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Combo goes large
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After months of leaks and drips, Vauxhall has finally revealed the ft story of its new Combo. In weather more suited to Ellesmere Port th the home of Port, Colin Barnett has been to the Combo's birthplace to t out the latest high-cube van from the men at GM.
• When the Coma Van, and the car from which it derives, were launched last year, the styling changes were subtle enough to have been easily overlooked. There is no such potential for any confusion between Combos old and new.
Gone is the "box on a car" look that has been a feature of Vauxhall's highcube vans ever since the trend-setting Astramaxinstead there is a fully integrated design. Although unmistakably a Vauxhall on the road, its profile could be superimposed on those of the Kangoo and Berlingo without too much deviation.
Windscreen
Apart from the corporate V-sign, the Combo's most noticeable styling cue is the full-height windscreen. In fact, our first, head-on view of the Combo in the metal put us in mind of one of those Omega hearse conversionsl An attractive new range of colours should also help the Combo stand out on the road.
The Combo comes with a choice of three engines. Petrol fans are catered for with a 1.6-litre unit, although this engine's role is more as the basis for the LPG Dualfuel version which will appear early next year. Of greater interest are the twc litre direct-injection turbo-diesels: 64hp Di low-boost version and the high-boost charge-cooled DTI. Alth( Vauxhall's initial prediction is that th will account for around 80% of UK si we would expect the much torquier to take a bigger slice, given its price mium of just 2300.
Both diesel-powE vans are available at gt weights of 1,805kg, givii payload of 595kg, or wit uprated chassis allowin extra 215kg. A third SE suspension settings, gi increased ground of ance, is likely to api next year.
Initially, the Combo be available with no loading door or with on( the nearside only; an side door will be adde+ the options list early year. The side door ope is 600mm wide and 910 high. At the rear, the s metrically split full-he barn doors can be supp with or without glazing. s are held at 90° but the catches can eleased for 180°. These catches ;r1 rather tricky to operate on our early production examples, but we assured that this will be sorted on )mer vehicles. Sturdy looking load and a rubber loadspace mat are lard.
nay
hall is to be commended for making lite navigation available at a sensible The NICDC 2011 audio upgrade des satnav and an integrated hands free GSM phone as well as an RDS radio and single disc player. The cost of £750 makes it a feasibly cost-effective proposition for any operator who makes multiple calls to new destinations.
Cost of ownership has been addressed to a considerable degree. All versions require servicing at annual or 20,000-mile intervals, while the warranty is for three years or 60,000 miles, with unlimited distance in the first year. Also for the first year, Vauxhall Assist provides AA roadside assistance. Low-cost crash repair has been designed ]n, with
borted-on crush sections front and rear. We recently tested the identically powered Corsa Van ( CM 2-8 August) so the lively performance of the 1.7DTi wasn't a surprise—the extra frontal area didn't cause any noticeable deterioration, even at motorway speeds. Its handling was thoroughly tested on a variety of roads from hairpin-strewn coastal tracks to motorways. Under all conditions it proved a vast improvement on the old Corsa, although the electrically powered steering was strangely lacking in feel and self-centring at manoeuvring speed.
Ride was excellent as was cab comfort, although the otherwise comfortable seats were a little lacking in lateral support on the twistiest bits.