Good load space and easy access through side-hinged or lift-up tailgate options, while FlexCargo system is clever and practical.
The engines in the Vauxhall Vivaro offer good power in town and the more powerful 115PS unit is ideal for longer work thanks to good refinement.
A supple ride and exceptionally good handling mean the Vivaro is pleasure to drive and not something you dread stepping in to for work.
Ecoflex models are more expensive but offset this with lower operating costs thanks to reduced emissions and improved economy.
Recall 04-04-2003: Possible detachment of brake pedal linage retaining clip.
Recall 15-12-2008: Possible failure of parking brake as cable connector may fracture.
Recall 12-11-2009: Seat may become insecure on second and third row seats if fitted.
Recall 22-07-2010: Steering may fail due to welds on left front suspension turret not being to specification.
Recall 01-03-2011: Handbrake may fail as cable end-piece crimping may become detached.
Recall 07-09-2012: Seatbelt buckle may fail and separate from connector on double-cab models.
There’s a little too much wind noise from around the windscreen when speeds creep above 30mph, which is annoying on motorway jaunts.
There are two wheelbase and roof options, but the Vivaro shows its age by not offering more variety in its body options.
The Tecshift semi-automatic gearbox is worth considering for town use, but its delayed gear changes are not as good as the standard manuals.
General Motors PK5, PK6, PF1, PF6 manual transmission failure common in Vivaro, Movano, Traffic, and Primastar. The 'built-in' fault, which will result in failure, irrespective of how the vehicle is driven or serviced, is that the gearboxes are assembled in such a way that the preload on the bearings is massively over-torqued, which results in bearing failure, and the total destruction of the box from as low as 20k upwards. In some cases the boxes are built up so tight that it makes turning the box over by hand virtually impossible. Once the bearings are replaced, and shimmed correctly, the box will “go on” virtually indefinitely.
Report on BBC Watchdog that some 2006 - 2010 Renault Trafic, Vauxhall Vivaro and Nissan Primastar vans fitted with the 2.0 dCi M9R diesel engine were suffering from rainwater dripping from a failed bonnet seal at the base of the windscreen into the valley on the top of the engine containing the injectors. On a van left for long period unused, or used primarily for short runs, this water is not evaporatred off by the heat of the engine and causes corrosion between the injectors and the cylinder head, fusing the injectors to the head (very similar to the notorious problem with Ford Focus 1.6 petrol engines). There is now a new piece of kit that can extract corrosion fused injectors from diesel engines. The current Vauxhall Technical Service Bulletin (published in August 2013) covering injector corrosion states that Vauxhall will make a 100% goodwill contribution to replace the injectors on vehicles up to 7 years old and 248,000 miles. The first Technical Service Bulletin pertaining to this issue (published in June 2010 and effective up to August 2013) stated that vehicles within warranty would be repaired under the conditions of the warranty. Vehicles up to 4 years old/100,000 miles would be repaired with a goodwill contribution of 70% from Vauxhall. Vehicles up to 5 years old/100,000 miles would be repaired with a 50% goodwill contribution from Vauxhall.
Very common gear linkage problem Renault Trafics, Renault Masters, Nissan Primastars, Vauxhall Vivaros and Vauxhall Movanos from 2001. The selector cable bush wears or simply pops off the balljoint on the gearbox selector arm. Warrington Transmissions (www.wtc.co.uk) has developed a repair clip to prevent this from happening for just £8 that takes a mere 15 minutes to fit.
3-11-2017: Report of Nissan Primastar van developing a "really low biting point on the clutch" making it almost impossible to get a smooth change. Garage found no leak in the hydraulics, so removed gearbox and replaced the clutch. Showed owner that it was in good condition and confirmed no leak from slave cylinder or cranskshaft end seal or transmission input shaft seal. Problem persisted. Garage eventually discovered that pedal assembly had fatigued and was pulling away from the bulkhead. Something to watch on ageing Primastars, Vivaros and Trafics.
June 2001
New Vauxhall Vivaro launched
Sister van to the Renault Trafic goes on sale. Front-wheel drive only, it comes in lengths of 4,782mm and 5,182mm and a width of 1,904mm, plus mirrors. Heights are 1,969mm or 2,464mm. Capacities are from 5 cubic metres to 8.3 cubic metres.
June 2006
Facelifted Vivaro launched
New engines include two all-new 2.0-litre CDTi units, which are fully Euro IV compliant. The engines develop either 90PS or 115PS – compared to the 82PS and 100PS of the previous 1.9-litre units. They offer higher performance with practically the same fuel consumption, but have up to 26 per cent more pulling power, with torque up to 240Nm for the entry-level unit, and 290Nm for the 115PS engine.
A revised 2.5-litre CDTi powerplant completes the line up, with 145PS and 320Nm of torque – up 10PS and 10Nm over the previous 2.5 CDTi. All Vivaros will get a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. There is also a long-wheelbase Vivaro Combi for the first time, offering the comfort and space of the SWB 9-Seat Combi, but with added luggage space. There are now standard and high roof versions, long or short wheelbases, low and high-floor dropsides, Double Cabs, a 12-seat Minibus and a Sportive model.
At the front teardrop-shaped front headlamps give the nose a smoother appearance, while the indicator lamps have been moved from the bumper to be housed inside the light units. The fresh nose is set off by a wider, more prominent V-grille to bring it in line with the rest of the Vauxhall model range.
April 2007
Vauxhall launches biodiesel B30 technology in Vivaro. The biodiesel B30-compatible models use the existing 2.0 CDTI Vivaro and 2.5 CDTI 100PS and 120PS Movano engines and offer up to 20 per cent fewer CO2 emissions compared to the standard Euro 4-compliant diesel units.
April 2010
Vivaro Prison Cell Van developed. The Vauxhall Vivaro prison cell undertook years of development and completed a series of simulated crash tests on the HyGe sled at Millbrook. During the tests the prison cell was accelerated from 0 to 30 mph in just over a tenth of a second, subjecting the prison cell and its vehicle mounting points to massive shock forces that can tear apparently solid fixings like paper. The Vivaro cell passed these rigorous tests and was retained in position without significant deformation.
June 2010
Vivaro range improved
All models were upgraded to include a new look fascia and steering wheel as well as a brand new Infotainment system, incorporating the latest technology with Aux-in socket and the options of Bluetooth (standard on Sportive), sat nav and USB connectivity. There is a new cruise control option and a new Steel Grey exterior colour. For additional safety a full steel bulkhead is now standard across the range and for a charge of just £50 (excluding VAT) a windowed version can be fitted. Customers not requiring a full bulkhead can specify the full height steel driver’s guard instead, also for no extra cost.
The Sportive model gets more than £700 worth of extra features for a list price increase of just £250. Standard equipment on the Sportive now includes 16inch five-spoke alloy wheels, front fog lights, Radio CD with Bluetooth connection and body-coloured rear light clusters and mirror housings. A leather steering wheel, incorporating for the first time on Vivaro, the new cruise control option is also available.
January 2011
Vivaro ecoFLEX launched
The economical Vivaro ecoFLEX comes with either a 2.0CDTi 90PS or a 2.0CDTi 115PS both with CO2 outputs of just 185g/km despite having payloads of up to 1254kg.
May 2012
Vivaro ecoFLEX improved. The new Euro 5 panel vans now have CO2 of 180g/km and combined fuel economy of 40.9mpg. There is also the Vivaro ecoFLEX Euro 5 equipped with a fixed speed limiter that yields CO2 levels as low as 174g/km with combined fuel economy of up to 42.7mpg. Also for the first time there is an ecoFLEX version of the popular Vivaro 9-seater Combi for those who need to carry more than two passengers.
October 2012
DAB upgrade introduced
DAB digital radio is now available for all Vauxhall commercial vehicles for £195. The system is fitted by Vauxhall retailers and can be completely integrated with existing steering-wheel mounted controls and the installed stereo’s display. The installation is quick and because it’s connected directly into the van’s existing entertainment system, there are no unsightly wires or extra controls to worry about.
February 2013
Two year service intervals introduced
From March 2013, all Vivaro models will move to two year service intervals or 25,000 miles or oil life quality monitor warning, whichever is sooner.