I have a soft spot for minibuses. Not the type driven by kamikaze taxi drivers with their sardine-packed passengers (for them I reserve only hard words and glares), but luxurious buses such as the Opel Vivaro, designed for schlepping large families around in comfort.
Sure, they’re not terribly glamorous, but I can happily live without cosmetic charm in return for the space and versatility they offer. And to be honest, for a bus the Vivaro isn’t entirely without some cosmetic street cred. Though its hind quarters are boxy the vehicle has a pleasingly modern and aerodynamic frontal area so the neighbours will be less likely to look down their noses at your “panel van”.
The nine-seater Vivaro is a cheaper alternative to the faithful Volkswagen Kombi at a significant price saving, given that the baseline Kombi sells for more than 400 grand. The single Vivaro model available, the diesel-powered 1.9 CDTi Enjoy, retails for R325 990, making it one of the most affordable buses in its class (Hyundai’s petrol 2.4 H1 Wagon is the only one cheaper at R307 500).
The “catch”, for want of a better word, is that the Vivaro’s interior ambience isn’t as classy as more expensive leather-lined MPV’s, but neither is it spartan or under-specced. It has comfy cloth-covered seats and a modernly-styled dash, and is reasonably well equipped with aircon that offers separate vents for front and rear passengers.
The driver also gets power-assisted, height-adjustable steering while the front windows and side mirrors are electrically operated.
Safety’s covered by dual front airbags and ABS brakes with EBD. A tow hitch comes standard and the Vivaro’s rated to tow a 750kg unbraked or 2 000kg braked load, so you can take caravans and boat trailers along on your expeditions.
We used the Vivaro for a camping trip with six people and a large stack of luggage and the bus comfortably accommodated it all. There’s oodles of leg, head and elbow room, although my one criticism is that rear passengers had nowhere to stash their cooldrinks and clutter. There’s not a single cupholder at the back or even a seat pocket; only front occupants get storage nooks.
The rubber floor covering isn’t as plush or warm-feeling as a carpet, but the advantage is that it’s hard wearing and easy to clean, and we put this to the test by removing the rear seats and using the Vivaro as a panelvan to haul some furniture and other heavy items. Emptied of all but the front seats, the cargo bay’s enormous and swallowed huge loads, while the hardy rubber floor stood up well to the exercise and looked no worse for wear afterwards.
The front row comfortably seats two adults, with occasional seating for a third made possible by the gearlever being plugged into the dashboard. The driver’s seat adjusts for legroom and backrest angle, but front seat passengers unfortunately have to make do with a bench that’s fixed in place.
Access to the rear seats is provided through a large sliding door on either side while entry to the boot is gained through two side-opening doors rather than a large swing-up type – all designed this way to make the Vivaro easier to access in tight parking spaces.
Supplying the power is 1.9-litre, common-rail turbodiesel engine with 74kW and 240Nm on tap, driving the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. Quick getaways will never be this vehicle’s strong point and there’s some turbo lag, but the engine delivers good midrange torque which gives the Vivaro respectable cruising ability, even when lugging a full load. Top speed’s a useful 155km/h.
The diesel engine’s also impressively economical and, combined with the large 90-litre fuel tank, you can expect a range of about 1000km between fuel stops. What I like about the Vivaro is that despite its large size it’s not intimidating to drive, thanks to its light power steering and manageably tight turning circle. There’s also a proximity sensor which helps you with parking.
VERDICT:
For its sheer people and cargo-hauling versatility, combined with a very competitive pricetag, the Vivaro makes a compelling choice for large families. - Star Motoring