Vauxhall Combo Electric review

The Vauxhall Combo Electric has had an interesting evolution. The first Combo, launched in 1993, was little more than a Corsa with a van body – and didn't exactly set the commercial vehicle world alight.

Recognising the need for something more substantial, Vauxhall introduced a purpose-built version in 2001, giving the Combo a proper van identity. Then came a brief partnership with Fiat, resulting in a rebadged Doblo that, while practical, wasn’t the most visually appealing option on the market.

Now, under the vast Stellantis umbrella, the model has found stability and gained the all-electric Combo Electric version we're reviewing here. It shares its platform and motor with the almost identical Citroën ë-Berlingo, Fiat e-Doblo and Peugeot e-Partner as well as – thanks to a manufacturing deal – the Toyota Proace City Electric.

Vauxhall has given the Combo Electric (previously sold as the e-Combo) a minor refresh, tweaking both the aesthetics and the technology. The most obvious change is the addition of the Visor grille – a minimalist gloss-black panel that connects the headlights.

New looks and a fresh badge aside, does the Vauxhall Combo Electric deliver where it really matters against rivals? In other words, is it a better choice than other small electric vans, which also include the Ford E-Transit Courier and Renault Kangoo E-Tech? Let’s find out...

Read more: How we test vans

With a 52kW battery pack powering a motor producing 134bhp and 199lb-ft of torque, the Vauxhall Combo Electric has even power for competent performance, even when it's loaded up.

It breezes along well, feeling slightly quicker than the quoted 0-62mph time of 11.7 seconds. Officially, it’ll do 82mph before it runs out of steam, so there’s enough to keep up on UK motorways.

When it comes to road manners, the Combo Electric is fine, if unremarkable. The steering, while usefully light for parking, doesn’t inspire confidence at speed, and it feels a little vague at times. The Ford E-Transit Courier and Renault Kangoo E-Tech feel more at home, making driving quickly on twisty open roads a delight.

The Combo Electric's ride, even when unladen, is comfortable, with none of the jolts and bumps sometimes evident when driving an empty van. It just gets better, with the 200kg we had in the back settling the ride well.

There are some regenerative braking modes available, providing an increasing amount of drag and putting energy back into the battery, especially on long descents. None of the modes is strong enough for one-pedal driving.

A drive selector allows you to choose between Eco, Normal and Power modes, with the van defaulting to Normal each time it restarts.

Only Power mode gives you the full 134bhp – in Normal it's limited to 108bhp to balance performance and electric range. Eco mode knocks power down further, including chipping the effectiveness of the air-conditioning system to optimise range.

Vauxhall says the Combo Electric will manage 213 miles between charges, although the brochure has a rather more vague 180 to 220-mile claim. Either way, it’ll drop once you’ve fully loaded it and hit the motorway. Driving reasonably gently on a chilly day with 200kg on board, we were getting around 175 miles from a charge.

You can still, of course, get a version that runs on old-fashioned diesel. To read about that see our Vauxhall Combo van review.

“An enhanced regen mode, labelled 'B' on the drive selector, offers impressive regen braking, but it’s not a full one-pedal mode as it won’t bring the van to a stop.” – Phil Huff, Van Reviewer

The Vauxhall Combo Electric ’s cab environment is pretty functional and practical rather than exciting or cutting edge, even after a recent refresh. The basics are solid, if a little dated, and look positively parsimonious if you look at the entry point to the range.

The glossy brochure photos show a 10in infotainment touchscreen mounted on the dashboard but that’s missing from the base-spec Prime model. Not only is it missing the screen, but it’s also missing an FM or AM radio, let alone DAB.

Instead, the entry-level Combo Electric gets Vauxhall's Smartphone Station, which allows the driver to mount a smartphone and use the Bluetooth connection to stream music, podcasts and so on. Combined with a small digital driver's display surrounded by swathes of black plastic, it’s a pretty miserable experience.

Thankfully, posher versions do get some tech. There's a 10in infotainment touchscreen with a radio, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring. Top-spec Pro models even get Dynamic Surround View with a digital rear-view mirror.

Every Combo Electric has a flat-bottomed steering wheel, giving the driver’s legs some extra clearance when driving straight ahead. The entry-level van has one passenger while other versions get two, with a load-through panel from the cargo bay.

Two passengers will find things a little snug, but for the person sitting next to the driver, the biggest challenge will be a territorial dispute with the area of the dash that juts out, clashing with the unfortunate passenger’s knees.

In the diesel Combo Cargo, it's where the gear lever is mounted, but we’re sure that in the electric van the drive selector controls could be positioned elsewhere. Presumably, the costs of designing and manufacturing a different dashboard would be prohibitive. In fairness, the Renault Kangoo E-Tech has a similar problem.

“I pity drivers given the keys to the Prime model. A full day on the road without radio, or streaming music through a patchy mobile network, isn’t going to be fun.” – Phil Huff, Van Reviewer

Vauxhall offers the Combo Electric in two body lengths – Combo and Combo XL – with a Crew van providing an additional row of seats in exchange for a loss of cargo area.

The smaller van, with its maximum load length of 1817mm (but a handy 3090mm using that load-through bulkhead), can take a volume of 3.3m³. XL extends that to 2167mm, accommodating 3.9m³ of cargo. The load-through panel on Prime Plus and Pro models extend that by 0.5m³, but it’s limited to long, narrow items, so don’t expect to squeeze in another pallet.

Payloads top out at 781kg for a Cargo Prime, dropping to 691kg for a Cargo XL Pro, with a towing weight across all models of up to 750kg.

For comparison, the Renault Kangoo E-Tech (and the closely related Mercedes eCitan and Nissan Townstar EV) have very similar load lengths, separated by just a few millimetres. Payloads are slightly lower in the Kangoo, at up to 764kg, but the towing capacity of 1500kg is much more user-friendly.

The Ford E-Transit Courier only has a single body length, 1802mm, with a smaller load space of 2.9m³. The payload doesn't match the Combo, with just 698kg available, along with the same 750kg towing capacity.

The load bay in the Combo Electric is accessed by twin rear doors, one wide than the other to make it easier to grab large items without opening both. The standard length van has one side door (on the left of the van), while the XL gets a door on each side.

Inside the load bay there are load-lashing "eyes" to secure loads, and a bulkhead to protect you and your passengers.

“The Cargo is getting on a bit, but it’s still right at the top of the class where it really matters.” – Phil Huff, Van Reviewer

The Vauxhall Combo Electric is competitively priced, although – confusingly – it is a few per cent more expensive than the near-identical Stellantis models. It does, however, undercut the Renault Kangoo E-Tech.

The Ford E-Transit Courier is notably cheaper, but, being a smaller van, it’s a little more compromised for those wanting maximum payload or cargo volumes.

All models get air-conditioning, cruise control and electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors. There's a long list of safety technology, including rear parking sensors, lane-keep assist, intelligent speed assistance, driver attention alert, automatic lights with high-beam assist and an advanced emergency braking system (AEB).

Keeping track of the ever-changing trim levels on Stellantis models can be a daunting task. At the time of writing there are two Combo Electric models, Prime and Pro, but it will also be available in a mid-spec Prime Plus trim.

The Prime version is very sparse, without even a radio, so we'd recommend spending around £1000 more for the Prime Plus, which gets you an infotainment touchscreen and other essentials. Top-spec Pro models get a digital rear-view mirror, coloured body-coloured bumpers and posh wheel trims, but we don't think it's worth paying more for unless you get a good deal.

The standard Vauxhall van warranty is three years or 60,000 miles, as it is with other Stellantis models. At this point, it may be worth looking at the all-but-identical, if more expensive, Toyota Proace City Electric which, subject to some reasonable conditions, comes with up to 10 years worth of cover.

The Combo Electric's battery is warranted to retain a minimum of 70% of its original capacity for eight years or 100,000 miles. Servicing intervals are reasonable – apart from a first-year service, they're scheduled for every two years or 25,000 miles.

The battery can be charged on a typical home EV charger with an output of 7kW from empty to full in about seven and a half hours. A 100kW DC rapid charger can top the van up to 80% of capacity in just half an hour.

“The competitive advantage provided by Toyota’s 10-year warranty comes at a price, but if it keeps your van working for 10 years, then it’s a price worth paying.” – Phil Huff, Van Reviewer

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