Vauxhall is a big name in the van world. From the first Bedfords to the modern-day Combo we’ve just reviewed, and now THIS, the NEW Vauxhall Vivaro medium panel van.

Now, this medium van is the last bastion of British vans, made at Vauxhall’s plant based just up the road from Vanarama HQ in Luton! Vauxhall are so pleased with it that they’ve invented a new country in their tagline… “Made in BRITVAN”.

So, let’s see how this Made In Britain… sorry, “BRITVAN” … van copes with the Vanarama Road Test, shall we?

Okay, so this could not be a more stereotypical van if it tried: it’s a medium van, it’s white and it’s a Vauxhall.

Fans of the previous version will have noticed the front end looks a little different from the previous version… not a bad thing, it looks way more modern.

• But it’s recognisably Vauxhall thanks to the two metal flicks either side of the badge…
• That lead into the big headlights and round to the…
• Heated wing mirrors.

Along the side of the vehicle are the big protective panels and, overall, it’s quite an imposing vehicle… especially at the longest length.

• The new Vivaros don’t have any height options, and that’s because its platform shares with the rest of the PSA Group medium vans.
• But what they lack in height, they make up for in length.

Right. Let’s get inside and see what we’re dealing with in there.

It’s… well… it’s basic… but that no-nonsense approach holds the Vivaro in good stead if you ask us.

Let’s be clear… this is a shared platform from the PSA Group stable… the interiors are very similar… in fact, I’m pretty sure the gear stick, Intelligrip traction control switcher, and passenger airbag are the only real differences between this and the Vauxhall Combo Cargo we’ve just reviewed.

BUT and this is a BIG but… the build quality is excellent and tough. Just look at all this durable plastic. Even the seat fibre is strong, and I imagine 1000 butts could sit on these seats before they show any wear and tear.

There’s even a hard-wearing carpet covering down here… yes, carpet!

At the EDITION trim level, you get:
• Cruise Control & Speed Limiter
• Driver & Passenger Airbags
• 1-Touch Electric Windows
• Vauxhall Connect Security & Safety Systems

Connectivity:
• Apple Car Play
• Android Auto
• Bluetooth
• USB

Door storage is not great… nor are the cup holders. The glove box is good though… and we like the little tray above the gear stick.

These seats have some nice little storage in too, and there’s a bit of storage over your head. Like we said, it’s all no-nonsense in here.

So, before we head out on the road to give it the all-important road test, let’s get to the other place in this van you need it to be no-nonsense.

Back door height: 1.2m
Back door width: 1.3m

Load length: 2.8m
Load-through length: 4m

Load height: 1.4m
Load width: 1.6m
Load width (arches): 1.2m

Side door height: 1.2m
Side door width: 0.9m

Payload: 1415kg

Those side-sliding doors, coupled with an excellent payload mean that even in the highly competitive medium sector, this van has a few plus points over the competition.

And speaking of the competition, let’s look at the other vans available in the medium van sector right now…

• First up, it’s the Citroen Dispatch / Peugeot Expert / Toyota Proace – this group are close relatives of the Vauxhall Vivaro and a bit of a mixed bag with plenty of choice of tech & looks even without the option of different heights. However, the PSA Group and Toyota have done a good job giving each one a different vibe despite sharing the same platform!

• Renault Trafic / Nissan NV300 / Fiat Talento – THIS bunch of relatives have an edge with different heights available, but their payloads need a bit of work. Overall there’s a lot to be said about this bunch of hard-working vehicles, but the one you pick depends on the features you prefer.

• Mercedes-Benz Vito – THIS is the luxury option with tonnes of options & variants to choose from, you pay for the three spokes, but then don’t you always?!

• VW Transporter – Anyone who knows me knows I love this van. It’s great-looking & very user-friendly. Payload is, in my opinions, the only place it VERY slightly underperforms.

• And finally, the Ford Transit Custom – you can’t talk medium vans without mentioning the UK’s best-seller. It’s the top performer because of price, function & running costs. & it looks great too! The king has a lot of life left in it with hybrid and all-electric versions on the way.

So, there you go. A lot of choice and some truly strong contenders… in the end, make your choice based on the job you need it do and you won’t go wrong!