Vauxhall Vivaro Life Review 2024

Vauxhall Vivaro Life At A Glance

4/5

+Excellent practicality, will carry up to nine adults, comprehensive driver assistance aids, excellent eight-speed auto.

-Expensive to buy new, numb steering, not a lot of bootspace on nine-seater versions.

Make no mistake, the Vivaro Life is a very important vehicle for Vauxhall. Not since the Midi-based Albany has the company produced such a passenger-focused version of its medium size van. And thanks to the brand’s acquisition by PSA in 2017, the bar has been raised significantly. 

Gone, then, is the old Vivaro, the last van to be developed as part of a successful 18-year collaboration with Renault, and to replace it comes a van that shares its running gear, engines and most of its bodywork with the Peugeot Expert and Citroen Dispatch, both of which were launched in 2016.

Unlike the French-branded vans, though, the Vivaro is manufactured in the UK at the former GM plant in Luton, which was thrown a substantial lifeline when PSA decided that the plant would become one of its leading van production facilities in Europe.

The Vivaro Life is the MPV passenger carrying version of the panel van, and it's predominantly designed for the professional driver market. This means it is pitched squarely to chauffeurs, airport transfers and taxi operators who want a vehicle with the comfort and driveability of a car, a touch of luxury and exceptional practicality.

The Vivaro Life, which is little different from the Peugeot Traveller or Citroen Space Tourer, ticks that box perfectly, especially in high-spec ‘Elite’ trim. There’s also a less salubrious ‘Edition’ specification, which is more aimed at the taxi and wheelchair conversions market.

The Elite, though, is the more appealing of the two, although some will find the price tag of more than £40,000 a little hard to swallow. But then, as vans go, the Vivaro Life is one of the least van-like there is, not least because it’s based on the same mechanical platform that underpins the likes of the Citroen C4 Picasso, Peugeot 3008 and Vauxhall’s own Grandland X Crossover.

Ask Honest John

Best seven-seater?

"Which is the best seven-seater for carrying adults? "
If you want a car that will carry seven adults in comfort then you'll need a van-based people carrier like the Ford Tourneo Custom, Volkswagen Multivan or Vauxhall Vivaro Life.
Answered by Dan Powell
More Questions

What does a Vauxhall Vivaro Life cost?