Vauxhall Combo-e Life Review 2023
The Vauxhall Combo-e Life is an electric MPV designed to replace the Combo Life as an environmentally friendly alternative. The Combo-e Life keeps many of the same features as its predecessor, such as a practical interior and a comfortable ride.
Rivals to the Vauxhall Combo-e Life include the Citroen e-Berlingo and Peugeot e-Rifter.
Vauxhall Combo-e Life Pros:
- Superb practicality
- Good ride quality
- Huge boot
Vauxhall Combo-e Life Cons:
- Low-quality interior with lots of plastic
- Not much fun on the road
- Basic technology on standard trim
Our Vauxhall Combo-e Life review covers:
- Sporty exterior with a stylish front grille
- Spacious interior with either five or seven seats
- 571-litre boot in the standard version, 806 litres in the XL
- One 50kWh battery is available
- Two trim levels: Design and Ultimate
The Vauxhall Combo-e Life is one of the sportiest looking electric MPVs on the market. Nothing is out of the ordinary regarding its body, but its front is complemented by a stylish black grille featuring a set of wings from the Vauxhall logo.
You have a choice of five or seven seats in the Combo-e Life, with both setups coming with plenty of room. Passengers throughout have plenty of leg and headroom to use, and those in the rear can easily get in and out thanks to the side sliding doors.
Boot space comes in at 571 litres in the standard Combo-e Life and 806 litres in the XL wheelbase. Fold the rear seats 60/40, and luggage space can be extended to 2,126 litres and 2,693 litres. Thanks to its boxy exterior, the boot is square and has no load lip.
The interior of the Combo-e Life fits the bill for a family MPV, but it won't blow you away in terms of quality. Everything is fit for purpose and well-built, but the dashboard is made up of hard plastics and has a few features that look odd, making it fall short of the Peugeot e-Rifter and Citroen e-Berlingo.
On the dashboard is an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a built-in sat-nav and smartphone mirroring. The system is relatively easy to use when on the move, thanks to its position on top of the dashboard. On the Ultimate trim, you get a ten-inch digital information display behind the steering wheel, which features a head-up display that puts your speed onto the windscreen.
Two trims are available for the Vauxhall Combo-e Life: Design and Ultimate.
The entry-level Design comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, a sliding side-access door with opening windows, rear parking distance sensors, forward collision alert, dark-tinted rear windows, and a fold-flat front passenger seat with an armrest.
The range-topping Ultimate adds to this with a ten-inch digital instrument cluster, a heated leather steering wheel, LED daylight running lights, a 180-degrees parking camera, electronic climate control, black painted rear-view mirror housing, and Vauxhall Connect for the infotainment system.
The Combo-e Life comes with a 50kWh battery that has a power output of 136bhp and a top speed of 84mph. Its electric range comes in at a combined 174 miles, which is on par with the Citroen e-Berlingo and the Peugeot e-Rifter.
If you're looking to lease the Combo-e Life, on-the-road performance probably isn't atop your priorities. Regardless, its electric motor gets the job done and will serve you and your passengers well.
Over potholes and bumps in the road, the Combo-e Life is composed at low and high speeds. You'll still be able to feel the road, but it shouldn't cause you and your passengers too many issues.
As for handling, the Combo-e Life fits the bill but doesn't provide much excitement. Steering is accurate around town and on a country road, but there is a bit of body lean when cornering, thanks to the Combo-e Life's weight.
Prices for the new Vauxhall Combo-e Life start from £33,280.00 OTR* or to lease from £448.42 per month.
Looking to get behind the wheel of a Vauxhall Combo-e Life? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers and offers a range of leasing deals to suit your every need.
Leasing may be cheaper than an outright purchase thanks to a low initial deposit, fixed monthly payments, and a range of benefits included in your deal, such as road tax and breakdown cover.
*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change, always check with your nearest retailer.
