Vauxhall has safeguarded 1,250 UK jobs at its Luton factory by announcing that the new Vivaro Life will be produced at the Bedfordshire site. Plus, Vauxhall will launch a pure-electric version in 2021.
The Vivaro Life, which is a rival for the Citroen SpaceTourer, will be offered in two sizes: medium, which is 4.95 metres long, and large, at 5.30 metres. Both models feature the same 3.28-metre wheelbase.
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For maximum versatility, all the seats are fitted on aluminium rails, allowing them to be adjusted and removed when desired. Configurations range from four up to nine seats, while the front passenger chair can be folded flat to allow items up to 3.5 metres long to be transported.
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Removing all of the seats raises total luggage capacity to 3,397 litres and Vauxhall claims that each model has a maximum payload of more than one tonne.
A separate long-wheelbase Vivaro Life is also offered in Lounge trim, bringing heated and massage seats up front and two wide, moveable leather rear chairs. A table and 230V power source also boost comfort.
The new Vivaro Life features a fresh 7.0-inch display on the dashboard that has both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity.
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A raft of driver assistance tech also features in the Vivaro range for the first time; camera and radar monitoring can detect pedestrians and apply the emergency braking system at speeds of up to 18mph if it senses a potential collision. Lane-keep assist, intelligent cruise control, a colour head-up display and adaptive headlamps are also available.
Three diesel engines will be offered: a 148bhp and 178bhp 2.0 litre, plus a lesser 118bhp 1.5. In place of four-wheel drive, Vauxhall has fitted PSA’s IntelliGrip traction control system to help on loose surfaces.
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