The automotive environment is one that is constantly in flux. It ebbs and flows with trends coming and going; some quicker than others, while some stay forever.
When one looks at the way that body shapes and styles have morphed over the last 40 years, it's clear to see that some designs last longer than others. The 3-box sedan shape is largely unchanged while we've largely seen the disappearance of the multi-seater, Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV).
I'll hear you argue that there are still many on the road and that several manufacturers still offer an MPV of sorts. While that is true, it pales in comparison to the heyday of the MPV in the late 90s, early 00s.
Locally you don't have much to choose from if you only need a 5-seater MPV. The Golf SV has been discontinued locally and it seems that the only players in the compact MPV sector are VW with their Caddy. They've all but been replaced by compact SUVs with sleek body styles and increased ground clearance. The compact SUV market is a booming one and SUVs are the only segment that has shown growth for several years on the trot.
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Enter the Opel Combo Life, a bold move from the Rüsselsheim am Main manufacturing firm. This 5-seater MPV has a few unique features that help it stand out from the direct competition but it remains a gutsy move from a brand that has been struggling locally.
Styling
The Combo Life is based on the Opel Combo Cargo, a vehicle that was designed with the SME and commercial sector in mind. Much like the Caddy is based on the Caddy Panel Van, the Combo Life retains the proportions of the utilitarian offering but adds creature comforts, additional seats, windows and doors.
The Combo Life takes a little getting used to with a prominent bonnet, large headlights and deep grille element. It appears much larger than it actually is and it's only once you're alongside it that you realise that it's a compact, user-friendly offering.
The rear is rather upright and the large tailgate requires significant room to allow it to open. It's also a touch on the heavy side which may be of some concern to the slightly more petite ladies out there.
An upturn in the lower window edges and pronounced arches add an element of appeal to what could easily have been a bland exterior. The Combo Life features dual sliding doors for the rear, making ingress and egress to the spacious rear easier than tying your shoe.
The Drive
It's in the drive that the Combo Life offers something that the SUV brigade doesn't, a car-like ride. You're not going to get generous ground clearance in the Combo Life but let's be honest, who really utilises the full potential of the additional clearance afforded by the SUVs? 99% of their use is on the highways and byways in and around the city and suburbs.
Despite the passenger car-like ride height, the Combo Life still offers the raised driving position that one would get in an SUV, providing a clearer view of the road. Overall visibility is rather good as well.
Those that are transitioning from a hatchback or sedan will be pleased to hear that the road manners of the Opel Combo Life are rather similar with a planted drive and surprisingly minimal body roll for a vehicle of this shape. I did, however, find that the Combo Life has a propensity to nosedive under braking, especially when unladen.
Related: 5 Reasons why the Opel Astra deserved Car of the Year 2017
Performance
Powered by a 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine, the Combo Life is good for 68 kW and 230 Nm torque. While adequate for the Combo Life, the competition does offer more with their diesel offerings and their petrol offerings also come rather close.
I found the response to be a little disappointing though with a noticeable gap in the power delivery in the low RPM range, the range where the turbo isn't quite up to speed. This was infuriating at times and necessitated a downshift in order to get the engine on the boil again.
The Combo Life is no traffic light Grand Prix racer but it will happily cruise along at highway speeds with enough power underfoot to negotiate the hills and for the odd passing manoeuvre.
Space and Comfort
Space is the forte of the Combo Life. There is more than ample head- and shoulder room in the cabin for five adults. The driver gets an additional armrest too that makes long-distance travelling even more pleasant.
The squared-off shape of the rear helps bolster a healthy load area of 597-litres with a parcel shelf that can be folded back or removed completely. The split-folding 60/40 rear seats also allow for even larger items to be carried with ease.
Comfort and NVH levels are surprisingly good for a vehicle that started off as an echoey panel van and Opel has done well to insulate the majority of the road noise and intrusion. As an added bonus, the Combo Life benefits from the storage design of the Combo Panel Van and the cabin is littered with cup holders, storage bins and parcel shelves.
The Combo Life gets an Intellilink infotainment system with CarPlay and Android Auto but the execution is lacking somewhat. This system seems to default to radio no matter the prior connection and the touch input lacks precision. Audio reproduction is good and the 2 USB inputs and Aux input helps make connecting to devices rather easy.
Safety
Carrying the type of cargo that the Combo Life is designed to carry, that being passengers and particularly, children, one would expect that the safety side of things would be well taken care of. The Opel Combo Life is fitted with ABS as standard which is further supplemented by electronic brake-force distribution (EBD).
An electronic stability program (ESP) and hill start assist (HSA) are standard fitment in the Combo Life while both driver and front passenger get airbags and both front and rear passengers are cared for with curtain airbags front and rear.
Fuel Consumption
Fuel consumption was the one area that the Combo Life impressed me. Despite putting it through its paces, finding the ideal driving style that best suited the engine's lack of low down power delivery, and the 5-speed manual gearbox, it still managed to return a regular and consistent 5.9 l/100km with the occasional dip to 6.0.
Price
It's here where the proverbial wheels fall off for the Opel Combo Life. There's only one model in one trim level available at the moment and that retails for R369 900 with a 3 years / 120 000 km warranty and 3 years/ 60 000 km service plan.
By comparison, the equivalent Volkswagen Caddy comes in at R356 700 with a 1.0-litre TSI engine in Trendline specification. Check a few options and you're spending roughly the same money as you would on the Combo Life.
The Verdict
It's a bold move from the German firm and while the Combo Life has enjoyed relative success in the European markets, I just don't see it winning any hearts locally. The quality of South African roads and the South African tendency to buy emotively will see the Opel losing out to the established VW in this case with more consumers opting for the SUV alternative.
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