Light commercial vehicles with a crew cab, mostly in the form of a panel van, are typically used by building contractors, construction companies and the like. Many self-employed handymen also drive them, as a combination of a family car and a workhorse.
Yesterday, this Opel crew (or double) cab panel van had its exercise by towing a trailer, loaded with a legendary little Suzuki mud wrestler.
The first generation of the Opel -and Vauxhall- Vivaro was introduced in 2001. The same van was also offered as Renault Trafic and Nissan Primastar. Renault took care of the development. Very wise, better leave it to Renault or PSA to come up with excellent front-wheel drive vans.
Some direct competitors in this mid-size van segment are the Volkswagen Transporter, Mercedes-Benz Vito/Metris and Ford Transit Custom. Since last year, the Vivaro is a rebadged PSA product (Peugeot Expert-Citroën Jumpy).
The long wheelbase Vivaro is powered by a 2.0 liter turbodiesel, 114 DIN-hp. Long as in 3.50 m (137.8”), the short wheelbase is 3.10 m (122”). The van’s registered payload capacity is 1,159 kg (2,555 lbs).
Hooked up to the Opel is a 1995 Tijhof trailer. A perfect match, as the van’s towing capacity equals the trailer’s maximum GVM: 2,000 kg (4,409 lbs).
Around 15 minutes later -I was walking- I came across another combo, although the trailer wasn’t attached (yet). The 1982 Equipe flatbed trailer, naturally with dropsides, carried a pile of trestles. I don’t think those are the factory rims, by the way.
This 2015 RAM 1500 needs no further introduction, I assume. Since we’re in the Netherlands, its V8 is running on LPG. Mind you, the RAM 1500 is the best selling pickup in my country. Now don’t think FCA sells them by the thousands a year; more like 400 to 500…
Those vivaros drive quite nicely, but were legendarily unreliable.
My father bought a “crew cab” back when they were new to replace our old 94 hiace (as a combination family car/workhorse naturally), and it always found new and imaginative ways to break down.
I’m pretty sure they were at the bottom of the reliability charts for many years, and really tarnished opels reputation at a time where their cars were otherwise getting quite nice (who didnt want a speedster?)
After a few years of suffering he went back to the agricultural but reliable hiace, like so many others before they finally stopped selling them in europe due to emissions.
You mentioned the Vito/Metris. Mercedes just launched a factory authorized pop-top camper conversion of that platform here in the US. The Metris seems to be a slow but steady seller here, not nearly as common as the Sprinter. Anyway, one article I read said that Mercedes renamed the smaller van the Metris here, to avoid the Godfather connotations of the Vito name.
The market for mid-size commercial vans is relatively small in the US, isn’t it?
In the US, Ford doesn’t offer the Transit Custom (as far as I know) and FCA doesn’t offer a van inbetween the compact ProMaster City and the full-size ProMaster.
In Europe, FCA sells the Fiat Talento (picture below), which is merely a rebadge of the current generation Renault Trafic aka Nissan NV300. Meanwhile, Opel/Vauxhall moved over to the PSA van, as mentioned in the article.
It’s a chicken-and-egg situation; the Metris is the only one currently offered, and it doesn’t sell so nobody else offers one. That being said Sprinter sales have taken a big hit since the Transit and ProMaster arrived, because of M-B running costs.
The door is wide open for GM to relaunch the Astro van, but they’re selling the ancient Express/Savana to a waiting list because there’s nothing else like it on the market now, it has a higher towing capacity than the Euro-style vans and the old-school mechanicals’ repair costs bring its’ TCO in line despite being less fuel efficient.
GM should consider selling both. Call the old one the Express Classic (what else) and keep it around until it stops selling (or doesn’t) but at least also compete for the customers that have seen the light and would rather stand upright in their vans. If I was buying a van I would not get an Express but I would certainly look at everything else on the market. Can’t buy what they don’t sell.
There arent many of those Vivaro here Ive seen a couple but badged Vauxhall they would be private imports the ever popular Toyota Hiace has moved to a rebadge of the PSA van now but of course the Japanese version continues to arrive used from the JDM and still sell well the Nissan NV200 &300 are out there in traffic too LDV has moved its base to China and is here at the bottom end of the new market plus Mercedes and VW have their wares on sale the commercial van market is quite crowded here just choose a flavour you like and hope it lasts the distance.
The pickup market is even more crowded if thats possible we have European American Chinese and Japanese brands on sale and of course one Australian rebadge should anyone want it most people just buy a Hilux or Ranger though there are lots of Isuzus around too, Mahindra make a fairly good cheap pickup as do Foton Fiatsler make a good very expensive pickup and boast about best towing capacity though if used commercially you will need to upgrade your licence, a private peasant can have up to 6tonnes gross train weight but not for hire or reward, for that you have to know what you are doing and suffer the full consequences for getting it wrong.
I assume the crewcab part is just a second row of seats or a bench right inside the slider and then the rest is about the same cargo space as the non-crew van except more difficult to side load?
I’ve seen plenty of the shorties and always liked the headroom bubble but can’t recall seeing the crewcab ones. Interesting. Over here they just jam everyone in a pickup (often a quadcab, not a crew even) and then the load gets wet. Or two guys in a van and the rest of the crew in another vehicle, usually a pickup.
That Ram has the RamBoxes on the sides, they make for a thicker side panel/wall but offer lockable storage. Not seen all that often but also not that rare, people mostly don’t seem to want to pay for it I guess.
The sliding door gives access to the rear bench, then a full divider (mostly with a window) right behind the rear bench separates the double cab from the cargo compartment.
So the cargo compartment is substantially shorter, when comparing a double cab with the same wheelbase single cab.
Current gen Renault Trafic double cab below. With a single cab, the divider moves forward and the sliding door gives access to the cargo compartment.
Johannes, the myth is that only Renault developed the Vivaro – not true!
One of Opel’s designs was chosen by Patrick LeQuement and the (originally British) designer was sent to Paris to work with Patrick LeCharpy on the production version. A team of GM engineers and product managers was also on site.
This can be substantiated with both the above mentioned and Opel Design.
How do I know? I was the Opel designer and still have those original sketches. I had a wonderful time working in Paris and Guillancourt.
It’s interesting that, after all these years, Opel has been bought by PSA and there will be a lot more designers working with their French colleagues…….
Interesting information, thanks!
The Vivaro also secured the Vauxhall Luton factory’s future, which was very pleasing, as I was born very near there and know the area well…
Is the plant still in business now the Vivaro has become a PSA-van-variant?