Vauxhall Vivaro Panel Van (2024 - ) review

Single roof height aside, the Vauxhall Vivaro is a practical workhorse that continues to sell in strong numbers. The XL Pro version measures 5.3m long, 2.4m wide (with mirrors), 1.9m high and sports a 3.2m wheelbase for a total 3100kg gross vehicle weight. And being a big van, you’d expect it to be capable of some serious load carrying. Its maximum towing weight (braked) is 2500kg (which is good). Its loadspace is capable of carrying loads up to 6.6 cubic metres when using the load-through bulkhead hatch, which is a useful addition, and maximum payload is up to 1335kg in this model (again, this is good for a medium van). Dimensions in the loadspace are hampered only by the single roof height limiting the vehicles maximum load height to just under 1.4m in all models, but the maximum 4m load length (if you use the load-through bulkhead) and 1.6m width in the back of the XL Pro are convincing. Accessibility is excellent with two side sliding doors and two rear doors giving drivers a lot of ways to get inside. Overall, the Vivaro does things right in the loadspace - the one place it counts in a panel van.

Like all the other Stellantis vans, the Vivaro has had its cabin updated with this latest facelift. Behind the fully adjustable and control-covered steering wheel is now a 10-inch digital instrument cluster, which is clear and bold with customisable views for different information and infotainment system mirroring. The steering wheel controls are simple to use, especially when setting the multi-function trip computer and other functions like the cruise control system and speed limiter. The driver gets a six-way adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar adjustment, while passengers get to pick a spot on the dual front passengers’ fixed bench seat that raises on the main passenger side to increase space in the cabin or to act as the load-through space. There’s also some small underseat storage beneath the middle seat. Connectivity and sockets are present with a 12V socket in the lower glove box and a USB socket in the dashboard. The fold-flat centre seat backrest is still present from the pre-facelift models to provide a flat work surface on its swivelling desktop. Dominating the cabin is a new multimedia Pro Navi infotainment system with a 10-inch HD touchscreen, sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto screen mirroring, DAB radio, 4G connectivity and natural voice recognition - it’s an intuitive system, although the screen faces straight into the cabin rather than being angled towards the driver, which did cause me some neck pain issues trying to read the map. The sound system is pretty good, however, with two speakers and two tweeters allowing for in-cabin karaoke of the highest quality. The infotainment system also has Vauxhall Connect integrated into it. Storage is fair with big door pockets, a higher and lower glove box, and a cup holder at either end of the dashboard. There is no overhead storage, but thanks to the generous door storage you won’t miss it. It is slightly more cramped than other non-Stellantis medium vans, and the slightly off-centre pedals might cause long-distance drives to be a bit achy for taller drivers. That said, the cabin is an easy-to-clean environment and feels smarter than pre-facelift models. If you can arrange a test-drive before you buy it then I’d definitely recommend you give it a try.

The XL Pro Vivaro I drove packed a 2.0-litre six-speed manual diesel engine under the bonnet outputting around 145PS. This combination is reported to offer 34-38mpg, and over a few hours of driving in various conditions I found these figures to be pretty reliable. The fully electric version is an option for those wanting lower running costs. The price of the vehicle I tested came out at £34,765, so choosing to finance or lease the Vivaro can help break down your costs further and is always worth exploring.

The commercial vehicle versions of the Vivaro come with a three-year or 100,000-mile warranty - very much what you’d expect in the medium van sector. Some manufacturers offer more mileage and time (Nissan, for example) and others offer less miles (Ford, for example), so Vauxhall’s warranty offering is solidly in the middle. I always say that a warranty’s mileage limit is an indication of the manufacturer’s confidence in its components, so read into that what you will. There have been few reports of any major issues with the Vivaro and this new version has no doubt sorted any of the smaller ones. The loan vehicle I drove was brand new and had barely been driven, so any chance of encountering mechanical issues was near to zero.

The 2.0-litre six-speed manual diesel engine in the Vivaro XL Pro felt smooth with my only issues coming from changing down to first gear where I encountered a bit of notchiness, but moving up to higher gears was no issue. When loaded with my dummy load of 250kg, the vehicle was slightly more sluggish at starts, but performed as you’d expect a medium van to perform. Watch out for the clutch… it’s a strong spring-loaded pedal that caught me out a few times until I learned to keep pressure applied while bringing it up to the biting point.

The Vivaro loves to be loaded and you’ll feel the suspension stiffen up nicely with over 200kg in the back. There’s little wobble in corners and the vehicle seems to enjoy higher gears. Motorway driving was great with clear visibility, and urban driving was comfortable despite the strong clutch. Cornering at slower speeds is far easier than it should be for a vehicle of this size and I found it a fun vehicle to drive with myself and two colleagues in the front. There was a bit of arguing over knee space from the middle passenger, however, but once they’d found a comfortable position that allowed them to avoid bashing their knee on the gear stick’s housing we were all fine.

Safety tech is an area the recent Stellantis facelift is most obvious and excellent. The XL Pro features electronic stability programme with traction control, an advanced emergency braking system, the full-height steel bulkhead, hill start assist, high beam assist, automatic lighting control, intelligent speed assistance, lane keep assist, driver attention alert and blind spot detection. A nice new addition is the digital rear view mirror - something I’ve encountered in the new-look Citroen Berlingo - which provides a camera-fed image on the ‘mirror’ and provides a bulkheadless view out the back of the vehicle. It’s nice, but a little disconcerting because I kept wondering where the side of my head was. Additional vehicle awareness is provided by the front and rear parking sensors and 180° rear parking camera. Overall, this package is impressive and makes this version of the Vivaro a top choice for those looking for a safe van.

Alongside the other items already covered in this review, the Vivaro XL Pro also comes with daytime running lights, ECO LED headlights, front fog lights, rain-sensitive windscreen wipers, remote control central deadlocking, remote control security alarm system, a lockable fuel filler flap and a dynamic surround view system that appears on the screen to display proximity warnings. When you look through the tech and equipment provided by the new Vivaro, you’d be hard pushed to find things to add.

Without mirroring my verdict at the top of the article here, I guess the question should actually be ‘why buy the Vivaro over other Stellantis medium vans’, and there’s no easy answer - they all have their model-specific touches that might sway you. The latest Vivaro looks better than ever, drives well, packs impressive tech and equipment levels into its body and is available for competitive prices - it’s also a huge improvement on the previous model. Alongside some formidable competitors, including the top-selling Ford Transit Custom, the Vivaro sits comfortably in the top 5 most registered light commercial vehicles in the UK. If it ticks your boxes, you should choose it because the latest facelift is a meaningful update to a very good van.