LCV representatives are not chosen by the call of the soul, it is a purely pragmatic and practical decision. It is only the invaluable ability to cover all the needs of everyday life that makes them indispensable, and our Opel Combo now has a stylish appearance and modern technology.
A little communication and you can’t imagine life without this hard worker. It reminds me of the presence of heavy-duty horses in a person’s life: you don’t notice them and don’t even think about them until you harness them and experience all their abilities and how easily they cope with difficult tasks. So, vehicles like the Opel Combo brighten your life by making it easier. Need to move your grandmother’s chest of drawers? It’s easy. Need to buy drywall and profiles for a renovation? No problem. Going to Zakarpattia with the whole family? We pack everything and everyone indiscriminately.
There will be few tasks that the Opel Combo and its analogs cannot handle. And it is in the long L2 base that I like it the most because its abilities are wider, and this does not affect communication with it. All these 4.76 meters of length are easily packed into parking spaces, and the small turning radius, as for such a monster, helps in this. Surprisingly, it is smaller than that of a VW Tiguan or Toyota Corolla Cross. I haven’t measured it, but I can feel it in my home parking lot. And parking sensors and a rearview camera help. Although they could have delivered 360, it’s not that expensive.
The updates have made the Combo look stylish. It seems that not much has been changed, but the bloated image has disappeared thanks to the new front end. The headlights have become narrower and are complemented by diode stripes and matrix light, the grille has moved down, and a glossy strip has appeared between the headlights, blurring the difference between the electric and diesel versions. And the black color makes the car look stylish and attractive, although it would look glamorous in white.
It is the Opel that looks the most stylish and grown-up of all its twins (Citroen Berlingo, Peugeot Rifter, Toyota Proace). The zipper on the hood, steering wheel, and rear is chrome, without any stylization — it fits in with these somewhat simple features of the car.
Behind, everything remains as it was. In our case, we see a large hinged door on pneumatic lifts. It is difficult to open, but it will be good to cover long products from precipitation or to imitate a roof during a picnic. It’s quite an advantage, given that you have to park in the parking lot in front to get something out of the trunk. I’ve always thought that doors are more convenient in the case of such cars, especially since they swing open as far as possible along the body.
We are offered two lengths (L1 and L2) and two trim levels (Edition and Edition+) with a difference in some details, such as front-side airbags, fog lights, adaptive cruise, and matrix light. These are really useful features, but you can live without them. So the usual cruise here will not be much different from the adaptive one because it does not keep the distance to the previous cars, and only notifies about leaving the lane. However, each will have a speed limit that does not allow it to be exceeded, and this is just as easy to overlook here as in a regular hatchback.
Yes, the most impressive thing about the new LCVs is the lightweight steering, which is crisp and sharp enough. Which is not mentioned only by the lazy or those who have never driven a «pie». The Opel Combo’s road behavior is almost exemplary for a tall, brick-like body. You can easily forget about the dimensions while driving on the highway or even fitting into a bend.
It is clear that there is also a lumpiness, excessive cornering, and slow dynamics, but this all becomes unimportant next to the advantages provided by the roominess and space in the cabin, as well as excellent visibility and confidence behind the wheel. In addition, it is nice that passengers are not dangled around the cabin, although the wind is in the mirrors and in the pillars. What would happen if you added a trunk to the roof? At least the music saves the day.
No changes have been made to the Opel Combo’s suspension, nor to other technical parts. There is also the usual chassis configuration for this class: independent suspension in the front and a beam with a separate spring and shock absorber design, which makes it look like an independent suspension, but retains the ability to withstand heavy loads and have greater reliability without losing comfort. Only it seems to me that now it is becoming more and more exemplary in comfort, reminiscent of the VW Caddy, whose suspension settings were excellent. So now Opel can also indulge in good pothole swallowing and no vibrations or shaking.
It’s all the more surprising that the Opel Combo has the same familiar 1.5 turbocharged diesel engine (code DV5RC) with an output of 100 or 130 hp paired with a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed Aisin automatic, as in our top version. And we have already seen these combinations on various representatives of the Stellantis concern. And if the mechanics are clear and will be offered at a cost of $24,000 in lesser power, then our luxury version will already cost more than $27,404. Which is still a very loyal price for a seven-seater minivan. Moreover, the diesel engine is almost inaudible, at least in the cabin.
These pairs have proven themselves and work perfectly. Of course, «automatic» — a gift for those who have already appreciated all the advantages of a large-sized crossover and feel easy and at ease with it. No delays, thoughtfulness or unnecessary jumps. The diesel picks up from 1500 rpm and revs up rapidly with all 300 Nm of torque. There is also a Drive Mode, but it offers only an economy mode or a standard mode. So you can always ask the box to work only in economy mode. The Opel Combo becomes slower and more sluggish.
Another advantage of the Opel Combo that makes you close your eyes to all the little things is its ability to consume an average of 6.4 liters per 100 km, even when loaded. So it can travel almost 800 km on a single tank of fuel. And this is not a trifle on the scale of family travel, but real savings.
But the main advantage of this car is not even in its passenger behavior, but in its spaciousness and ability not only to comfortably transport up to seven passengers, but also to haul cargo, if necessary. It’s nice that the version of the Opel Combo with a torque converter will not have as modest a payload of 725 kg on board as one might think because the «mechanics» and less powerful engine are capable of carrying 770 kg in the long version. Both are capable of pulling a trailer of up to 3.4 tons.
It is mentioned here that the Opel Combo and its analogs are said to have the most capacious and spacious bodies among the entire range of LCVs on the market. Thus, the trunk volume in our passenger version ranges from 1538 liters to 2693 liters. Only now Renault offers a maximum of up to 3000 liters of cargo, while the VW Caddy has 1720/3105 liters. So it’s more likely that Opel’s cargo capacity stands out more than its body capacity. However, no competitor offers us seven seats and a torque converter.
What can we say about the interior of the Opel Combo, which receives more technology with each update. Working or traveling in such a car is much more pleasant. Now there is a 10-inch multimedia screen and wireless smartphone connectivity with wireless charging, and they are available from the first configuration. There is also a 10-inch digital dashboard, but this is mostly an optional system, as well as the high-comfort seats and the seventh row of seats. Although I would have improved the comfort of the seats and added a massage function — then the perfect car would be one with universal convenience and super comfort.
All this space in the Combo and the ability to cram half an apartment full of things with people is so attractive that you immediately turn a blind eye to the hard plastic in the trim, to the lack of rubber bottoms in the containers, where every little thing flies around and rides in your pockets. But this is all very easily solved, given the price of this sperm whale.
It’s nice that Apple CarPlay itself is tenacious and works without fail, charging does not overheat the smartphone, and Bluetooth does not fall off. And although there are not many settings on the multimedia monitor itself, they are enough to customize the car’s systems, which are not so many. The main thing is that the music plays well, the maps work, and nothing distracts you from driving.
The Opel Combo has a two-zone climate and even adjustable outputs for the rear passengers. And the climate system works perfectly. The only thing that can be a little annoying is that the air direction and airflow power are controlled by separate buttons that are not very visible from the driver’s seat. And it’s not convenient to click. So it’s better to just use the automatic. Especially since it works well. And the heated seats and steering wheel will keep you warm while the diesel engine warms up.
The Opel Combo’s digital cluster is quite minimalistic and has three views that are very similar to each other, and you can change the location of the on-board computer information. Perhaps the digital dashboard is not so necessary here. I would like to see the addition of duplication of information from the navigation system, but I’m fantasizing.
Send me to the back row to rest. Although you can’t really relax there. The seat is not so wide, you have to sit high, so a tall adult will feel a little awkward and uncomfortable, but the second row is just right. It’s cool that you can fold each seat separately and climb over to the third row from any side, albeit from the inside. You can fold down the middle seat and play cards on the road, or you can use the tables in the backs of the front seats, although this will not be in every version, and you will have to buy this perk separately.
There is also increased practicality in the form of folding the front passenger seat, which can serve as a table or allow you to transport long items. Well, very long because even without it, there is enough length to slide a three-meter profile, for example.
This is not to mention the number of places to store various small things: two glove compartments, a place behind the monitor, a glove compartment in front of the driver, wide pockets in the doors, a shelf on top, and an optional bottomless organizer in the center of the console. The main thing is not to forget what you put where because if you drop the key to the gate, you will be looking for it for a long time.
If you need to maximize the space for cargo, the two third-row seats not only fold, but also take off in a couple of seconds and stay at home, and the second row folds into an almost flat floor. If you shoot through the mattress-topper, you won’t even notice, and sleeping will be spacious and comfortable. A great thing for traveling, not just for cargo.
The French have long been working on improving their commercial lineup and clearly attach great importance to LCVs, as they account for the majority of sales in the commercial segment in Europe and in our country. And this German of French descent is trying to keep up, and even more so — to offer something that other brands simply do not pay attention to.
We spend most of our time at work, and it should bring us joy and ease. And in Opel, you never feel that fatigue from a long drive, as you used to in this class of cars. I know several people who will never give up LCVs in favor of crossovers again because they have appreciated the advantage that these spacious and roomy workhorses offer. And given the fact that they are on par with other car classes in terms of comfort, it is not surprising that they are dismantled at the stage of leaving the assembly line.
The Opel Combo today offers too many advantages for the price of a small compact to pass by without taking a closer look. And no other LCV on our market, at the moment, offers so many convenient features. The Renault — has only manual transmissions, and the VW Caddy, although it has a proprietary DSG, is not available in our country. Although the supply of Opel also needs to be monitored, so if you are considering a family car in the near future, you need to order it in advance.
PROS: roominess, efficiency, maneuverability, ease of operation, comfort, and cargo capacity.
CONS: hard plastic, sailiness, I would like to have more comfortable seats.
| Body, type | LCV |
| Dimensions (LxWxH), mm | 4760x1848x1787 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2975 |
| Declared ground clearance, mm | 160 |
| Trunk volume, liters. | 1538/2693 |
| Curb weight, kg | 1575 |
| Engine | Diesel |
| Working volume, cubic cm | 1.5 |
| Power, hp. | 130 |
| Torque, Nm | 300 |
| Type of drive | Front |
| Suspension in front of. | Like McPherson |
| Rear suspension | Deformable beam: independent suspension, stabilizer bar, transverse stabilizer, separate design of springs and shock absorbers |
| CHECKPOINT | 8AT |
| Dynamics 0-100, s | 13,4 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 186 |
| Fuel consumption, l (mixed) | 4,4 |
| Cost, UAH | 997 800 |
| The cost of the test car, UAH | 1 133 674 |
| Competitors | Renault Express |
| VW Caddy | |
| Citroen Berlingo | |
| Peugeot Rifter | |
| Toyota Proace City |