
 

stevieturbo

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They're the same within those shared platforms yes. And old Combo and Doblo were the same, albeit with a slightly different engine range.

But Kangoo/Citan are not same as Berlingo/Partner etc

Berlingo/Partner are the worst van I've driven in a long time. Just no room for the driver whatsoever, very poor driving position etc.

Even with all the shared platforms etc...it baffles me as to how they all build such crap vans that offer so little for the driver who actually spends all day in the van and works in their van etc.

That said, I've driven some new Transit customs lately which are well specced up, and they're pretty good inside. But obviously on the bigger side compared to the above.
 

Blackie

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Great write up and one I find very helpful. We are most likely going to be in the market soon for an MPV and with my affinity for Vauxhall’s there’s a good chance this could be it.

And yes, I do realise it’s not a Vauxhall really........
 

Bryan

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They're the same within those shared platforms yes. And old Combo and Doblo were the same, albeit with a slightly different engine range.

But Kangoo/Citan are not same as Berlingo/Partner etc

Berlingo/Partner are the worst van I've driven in a long time. Just no room for the driver whatsoever, very poor driving position etc.

Even with all the shared platforms etc...it baffles me as to how they all build such crap vans that offer so little for the driver who actually spends all day in the van and works in their van etc.

That said, I've driven some new Transit customs lately which are well specced up, and they're pretty good inside. But obviously on the bigger side compared to the above.

Ford make some nice vans. If I was in the market for a van it would have to be the Transit Custom. Apparently it is the best selling vehicle in the whole of the UK including the car market. Ford & Volkswagen must be the only two manufacturers who actually build their own small vans.

The car in front is a Toyota...
toyota-hiace-2019-first-drive.jpg


Oops no it's not it's a Peugeot/Citroen imposter...

757x426-dispatch-whatvan-award-2017.240458.36.jpg
 

Blackie

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Realistically they’re aren’t too many brands these days who haven’t dabbled in some sort of cross platform vehicle within their range.
 

stevieturbo

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Cant comment on a small Ford Connect or whatever, I was referring to a normal Transit custom. But they're definitely better than any others I've driven.
But even the small Ford vans are great looking vans compared to a lot of the others.

Seen one of the Toyotas the other day and noticed it was same as what I was driving. Bound to be a huge step down in reliability/reputation etc for Toyota to latch onto French crap.
 

impact

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Ford make some nice vans. If I was in the market for a van it would have to be the Transit Custom. Apparently it is the best selling vehicle in the whole of the UK including the car market. Ford & Volkswagen must be the only two manufacturers who actually build their own small vans.

We supply the cylinder heads for transit and sales are way up and beyond what was expected.
Volkswagen are due to share Fords pickup platforms in near future.
 

plexo

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Cant comment on a small Ford Connect or whatever, I was referring to a normal Transit custom. But they're definitely better than any others I've driven.
But even the small Ford vans are great looking vans compared to a lot of the others.

Seen one of the Toyotas the other day and noticed it was same as what I was driving. Bound to be a huge step down in reliability/reputation etc for Toyota to latch onto French crap.

ai autosport had a 2016 connect and it was Citroen engines and also had to get doors replaced under warranty because of rust which is why he sold it
 

stevieturbo

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Yea, they seem to all use that same engine. Must be cheap or something and it lasts the warranty period in most cases
 

raylec

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I came accross this artical and was astonished to find that the car shown is the one I now own,and what a gem it is!
(But it is not fitted with the 230v power socket)
 

Graham

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There is a simple explanation, i think.

The car photographed was driven by me at the UK press launch, as it was then a press car.

I have driven a few since, and those may have been fitted with the power socket, but I've not managed to snap them, so used stock images in their reports.
 

raylec

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There is a simple explanation, i think.

The car photographed was driven by me at the UK press launch, as it was then a press car.

I have driven a few since, and those may have been fitted with the power socket, but I've not managed to snap them, so used stock images in their reports.
Did you own the car? it was reg in Luton, and had its first service in Corby,before sent down to Evans Halshaw Newport Mon, where I purchased it a few months ago, so its travelled a good bit.
Ray
 

Turks

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Did you own the car? it was reg in Luton, and had its first service in Corby,before sent down to Evans Halshaw Newport Mon, where I purchased it a few months ago, so its travelled a good bit.
Ray
He didn’t own the car, it was a press car and he drove it because he writes reviews for cars.
 

Graham

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He didn’t own the car, it was a press car and he drove it because he writes reviews for cars.
Correct. It was part of Vauxhalls press fleet so would have spent at most, a year being driven by journalists.
 

Blackie

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Off the back of this article my wife and I go one of these in October after nearly a five month wait for it to be built in the spec/colour we wanted. So far it’s proved to be a great family load lugger. Plenty of room for my four growing kids and in the Energy XL version that we got, the car is simply cavernous!

Lacks a bit of punch with the 1.5Td 130bhp engine, but it never was gonna be a sports car and gets along rightly. Mpg isn’t to bad for the size and weight of the car averaging around 40mpg.

There are plenty of toys and driving aids in the Energy version, but we didn’t get the 230v plug either lol
 
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