The What Van? Road Test: Vauxhall Movano

Date: Monday, March 4, 2024

Operating

A three-year/100,000-mile warranty is provided with no mileage limit during the first 12 months. Roadside assistance is included for the first year, and a five-year body panel anti-perforation warranty completes the deal.

Service intervals are set at two years/30,000 miles.

Vauxhall quotes official WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure) Combined Low and Combined High fuel economy figures of 25.4mpg and 40.4mpg respectively.

The CO₂figures quoted respectively are 295g/km and 188g/km, with Stop/Start standard to help keep diesel consumption and CO₂emissions down. It can be switched off if necessary.

We averaged 32.4mpg according to the van’s onboard computer on part-laden runs which included (mostly rural) A- and B-roads, dual carriageways and busy market towns. Our Movano came with a spare wheel; a £200 option, which seems a little harsh. The body’s sides were protected from minor damage by deep rubbing strips.

Vauxhall Movano Prime 2.2D 165 M6 L3H2 3500

Price (ex VAT) £32,880

Price range (ex VAT) £26,895-£63,635

Gross payload 1,415kg

Load length 705mm

Load width (min/max) 1422mm/1870mm

Load bay height 1932mm

Load volume 13.0m³

Loading height 557mm

Rear door aperture 1562mm x 1790mm

Side door aperture 1250mm x 1755mm

Gross vehicle weight 3,500kg

Braked trailer towing weight 2,500kg

Engine size/power 2,179cc/165hp @ 3750rpm

Torque 370Nm @ 1,750rpm

Gearbox 6sp

Fuel economy(combined high WLTP) 40.4mpg

Fuel tank 90 litres

CO2 (combined high WLTP) 188g/km

Warranty 3yrs/100,000 miles

Service intervals 2yrs/30,000 miles

Insurance group 48E

Price as tested £36,950

Options

Traffic Red paint £650

Drive Assist pack £750

Fog lights with LED daytime running lights £400

Exterior mirrors with blind spot detection £150

Automatic air-conditioning £350

Suspended driver’s seat £370

Spare wheel £200

Passenger airbag £300

Offside sliding load area door £400

Load area timber floor cover and side panels £500

Rivals

Ford Transit

Price range (ex VAT) £37,935-£57,235

Load volume 9.5-15.1m³

Gross payload 895-2,209kg

Engines 105hp, 130hp, 155hp, 165hp, 170hp, 185hp 2.0 diesel, 135kW, 198kW electric motor

Verdict: Getting an upgrade for 2024 with a revamped infotainment system and a new eight-speed automatic transmission for front-wheel-drive variants, Transit ticks virtually all the boxes. Second-hand values are healthy, and dealers are ubiquitous, E-Transit is the model to watch as the industry goes zero-emission, with a claimed range of almost 200 miles.

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

Price range (ex VAT) £32,465-£64,605

Load volume 7.8-17.0m³

Gross payload 731-2,813kg

Engines 150hp, 170hp, 190hp 2.0 diesel, 100kW, 150kW electric motor

Verdict: The latest electric Sprinter is way more appealing than its disappointing short-range predecessor, with a claimed range of nearly 250 miles. Battery- or diesel-powered, Sprinters boast plenty of safety features plus a high degree of connectivity, and rock-solid build quality should enable the Mercedes-Benz large van to withstand arduous duty cycles.

Volkswagen Crafter

Price range (ex VAT) £39,480-£54,790

Load volume 9.3-18.4m³

Gross payload 904-2,396kg

Engines 102hp, 140hp, 163hp, 177hp 2.0 diesel

Verdict: A new infotainment system and more driver-assistance features will characterise the updated Crafter scheduled for this year. Remember that Crafter is also marketed by MAN as the TGE, and that a battery-powered TGE is available with a 100kW electric motor. Crafter has many of Sprinter’s virtues, yet always seems to be in its shadow.

The Final Verdict

Design 6/10 – Lots of positives, but feels dated now

Cabin 6/10 – Well-equipped, with plenty of storage space, but the touchscreen is too small

Ride 7/10 – Optional suspended driver’s seat means you don’t feel the bumps so much

Refinement 6/10 – No squeaking or rattling, but noise insulation is inadequate

Load area 9/10 – Well-designed, with big side doors, and Good payload capacity

Handling/performance 7/10 – No issues with the latter, but over-enthusiastic cornering is not to be encouraged

Engine/transmission 6/10 – Former packs plenty of punch but is let down by the quality of the gear-change

Standard equipment 7/10 – Decent kit, including A/C and sat nav, but could use more onboard safety systems

Operating costs 7/10 – Sensible warranty and service intervals should keep running expenditure down

What Van? subjective rating 7/10 – Still a contender, but rather old-fashioned now. Its successor is way overdue

Overall Rating = 68/100

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