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4th March 1999, Page 36
4th March 1999
Page 36
Page 36, 4th March 1999 — firr e i r iULT Others:
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CitrienDispatch9001.910 Vauxhall Arena Hyundai 11100Turbo DLX

HAVE YET ANOTHER RUM ASSORTMENT of vehicles this class, spanning the weight range from 90-3,000kg OW with load volumes from 2.70m3. But the price range is surprisingly narrow cause the group encompasses the latest in highbe vans as well as some of the more primitive nel vans.

First of all, there's the Vauxhall Arena, a "new" odel which looks remarkably familiar because it simply a badge-engineered variant of Renault's afic—a design which dates back to1981.

As you might expect the Arena is something of a ast from the past, which has been overtaken in most every way—except. surprisingly, in terms fuel consumption and load-carrying ability. But ese virtues are not enough to make it competie; Vauxhall will have to rely on the far more eresting Mayan° (a clone of the Renault Master) generate panel van sales.

Next up is another design which looks rather t of fashion: the Hyundai H100 van owes a great deal to the wave of identikit forward-control vans ich came from Japan in the seventies and eighties. Like them, it offers a good payload and reasonable dspace for a bargain-basement price.

The latest version is the Turbo DLX, with a turbo-diesel that puts out 79hp and a healthy amount of que, One can't fault the van's power, but its chassis and body should have been uprated at the same .The Hyundai's handling is suspect, particularly in windy conditions, and it could do with more developent—but at least it has decent brakes.

The Citroen Dispatch makes a lot more sense, even though we find it difficult to define its target dience. This is a "compact panel van", one size up from a car-derived van hut with a similarly low-slung lying position. Its payload is a serious 790kg, and it's equally suited to urban deliveries and motorway uising, with the latest turbo-diesel giving it commendable ref inement. Only a sloppy gearlever and ediocre fuel consumption let it down.

As it happens, the Renault Kano° is nothing special when it comes to fuel consumption either; but it s so many clever design features, and such an air of all-round practicality, that you can't help but be pressed—even if everybody keeps calling you Postman Pat.

The Range° is a high-cube design that isn't obviously derived from a car, but it's none the worse for at: it offers massive headroom and loads of stowage space, as well as a cunning folding bulkhead which imises loadspace length. The loadspace is easy to use, and the Renault is a pleasant drive on the road. scores on almost every point, and is a worthy Testers' Choice.

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