Vauxhall Combo Review

Before we begin with the Vauxhall Combo, it's important to first clear up a bit of confusion some people may have.

Is Vauxhall the same as Opel? Why don't we se Opels in the UK? What are the difference? Do Vauxhalls exist in Europe? So many questions!

Well, in short, Vauxhall is called Opel in Europe because that's where the cars are manufactured. When they're sent over to the UK to be sold, the Vauxhall warehouses in Bedfordshire and Cheshire will make a few adjustments here and there, but the overall design, for the most part, is identical. Therefore, while Vauxhall is a British brand, the car itself is German and the differences are minimal.

So what of the Vauxhall Combo - or as it was marketed in Europe, the Opel Combo?

It'd be worth establishing that the Vauxhall Combo is almost deemed to sporty to be a van, it handles really well and boasts the smaller running costs of a car.

After a series of updates and facelifts, it's now thought to be one of the best vans on the market. The Combo was initially based on the Fiat Doblo, but the new Vauxhall Combo now shares its amazing platform with the Citroen Berlingo and Peugeot Partner.

The Combo in a global market

Although the Vauxhall Combo's primary market was Europe (marketed as the Opel Combo), it has also been sold on other continents in markets where General Motors traditionally use Opel derived models.

For example, The Combo was also produced in relatively small numbers in China, by SAIC subsidiary SAIC-Yizheng as the "Shanghai Auto (Shangqi) Saibao SAC6420", equipped with the same 1.6 litre engine and five speed manual transmission.

What's more, in Australia and New Zealand, Holden launched the SB series Combo in February 1996. It offered the 1.4 litre C14NZ engine, upgraded to C14SE specification in 1997.

It was also known as the Chevrolet Combo in South America. However, whilst sales continued until 2002, the last SB Combos were built in 2001, and production of the Combo A series ended in August 2001.

Closing its doors in Portugal

In December 2006, the Portuguese Azambuja factory which had been manufacturing the Combo eventually closed down, and 2007 saw the production of the Opel Combo transferred to Zaragoza, in northern Spain.

This lasted until 2012 when the third generation Combo was manufactured, based on the Italian manufactured Fiat Doblo

Finally, the fourth generation Combo was unveiled at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. It is a sister model to the Citroen Berlingo and Peugeot Rifter and Partner, as Groupe PSA bought Opel in March 2017.

It's now considered a genuinely great, multi award-winning van, helping to keep businesses on the road in 5 continents.