I’ve become a major fan of the Vauxhall Combo Cargo’s head-up display.
Being able to see the speed you are doing and the speed you should be doing at a glance benefits safety, no question about it. It helps keep you legal too.
Elsewhere, active safety brake (ASB), which can be switched on and off, is another one of the Vauxhall Combo Cargo’s impressive safety features. Functioning at speeds from 3mph to 52mph, it applies the brakes if it feels you are getting dangerously close to the vehicle in front. It also reacts if a pedestrian wanders into your path, or if an errant obstacle suddenly appears on the road ahead. You can use the touch-screen to adjust the distance at which it intervenes. There are three settings: Close, Normal, and Distant. It makes its presence felt occasionally but is not excessively sensitive, as some of these systems are.
Another worthwhile safety feature that can be switched on and off is high beam assist. Use it and your headlights will stay on main beam at night when you are travelling at more than 15mph. They dip automatically when an oncoming vehicle approaches, if you come up behind a vehicle, in fog and in snow, if you drive into a town centre, or if your speed drops below 9mph.
Report Card: Safety = 4/5
Wealth of kit protects occupants.
Cargo LE Nav L1H1 2000 1.5 130hp Turbo D Start/Stop
Mileage 2,668
Official combined consumption 64.2mpg
Our average consumption 60mpg (estimated)
Price (ex VAT) £20,105
Warranty 3yrs/60,000mls
Service intervals 2yrs/25,000mls
Load length 1,817mm
Load width (min/max) 1,229/1,550mm
Load bay height 1,236mm
Gross payload 658kg
Load volume 3.3m3
Engine size/power 1,499cc/130hp
Gearbox 6spd manual
CO2 117g/km
Options
Parking Pack £700
Safety Pack £570
FlexCargo Pack £510
Head-up Display £300
Sight and Light Pack £225
Electronic climate control £200
Winter Pack £150
Wireless charger £80
(See below for previous reports)