Opel Combo Cargo - International Van of the Year arrives in SA

International Van of the Year arrives in SA

After it was separated from the General Motors parent company, Opel was incorporated into the PSA (Peugeot Citroen) Group. This left local Opel fans wondering what would happen to the brand that they supported for so many years as the PSA Group has a relatively small footprint here in South Africa. All was not lost as the brand would start out small again and would sell vehicles through a select group of dealerships and the brand would continue its life in South Africa separate from the PSA dealers.

The merger into the PSA Group allowed Opel to access a lot of new technologies and platforms that were once not within the scope of the company. Vans have long been an important part of small business operations in Europe while bakkies have done duty here in SA, so Opel decided to take the plunge and bring the award winning Combo van over and test the waters here in SA.

With increasing danger to cargo from rising theft rates, vans have started to become a very viable alternative for small businesses. Versatility has become the new buzzword and the Opel Combo has this in spades as we found out when we took this agile cargo cruiser on test.

 

Exterior

The exterior of the Combo is as you would expect. Flat sides all around with a bevy of doors. It is the distinctive front end that sets it apart from its competitors. The almost vertical up and down styling of the grille and bumper bely the aerodynamic features incorporated into the design of the headlights and small bonnet. 

Large side mirrors give you a very good view of the surrounding area while a set of standard steel wheels let you know the Combo is not about luxury convenience and all about going about its business. A set of large vertical taillights dominate the backend whh also houses the large 60/40 split rear doors.

The Combo has an amazing ability to blend in with its surroundings when there are many vehicles present but manages to stand out completely when parked alone at a loading dock. It is unmistakably an Opel product and carries a definitive Euro feel about it.

 

Interior

We were quite surprised by the comfort level inside the drivers cabin in the Combo. The touch, look and feel was very SUV like and one can see that many of the SUV characteristics from the Grandland X have made their way into the van. Despite the large empty load bay behind you and a steel backing separating the cab from the load bay noise is kept to a minimum and long drives can actually be enjoyed.

The dashboard, door cards and panels are all made from hard wearing plastics but don't come across as cheap and nasty. There is also plenty of hidden storage in the form of an overhead compartment.

The seats are covered in a comfortable cloth and all the basics you could need are covered. Manual air-con, electric windows, 12v outlet,USB in and a MP3 / Bluetooth radio with 4 speakers will make any journey a pleasant one.

 

Cargo Space

The Combo may seem compact from the outside but once you enter the cargo bay you realise that it is rather spacious. A maximum load length of just over 3m is possible with load height being just shy of 1m. This means that you are able to load 3.8 cubic meters of stock with a weight of 1 Ton into your Combo with ease.

The cargo bay is an uncovered steel arrangement allowing the owner to customise with shelves, racks, hooks or tie down points. The bay is also lit and with the wide opening rear doors with detachable hinges and a sliding door on the left to access smaller loads, you should have no problems delivering even the strangest of loads.

 

Drive

Driving the Combo was a treat. We enjoyed the soft supple ride that was devoid of the normal bone rattling shakes and booming echo from the load bay that are normally found on vehicles in this class. 

The Combo is powered by a 1.6l turbo diesel engine mated to a 5 speed manual transmission. Power figures sit at 68kW and 280Nm which proved to be plenty for transporting a full load.

Opel claims a fuel consumption on the diesel of 4.8l/100km while our real world driving returned 6.6l on a very combined cycle of stop / start city and freeway driving.

In short this is a full on delivery vehicle that feels and drives like a family SUV.

 

Models and Pricing

Opel Combo Cargo 1.6TD STD M/T           -         R 315 675

Opel Combo Cargo 1.6TD LWB M/T          -         R 350 400    

• Warranty & Roadside Assistance – 3 Years / 120 000 km
• Anti-Corrosion Warranty – 12 Years / Unlimited km
• Service Intervals – 12 Months / 15 000 km
• Service Plan – 3 Years / 60 000 km

 

Verdict

In Europe the Combo shares its platform with the likes of the Peugeot Partner and Citroen Berlingo, neither of which are locally sold anymore, this means that its closets rivals would be in the form of the Ford Transit, Mercedes Benz Vito and VW Caddy . While each of these vehicles have their own benefits and disadvantages, pricing seems to favour the Combo more.

If you are a small business owner that wants to protect stock deliveries, delivery any kind of stock actually and want to do it at an affordable price and in comfort, I highly recommend taking a look at the Opel Combo.