Vauxhall MOVANO VAN RANGE
Panel Vans Dont Do Pretty Very Well But That Didnt Stop
Vauxhall From Putting Time And Money Into A Facelift For Their Movano. Oh, And Theres Been Some Tinkering Under The Vehicles Skin Too. Steve Walker Reports
In the Movano, Vauxhall have a vehicle that can do battle with the big guns in the large panel van arena. It was already well-placed to do so, with encouraging sales figures and a strong following amongst business users, but the latest round of tweaks and adjustments look to have progressed its chances a stage further. The question is whether, or not, buyers will be drawn to Vauxhalls offering at the expense of the other contenders in what is an extremely closely-fought market sector.
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To the casual observer, the current Movano wont look massively different to its immediate predecessor. What changes there are have been are confined to the front end where bigger, more angular lights and Vauxhalls V shaped grille predominate. The black plastic bumper has been deepened to house clear lens indicators and its more obviously moulded around the vans corner contours. Of more salience are the changes inside where theres now a stubby dash-mounted gearlever to do the shifting, instead of the lengthy wand that had sprouted from the pre-facelift floor.
Cog changes are now short and punchy, distinctly preferable to the flailing, inaccurate action of the previous set up. There are currently four diesel engine options with the larger units hooked-up to a six-speed transmission system.
"On the road, the Movano is surprisingly manoeuvrable with a tight turning circle and good forward visibility."
Like the more compact Vivaro, the Movano is a product of Vauxhalls close liaison with
Renault and so it shares the vast majority of its characteristics with the French manufacturers Master panel van (as its smaller sibling does with the Traffic).
Nissan are also in on the act by virtue of their links to Renault and their version is christened Interstar. Were it not for the obvious corporate branding, anyone but the most committed commercial vehicle anorak would be hard pushed to tell the trio apart - although recent facelifts to all three have helped in this respect. This similarity is no bad thing, though, especially in view of the abundant platform-sharing antics that go on throughout the LCV market and particularly in the panel van sector everybodys at it.
A brisk stroll around the Movanos extremities will reveal unremarkable styling at every turn. The slightly bland effect might make you wonder why the
Vauxhall/Renault partnership couldnt rekindle some of the design flare that made the Vivaro/Traffic such a striking visual proposition. That said, theres nothing actually wrong with the Movanos looks, it just goes along with the tried and tested big van formula favoured by almost all its competitors. This mediocre body can be ordered in short, medium and long wheelbase forms in combination with standard, high and maxi roof heights.
Beyond that, there are chassis cab and crew cab options, a Luton van, a dropside pick-up and a 12 or 15-seater minibus. In fact, if you cut to the chase by simply saying that theres something for everyone, you wouldnt be far wrong. Vauxhall have seen fit to offer four engines with the Movano, all are advanced common rail turbo diesels. There is no petrol option and this might seem strange at first glance but Vauxhall could have the last laugh.
Many manufacturers who set out their stall in the panel van market offer a token petrol engine as part of their range. Invariably, this accounts for a tiny percentage of sales as most buyers prefer the powerful, economical diesels anyway. People who do choose good old unleaded are usually taking the minibus option where the perceived greater refinement of a petrol unit is often more highly prized. The oil-burning powerplants offered should fulfil the needs of the vast majority of fleet and business buyers.
Budget-minded individuals will favour the Movanos 1.9-litre CDTi engine. Its good for 82bhp and in good turbo diesel tradition, theres plenty of torque low down in the rev range - ideal for hauling heavy loads around town. Next is the 2.
5-litre CDTi powerplant, which is available in two versions tuned to generate either 100 or 115bhp, these units up the power anti another notch and are noticeably more adept at hauling larger loads. The range-topper is a 136bhp 3.0-litre CDTi diesel, which will be the engine of choice for buyers intending to use the Movanos full payload capacity. Average fuel consumption of 27.
4mpg is touted for the 3.0-litre with the 2.5-litre models clocking up closer to 32mpg. A further option is that of the Techshift semi-automatic gearbox which can be used as a conventional auto box or as a manual.
On the road, the Movano is surprisingly manoeuvrable with a tight turning circle and good forward visibility. The rear doors are unglazed, unless you shell-out for some windows, so reversing can be an awkward head-out-the-window job but standard power steering helps here. The controls are easy to locate and operate with a general feel of solidity common around the cab you get the impression that the fixtures and fittings wouldnt fold under the pressure of sustained everyday use. The glovebox is small but a door bin/flask holder along with a roomy overhead shelf make up for this shortcoming.
Armrests and height-adjustable headrests are standard. In summing up, the Vauxhall Movano is right up there with the finest large panel vans you can buy. Its nicely thought out and robustly constructed with four excellent engines and a diverse range of bodystyles. Standard equipment could be more comprehensive and cabin storage more usable but these are minor gripes concerning what is another solid commercial vehicle product from Vauxhall.
Its still uncertain whether the Movano will attract enough business buyers and fleet contracts to reach the top sales-wise but it appears to have all the tools to do the job. You could certainly do a lot worse on the executive decision front than entrusting your businesss transportation needs to a Vauxhall Movano.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
VAN: Vauxhall Movano range ENGINES: 1.9-litre CDTi 82bhp/ 2.5-litre 100bhp or 115bhp CDTi / 3.0-litre CDTi 136bhp BASE VERSION OPTIONS: Panel van / Chassis cab / Chassis crew cab MAX PAYLOAD: (panel vans) 1,062kg (2.8t 2.2CDTi SWB) 1,717kg (3.5t 3.
0 CDTi SWB)
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