Vauxhall Combo Cargo 4x4 van review
Category: Small Van
A welcome package for those buyers looking to take items safely and securely off-road
What Car? says...
The Vauxhall Combo Cargo 4x4 is special. Unique, in fact. Not words you’d expect to be associated with a Vauxhall van, but it’s true, because it’s the only four-wheel-drive small van.
It is, of course, based on the Vauxhall Combo Cargo but built by 4x4 specialists Dangel. It uses a 128bhp 1.5-litre turbodiesel engine and Dangel’s own traction control system, and can be switched between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive in an instant, using a rotary control on the dashboard.
There are two body-length options, giving you up to 3.9m3 of loadspace and a maximum payload of 892kg. The suspension has also been raised by 90mm over that of the standard Combo. A 4x4 Plus Pack further increases the off-roading potential with a rear differential, mud-and-snow tyres, and a ride height raised by a further 20mm.
While the Combo Cargo 4x4 is no longer available from new, it can be found on the used van market, and this review will tell you everything you need to know to get a good one.
Performance & drive
What it’s like to drive, and how quiet it is
Being able to take the Combo Cargo 4x4 off-road undeniably gives it an extra string to its bow, but this advantage would be negated if it were unable to master life on the road. That’s why it has selectable two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive, so the driver can choose to keep the van in front-wheel drive, saving fuel and money, until more traction is needed.
On the road, set to front-wheel-drive only, you’ll be hard-pressed to notice any difference between the 4x4 and a regular Vauxhall Combo Cargo. Both vans steer and ride in much the same manner. And engaging four-wheel-drive in the 4x4 doesn’t automatically mean that all four wheels are driven. The system only ever calls the rear wheels into action when it detects that the fronts are starting to slip.
The system employs a viscous-coupling to transfer as much torque as necessary to the rear, but will deftly shift it back to the front so that four-wheel-drive isn’t engaged longer than necessary. It works quietly and effectively, and in most scenarios you won’t notice it doing its work.
The fact that the system only ever sends drive to the rear wheels if the fronts lose traction occasionally means that you need to be aggressive with the accelerator off-road, particularly when you encounter boggy ground or steep slopes. Power and momentum are key to maintaining progress, so you’ll likely end up leaving the van in first gear for trickier terrain. It does mean a lot of noise, but it’s surprisingly effective. Beware though – if you fail to keep the revs high, the engine is quite easy to stall.
Its off-road ride quality is not as good as in a pick-up truck though, and there’s considerably more noise when debris ricochets off the underside of its body. However, on terrain where ground clearance isn’t an issue, the Combo Cargo 4x4 could take you almost as far off the beaten track as most other 4x4s, thanks to its approach angle of 26.6 degrees and departure angle of 38.3 degrees, as well as its break-over angle of 26 degrees. Vauxhall says it can climb 41-degree gradients, though we haven't put that to the test.
Interior
The interior layout, fit and finish
Alterations to the standard Vauxhall Combo Cargo are limited to its mechanicals, so the interior of the 4x4 is the same as it is in front-wheel-drive models. It is based on the entry-level Edition trim level, which means it’s modestly equipped, with a DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity, electrically adjustable heated door mirrors and automatic headlights.
The full range of Vauxhall options is available to be added to the van, allowing items like air-conditioning, cruise control and parking sensors to be specified.
Passenger & boot space
How it copes with people and clutter
Pick-up trucks have some inherent disadvantages, from the height of the load bay, through to its depth and the difficulty securing it. None of these, though, are true of a van.
However, consequently it's worth noting that the four-wheel-drive system in the Combo Cargo 4x4 brings with it a 110kg weight penalty over the front-wheel-drive model, and this affects the van’s maximum payload – 892kg for the short-wheelbase (L1) model and 848kg for the long-wheelbase (L2). However, the load volume is unchanged: 3.3m3 in L1 and 3.9m3 in L2 vans.
Vehicles used off-road are often required to tow, be it a trailer for equipment or even livestock. The Combo Cargo 4x4's 1.2-tonne towing capacity should be enough for a small trailer, although it’s considerably less than the 3.5 tonnes that most pick-up trucks can pull.
Buying & owning
Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is
When new, an obvious drawback of the Combo Cargo 4x4 was its price, which approached that of many a more capable and well-equipped pick-up truck.
Like the standard small van it's based on, the model comes with a range of safety equipment, including ESP, driver’s airbag, hill-start assist and hill-descent control. However, it’s a shame Vauxhall’s Safety Pack is not available because it means it does without lane-keeping assistance, automatic emergency braking (AEB) and forward-collision alert.
Another downside is that you will have to service it more regularly than the standard van because of its transfer case and rear axle. Service intervals are 16,000 miles or every two years. The van also has a three-year/60,000-mile Vauxhall warranty.
Read more: Vauxhall Combo Cargo review
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