ROADTEST VAUXHALL NOVAVAN
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Genera Motors is ma in. its irst oray into the car-.erive. van mar et with the Novavan. Goos va ue, a .00d payloa. an. 'Co. ue economy .ive it an exce ent c ance o success.
/ The hatchback segment of the carderived van (CDV) market remains something of a curiosity. These vans are the smallest commercial vehicles in terms of payload and body volume. Access to their load platforms is also restricted because of the hatchback design, which usually means that loads have to he lifted over a sill. Altogether, not a promising start. But if your business involves carrying small packages or equipment such as tools, these little vans could answer your transport needs.
Until now GM has not been represented in this sector in the UK, but the Novavan, which has just gone on sale following its Motor Show launch, means that the General, under the Vauxhall badge, is competing in every 1,CV sector except heavy vans. Even this is due to be rectified in the foreseeable future, to give Vauxhall a comprehensive range up to 3.5 tonnes GV W.
The Novavan is launched alongside the facelifted Nova car range and benefits from the modifications the car has received. The bonnet and front wings have been changed to give a more rounded appearance, softening the rather angular profile. Interior changes include a new dashboard, instruments and steering wheel, revised switchgear and heater controls. Considering the quality of competition from established rivals such as the Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 205, Rover Metro and the yet-to-be-launched Volkswagen Polo, the facelift is more a necessity than a luxury.
The Vauxhall, like its Ford and Peugeot counterparts. is offered with a choice of petrol or diesel engines. In the Novavan's case, the choice is between the 1.2-litre Nova petrol engine or a 1.5-litre indirectinjection diesel, sourced from Isuzu in Japan. which is the subject of our test.
• BODYWORK
From the seats forward, there is nothing to distinguish the Novavan from its Nova stablemate. The rear seat has been replaced with a flat steel floor and our test vehicle was fitted with the optional half bulkhead, including a detachable top netting frame to stop small packages from straying into the driving compartment. The headlining runs the full length of the van, which helps to keep noise levels down.
We found some discrepancy over weights. The plate on our van showed a gross vehicle weight of 1,305kg and a front axle maximum of 670kg. This differed from the figures quoted by Vauxhall, which showed a GVW of 1,315kg and 680kg for the front axle. Vauxhall assures us that its quoted figure is correct, giving a payload of 400kg, comfortably ahead of the other two diesel powered hatchbacks in our comparison charts, with figures of :305kg for the Fiesta Popular and 345kg for the 205 XAD. The Peugeot is the clear winner on body volume however,
with 1.1811V1 against 0.96mr` for the Novavan and 0.94nr for the Fiesta.
Access is good for a hatchback; the tailgate opens high enough to allow a six looter to stand beneath it. The loading height of 617mm falls between the Fiesta and the Peugeot and did not present any particular difficulties when loading our 15kg test weights. Predictably, the wheelarches do intrude into such a small loadspace, but if space is a prime consideration a buyer would presumably choose a bigger van in the first place.
• DRIVELINE
Thc Nova diesel was introduced a year ago, fitted with a turbocharged 1.5-litre indirect injection lsuzu OM engine. The engine fitted to the Novavan is identical to this, but lacks the turbocharger. In this form, it produces 37kW (50hp) at 4,800rpm and 90Nm (66Ib1t) of torque at 3,000rpm. As the figures show, the engine spins quite quickly for a diesel and in many respects behaves like a petrol.
The diesel is not a particularly willing starter from cold. If left too long after the glowplug warning light has gone out it needs a bit of churning before firing; then it usually takes a few seconds running and a blip on the accelerator before it will fire on all four and settle down to an uneven idle. Warm-up is fairly quick, after which the idling evens out and starting becomes more or less instantaneous. Drive is transmitted to the front wheels via a five-speed all-indirect gearbox. Both fourth and fifth are overdrive ratios (The Fiesta and 205 XADGL have remarkably similar gearing). The petrol model is fitted with a four-speed box as standard, with the five-speed available as an option.
• PERFORMANCE
The combination of higher gross vehicle weight and a smaller engine than its closest diesel-powered rivals take their toll on acceleration. From rest the Novavan gets to 48km/h (30mph) quicker than either the Fiesta or the 205 but after that it begins to trail behind, taking two seconds longer to reach 80kmih (50mph). It is less noticeable with the in-gear times. The gearing feels about right. giv ing acceptable acceleration in the lower gears and relaxed cruising in fifth. The cable operated clutch is light but bites sharply: gear selection is similarly light but has a rubbery feel and is not so precise as it could be.
The little Vauxhall had no difficulty in restarting on our 25% (1:4) test hill, but was defeated by the 33% (1:3). With a full load. the front wheels could not get sufficient grip to start off again.
Noise levels are commendably low, which helps to make cruising at the legal limit fairly relaxed. The tall gearing and full-length headlining undoubtedly helps here, but noise from the engine is well suppressed. The characteristic buzz gives the diesel away, but otherwise engine vibrations are well damped.
The Novavan does tend to be a bit smokey, notably after a cold start and when accelerating hard. Although its exemplary fuel consumption means that its contribution to atmospheric pollution is much less than most small cars, it is hard to convince other drivers that a vehicle producing clouds of smoke is doing its bit for the environment.
• ECONOMY
Small engines and heavy payloads do not generally add up to good fuel economy, and both the Fiesta and the 205 have more horses pulling less weight than the Novavan. Neither is a drag coefficient of 0.37 exceptional in terms of modern small car aerodynamics. Having said that, the Novavan goes straight to the top of our comparison chart, beating the Peugeot 205 XADGL by a thimble-full. With a laden consumption of 5,231iti100km (54.0mpg), the Novavan is beaten only by the previous 1.6-litre diesel Fiesta, which returned 49.31it/100km (57.24mpg) carrying a 285kg payload, but beats the current Fiesta's unladen figure. Predictably, the Vauxhall's unladen consumption is another excellent result, achieving a remarkable 4.471itilOOkm (63.1mpg) to beat our previous best unladen figure of 4.671iti 100km (60.23mpg) which was returned by the Peugeot 205 XADG1,.
Servicing should not be difficult, with 400 dealers in the Vauxhall network. Access to the engine is good, allowing all routine service items to be easily reached.
• HANDLING
The stcering is heavier than might have been vxpeeted for such a small vehicle. The full weight of the diesel engine directly Over the steering axle no doubt contributes to this, but it is not serious enough to deter potential buyers.
The body tends to roll during hard cornering, in fact the supple suspension feels very similar to a small French car. Handling does not seem to suffer as a result, however, even when fully laden. although the grip from the Michelin MX 145 R 13s seems unremarkable. As with most front-wheel-drive vehicles the Novavan will understeer when pushed, but it is predictable and lifting off in mid-corner does not provoke any unpleasant characteristics. Ride comfort also benefits from the suspension settings; the long travel coil springs soaking up most bumps, even when fully loaded.
The braking system certainly looks up to the job on paper, comprising a diagonally split, dual circuit, servo assisted disc/ drum system with load sensing valve. It works reasonably well in practice too, our principal criticism being that the front wheels lock far too easily. In our panic stop testing procedure the front wheels locked each time, and from 64kin/h (40mph), the Novavan veered slightly to the left. The handbrake also works well, holding the Vauxhall on the 33% (1:3) test hills, facing up :rid down.
• INTERIOR
Visibility is good from the driver's seat, aided by a rear wash/wipe and a heated rear window. We have discussed the inadequacies of mirrors on hatchback vans before: the basic problem is that they are the same as those fitted to their car counterparts. With the rear side windows covered in. these mirrors are too small and create a blind spot. As a result extra care is needed when joining a motorway or overtaking.
The interior improvements are not a case of change for change's sake: the facelift has given the instruments a more modern look, although our speedometer was over-optimistic. The column stalks will be familir to all Nova and Astra drivers and are clear and simple — lights to the left and wipers to the right. One welcome feature is the headlamp adjuster which has four settings depending on the load, all at the flick of a switch, Other van makers please note.
The heating and ventilation system is simple and effective, operated by three rotary controls for heat, distribution and the three-speed fan. 'There are face-level vents at either end of the dash and in the middle.
The Novavan scores full marks for stowage space. There are flat surfaces above the glovebox and clock, and when opened flat the gkwebox lid has recesses for cups. Large door bins are fitted on both sides; both driver and passenger have parcel shelves and there is a tray in front of the gearlever. Vauxhall has made maximum use of the possibilities and thought about the buyers — for many it will be a mobile office, and there is plenty of room for the paperwork.
The stowage space has not been achieved at the expense of driver comfort either. There is room and adequate seat adjustment for six-footers. The seats have cloth facings, pleasantly trimmed to match the grey plastic mouldings and the driving compartment is fully carpeted, with removable mats in each footwell. Overall equipment levels are quite high. The only extra possible on the diesel Novavan is the half height bulkhead — everything else comes as standard.
• SUMMARY
At £6,100 (ex-VAT), the Novavan is very good value in the hatchback CDV stakes. The Fiesta D Popular comes in at £6,350 (ex-VAT) and the 205 XAD at £6,390 (exVAT) — although the five-speed XADGL will set you back £7,035 (ex-VAT). The Novavan will also carry heavier loads and use less fuel.
Equipment too is impressive, including a rear wash/wipe, heated rear screen, internally adjustable door mirrors, cloth trim, radio and a cigar lighter.
Cheaper hatchback rivals include the Yugo 55A at £3,316 (ex-VAT) and the Rover Metro 310 at £4,956 (ex-VAT), but both have petrol engines. Other rivals like the SEAT Terra and Renault Extra diesel offer better payload and volume at a similar price; the Extra is £6,335 (ex-VAT) and the Terra is £4,652 (ex-VAT), Vauxhall hopes to sell more than 1,500 Novavans during 1991, and that is not an impossible target given its competitive price and outstanding fuel economy. The company sees its target market as plumbers, electricians and couriers, but it remains to be seen whether such a closely defined market is viable, particularly in a recession.
Oby John Kendall