VAN TEST DRIVE
Vauxhall Corsvan 1.3CDTi
At IMN we believe that this is one of the best car-derived vans around – so what is it? It is of course the Vauxhall Corsavan but our vehicle was in Sportive trim and was powered by the 1.3CDTi. This oil-burner is a real corker and shifts the Corsavan at a rapid rate.
Take the Corsavan Sportive out around town and you’ll make heads turning - unusual for a van to have this impact on the public but the Corsavan in Sportive trim is racy and trendy all mixed into one.
It has body coloured bumpers, which come in metallic paint and to get the pulse beating a bit faster there’s a roof spoiler, alloys and a sport exhaust.
Move to the interior and you can instantly see that much of the cabin has been carried straight from the Corsa car - this is a good thing as it makes the interior much more appealing.
The sturdy plastics have an orange peel effect on the dash and all the instruments are neatly positioned while the switches are within easy reach of the driver.
On the safety and security front the Corsavan comes kitted with side-impact protection beams, energy absorbing steering column as standard.
The Corsavan comes with a powerful a 1.3CDTi engine, which has 125lb/ft of torque and there’s 90hp on tap at the press of the accelerator. The drive train is mated to a smooth changing six-speed gearbox.
The steering is light as it is fitted with speed-variable electric assistance – very handy when getting parked in town centres but gives you very little feel when on the open road.
The chassis is more than competent – on road manners are close to perfect - the Sportive model on test had lowered suspension, you could feel how supple it is and this made for a relaxing ride but if you had a need to push on the Corsavan didn’t disappoint.
The Vauxhall Corsavan is a superb tool for delivering goods in and around town while on the outer urban routes it is easy to drive.
At a glance:
| Name: | Vauxhall Corsavan 1.3CDTi Sportive |
| Price: | £11,298 |
| Engine/power: | 1.3CDTi/90bhp |
| Payload: | 550kg |
Simon McBride