VAUXHALL COMBO LIFE

MARKET AND MODEL

• Practical and versatile leisure vehicle for active lifestyles
• Spacious and comfortable with optional panoramic glass roof
• High levels of safety equipment and advances in comfort technology

A practical and versatile vehicle aimed at active families and empty nesters, the Vauxhall Combo Life arrives in showrooms in September priced from £19,610 on-the-road.

The Combo Life is full of innovations that make it a great choice for the whole family. The spacious, highly practical and versatile model is equipped with two rear sliding doors and can be ordered as a five- or seven-seater, with each configuration available in either standard or XL wheelbase. This versatility makes the Combo Life perfect for those needing plenty of room for people and luggage, such as a small sports team and its equipment.

The latest addition to the Vauxhall range makes longer trips more comfortable and enjoyable for the whole family, thanks to three ISOFIX child seat brackets on the second-row seats of all models, and the optional panoramic glass roof.

The Combo Life raises the bar for safety and comfort in this segment. It is fitted with technologies and driver assistance systems that are more commonly seen in the compact or SUV segments, such as Driver Drowsiness Alert, Rear View Camera with 180° bird’s-eye view, Head-up Display, and IntelliGrip, as well as improved comfort features such as heated seats and a heated steering wheel.

COMFORT AND FLEXIBILITY

• 4m standard length version, or a longer 4.75m long Combo XL model
• Both versions available with either five or seven seats
• Luggage volume up to 850 litres (second row seats to glass line)

The Combo Life is available as a 4.4m standard length version or a longer 4.75m-long Combo XL model, with two sliding rear doors as standard. Both variants have a height of 1.8m and are available with either five or seven seats, ensuring that even large families, along with their pets, can enjoy a spacious and comfortable ride.

Transporting a large amount of luggage for the family holiday is also easy thanks to the spacious luggage volume. The five-seat, standard length version has a minimum luggage volume of 597 litres, while the long wheelbase model has a minimum luggage volume of 850 litres.

However, the Combo Life is not only a spacious and highly comfortable family vehicle, it can also double as a small transporter. With the rear seats folded down, the boot volume of the standard version more than triples to 2,126 litres /2700mm maximum load length. The longer version of the Combo Life offers even more capacity when the rear seats are folded down, with a whopping 2,693 litres/3050mm maximum load length.

Storage

The new Combo Life offers an unparalleled amount of storage in its segment. The ‘hatbox’ above the windscreen is perfect for smaller items, while the driver, front seat passenger and those in back seats can stow their personal items in large door pockets. Seat-back pockets and drawers offer further storage for those in the back. The driver and front seat passenger can take advantage of the upper and lower glovebox. As the airbag on the passenger side is located in the roof, the cooled upper glovebox offers a lot of space, even for large items, and is the ideal place to store drinks.

When ordered with a panoramic roof, the Combo Life comes with overhead storage running down the centre of the vehicle with LED lighting as standard. In this configuration, it is also fitted with a large 36-litre storage box mounted above the ‘hat tray’ in the boot. The storage box is ideal for clothes, books or small toys. It can be loaded from the rear when the boot is open or via the optional opening window integrated in the tailgate, and accessed from inside the vehicle via two sliding doors at the front of the box.

Those in need of even more space and storage, or those who want to tow a small caravan (trailer load up to 1,500kg), can fit a trailer via the optional fixed or removable towing hook. To ensure the safest possible driving conditions, the Combo Life comes with Trailer Stability Control as standard when ordered with a towing hook. This additional ESP function stabilises the trailer or slows the vehicle as required.

Comfort

First-class ergonomics have been a design priority for the Combo Life’s cabin from the outset. The centre console is clearly divided in three different areas. The upper section is devoted to a prominent infotainment screen, with heating and ventilation controls below that, and ample storage for a 500ml bottle in the lower section. The driver also enjoys an excellent overall view, thanks to the elevated seating position and the large windscreen.

The heated steering wheel, a unique feature in the segment, means that Combo Life drivers will never have to worry about cold hands again; the heated front seats also keep the cold at bay. Elsewhere, the optional air-conditioning or dual zone climate control keeps you and the family cool, even on hot days. The integrated sensors adjusts the system depending on intensity of the sun, while the humidity sensor and automatic air dispersion prevent misting. In addition, electric front windows come as standard and are also available as an option in the second row.

The second row seating setup of both variants also caters for individual preferences. For the five-seater versions, the second-row seats are split 60/40, while on the seven-seater models the second row splits 35/30/35. In both cases, each second-row seating position has its own ISOFIX child seat bracket as standard allowing for three child seats to be fitted next to each other – a rarity in the market.

Each seat has a top tether anchor point designed to lessen forward movement of the front-facing child seat in the event of a frontal collision, thus reducing the risk of injury. Meanwhile, optional folding tables embedded in the backrests of the front seats increase comfort even further, especially on a long journey. They can be used as shelves for smartphones or tablets, or as an ideal tray for a snack including a drink; corresponding cup holders are already integrated. And easy access to the passenger compartment is guaranteed by the sliding doors.

Regardless whether children or adults are travelling in the rear, everyone can enjoy a wonderful view of the sky, thanks to the optional panoramic roof. When the sun is too strong, an electric sunblind, activated though a switch in the overhead console, can be closed, providing total protection.

POWERTRAINS

• Range of turbocharged, direct-injection petrol and diesel engines
• Low CO₂ emissions from 111g/km and fuel economy up to 67.3mpg
• Transmissions: manual or automatic with Quickshift technology

Combo Life customers can choose between a variety of turbocharged, direct-injection petrol and diesel engines, all of which combine driving pleasure with low CO₂ emissions from 111g/km and fuel economy up to 67.3mpg.

All powertrains meet the stringent Euro 6d-TEMP emissions standards, mandated from September 2019. The all-aluminium units are available with modern five- or six-speed manual transmission. In addition, in a segment first, a low-friction eight-speed automatic with Quickshift technology can be ordered in combination with the top-of-the-range 1.5-litre (130PS) diesel.

Diesel Engines

Turbocharged and with variable turbine geometry, the diesel engine offering comprises a 1.5-litre Turbo D Start/Stop Blueinjection unit available in two power outputs: 100PS and 130PS. The 100PS version offers maximum power of 100PS at 3500rpm and maximum torque of 250Nm at 1750rpm. The 130PS version offers maximum power of 130PS at 3750rpm and maximum torque of 300Nm at 1750rpm. In standard length body style, the 1.5-litre 100PS engine achieves 67.3mpg and CO₂ emissions of 111g/km.

To ensure optimised exhaust gas treatment, the emission control system on the 1.5-litre Turbo D – which consists of an oxidation catalytic converter/NOx absorber, AdBlue injection, SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) catalytic converter and diesel particulate filter – is a compact unit located close to the engine. The NOx absorber acts as a cold start catalytic converter and limits nitrogen oxide emissions from the start, before SCR takes over at higher operating temperatures.

The new eight-speed automatic is available with the 1.5-litre Turbo D (130PS) and not only enables smooth shifting, but loses nothing in efficiency versus the manual gearbox. 

Petrol Engine

The petrol engine offering comprises an award-winning 1.2-litre (110PS) Turbo Start/Stop direct injection unit. It offers maximum power of 110PS @ 5500rpm and maximum torque of 205Nm at 1750rpm. In both Combo Life and Combo Life XL body style, the 1.2-litre petrol engine achieves 51.4mpg combined and CO₂ emissions of 125g/km.

In order to reduce particulate emissions as much as possible, the unit has a gasoline particulate filter located close to the engine. This construction enables optimised oxidation of the particles captured by the filter.

A higher output 1.2 petrol unit, producing 130PS, will be available with the 110PS engine from the first half of 2019.

DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS AND CONNECTIVTY

• Latest technology and driver assistance systems
• Easier parking thanks to Advanced Park Assist
• Available with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

The Combo Life raises the bar for safety and comfort in this segment. It is fitted with technologies and driver assistance systems that are more commonly seen in the compact or SUV segments. Technology and safety features include:

• Parking manoeuvres are made safer and easier by Advanced Park Assist and the Panoramic Rear-View Camera.
• The Head-up Display, which reduces the danger of distractions and projects the most important driving data into the driver’s direct line of sight.
• Forward collision alert with pedestrian detection and Automatic Emergency Braking that issues an alarm and a visual warning, and will brake automatically if the driver does not react to the alerts.
• Front camera system, which gathers and processes data for additional driver assistance systems such as Speed Sign Recognition and Lane Keep Assist.
• Automatic Cruise Control adapts to the speed of the vehicle in front. It works in conjunction with Intelligent Speed Adaptation, which informs the driver when a new speed limit is detected and prompts the driver to adjust the speed accordingly.
• Driver Drowsiness Alert detects for signs of driver fatigue and suggests the driver takes a break at the next service station.

IntelliGrip

Already available on Vauxhall’s Grandland X SUV, IntelliGrip is an electronic front differential which adapts the torque distribution to the front wheels and allows wheel-spin if necessary. This ensures traction and stable handling regardless of the surface conditions.

There are five modes available to the driver to select from:

• Normal/On-road: ‘Normal’ mode is activated as soon as the Combo Life is started. The electronic stability program (ESP) and traction control are calibrated for normal road driving conditions.
• Snow: ‘Snow mode’ ensures the best possible traction on icy and snowy surfaces. Traction control regulates the slip of the front wheels, slows the spinning wheel down and transfers the torque to the other front wheel.
• Mud: This mode allows more slip on muddy surfaces, enabling the wheel with the least traction to spin when the vehicle is launching to ensure that mud is removed and the tyres can re-establish traction. Meanwhile, the wheel with the highest grip is provided with the highest torque.
• Sand: Sand mode allows a small amount of simultaneous wheel spin on the two driven wheels, enabling the Combo Life to advance and reducing the risk of sinking.
• ESP Off: This enables the deactivation of ESP and traction aids to give the driver complete autonomy. For safety reasons, IntelliGrip automatically switches back to ‘normal mode’ at speeds above 31mph.

When towing with the Combo Life, the optional towing pack comes as standard with Trailer Stability Control (TSC). This additional ESP function stabilises the swaying of the trailer or slows the vehicle as required. If these measures are not enough to avert all danger, the system reduces engine torque even further and brakes the vehicle so that the critical speed range is left as quickly as possible.

Connectivity

The new generation infotainment systems available in the Combo Life guarantee outstanding on-board entertainment. The Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible Multimedia Radio and Multimedia Navi Pro can be controlled via the eight-inch colour touchscreen, the steering wheel remote controls or voice command. Accessing playlists is just as possible as reading out or dictating text messages. The infotainment systems comes with two USB ports, a double tuner and six speakers.

The integrated navigation system of the top-of-the-range Multimedia Navi Pro unit with European maps and 3D navigation also shows Traffic Messaging Channel updates, ensuring that drivers can always select the perfect route and avoid traffic jams.

And suitable smartphones can be charged without any cables thanks to the optional wireless charging, while DAB+ provides a wider range of radio stations and ensures better sound quality.

DESIGN

• Practical design both inside and out
• Balanced, robust and confident exterior design
• Convenient, functional and spacious interior

The new Combo Life doesn’t just stand out from the crowd with its high-tech solutions, outstanding space and versatility though – it also comes with eye-catching design inside and out. Compared with other cars in the segment, it has a shorter front overhang and a higher bonnet, making it look more balanced, robust and confident. From the front, it displays a typical Vauxhall identity with sculptured details enhancing the feeling of precision and solidity. The high bonnet with two crisp lines, which go from the windshield down to the grille, emphasise the stability of the vehicle.

The interior was designed with driver convenience as a priority. Controls are within easy reach, and the centre console is clearly divided in three areas. The infotainment system dominates the upper portion and sits above the heating and ventilation controls. In the lower portion there is adequate storage space for a 500ml bottle. Chrome accents on the steering wheel, on the door handles and in the air vents add further character and a premium finish.

RANGE, PRICING AND EQUIPMENT

• Combo Life prices start from £19,610 on-the-road
• Available to order now; in showrooms from September
• High levels of safety equipment and advances in comfort technology

Versatile, practical and spacious, Vauxhall’s all-new Combo Life will arrive in showrooms from September priced from £19,610 on-the-road.

Aimed at active families and empty nesters, the Combo Life comes in two trims: Design and Energy, with Energy models available as either a five- or seven-seater. Customers can also choose between two wheelbases: standard and XL. Its diverse powertrain portfolio includes petrol and diesels with either manual or automatic transmission.

Priced at £19,610 on-the-road, the entry-level Design 1.2-litre (110PS) Turbo Start/Stop 6-manual model’s standard specification includes air conditioning, DAB Radio with USB and Bluetooth audio streaming and 16-inch steel wheels with styled wheel covers.

Moving up the range, the Energy trim starts from £21,010 on-the-road for the five-seater 1.2-litre (110PS) Turbo Start/Stop 6-manual model. A high level of standard specification includes eight-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system, 16-inch alloy wheels and front and rear parking sensors.

If you need space for more passengers, the Energy seven-seater starts from £21,710 on-the-road for the 1.2-litre (110PS) Turbo Start/Stop 6-manual model. A high level of standard specification includes 35/30/35 split-folding second-row seats with fold-flat facility, two removable third-row seats and two foldable tables with cup-holders.