fbpx

Independent, impartial advice for car buyers and car owners

Find an Expert Rating: 
Expert Rating

Vauxhall Combo Life Electric

Our unique Expert Rating Index combines scores from 35 of the top UK motoring websites to give you a definitive rating on every new car

Expert Rating

Vauxhall Combo Life Electric

(2021 - present)

    Summary


    The Vauxhall Combo Life is an electric people carrier available in five- or seven-seat configurations, and currently the only compact Vauxhall people carrier available in the UK after the petrol-powered Combo Life was discontinued in 2022.

    Launched in the UK in 2020 as the ‘Combo-e Life’ (the name was changed in 2022), the Combo Life Electric is based on the Vauxhall Combo electric van, which in turn is based on the petrol/diesel Combo van. This van is basically identical to the Citroën ë-Berlingo and Peugeot e-Rifter – people carriers launched by other brands under the Stellantis umbrella – apart from some minor cosmetic and trim differences.

    The Vauxhall Combo Life Electric has received a mixed bag of review scores from the British media, with battery range and pricing being the key criticisms levelled against the electric family car.

    “Its limited range may be a problem in everyday use, and it’s quite a bit pricier than the previous internal combustion models”, says Which. Meanwhile, What Car? notes that “its high level of specification make it a costlier choice than a Citroën e-Berlingo.”

    It is essentially “an electric van with windows”, explains Ben Hodges of Carbuyer, but that it offers “a hard-to-beat combination of value and versatility.” Several reviewers comment that the people carrier is well-equipped as standard, and that it has one of the most spacious interiors in its class.

    As of September 2023, the Vauxhall Combo Life Electric holds an Expert Rating of 63%, based on nine reviews published by the British motoring media. Unsurprisingly, this is pretty similar to the scores given to the Citroën ë-Berlingo (63%) and Peugeot e-Rifter (59%).

    Combo Life Electric highlights

    • Spacious and versatile interior
    • Good value-for-money package
    • Well-equipped as standard
    • Decent performance considering size

    Combo Life Electric lowlights

    • Rivals offer more electric range
    • Drab looks inside and out
    • Only one trim level
    • Not much fun to drive

    Key specifications


    Body style: Compact people carrier
    Engines:
    electric, battery-powered
    Price:
    From £34,085 on-road

    Launched: Spring 2021
    Last updated: Autumn 2022
    Replacement due: TBA


    Media reviews


    Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

    Auto Express

    +

    Car

    +

    Carbuyer

    +

    Carwow

    +

    Driving Electric

    +

    Parkers

    +

    RAC

    +

    What Car?

    +

    Which?

    +

    Safety rating


    Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

    Overall score: 4 stars
    Date tested: October 2018
    Read the full Euro NCAP review

    Adult protection: 91%
    Child protection: 81%
    Vulnerable road users: 58%
    Safety assist: 68%

    The safety rating for the Vauxhall Combo Life Electric is based on the four-star score given to the structurally identical Peugeot Rifter range, which was tested by Euro NCAP in 2018. Since the two vehicles are the same, there was no need for the Vauxhall version to be tested separately.

    Eco rating


    Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

    No eco rating

    As of September 2023, the Vauxhall Combo Life Electric has not been lab tested by Green NCAP (and nor have its Citroën or Peugeot siblings).

    Reliability rating

    MotorEasy logo 600x167

    Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

    No reliability rating

    As of September 2023, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Vauxhall Combo Life Electric to generate a reliability rating.

    The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Combo Life range, we’ll publish the score here.

    Running cost rating

    Clear Vehicle Data logo close crop

    Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

    Battery rangeAverageScoreVariationScore
    EV models174 milesC174 – 174 milesC – C
    Electrical efficiencyAverageScoreVariationScore
    EV models3.5 m/KWhD3.5 – 3.5 m/KWhD – D
    Insurance groupAverageScoreVariationScore
    All models11A11 – 11A – A
    Service and maintenanceCostScore
    Year 1£127A
    Year 2£289A
    Year 3£458A
    Year 4£595A
    Year 5£852A
    Overall£2,321A

    The Vauxhall Combo Life Electric has a mixed bag of running cost scores, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

    Most importantly, electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of miles per gallon for a petrol or diesel car) is poor, which means that you get less range out of the battery – and an official range of 174 miles as tested according to the EU/UK official protocol will be less than 150 miles in the real world.

    On the plus side, insurance should be excellent, as are scheduled servicing costs for the first five years.

    Awards


    Trophies, prizes and awards that the Vauxhall Combo Life Electric has received.

    2022

    • What Car? Awards – Best electric MPV

    Similar cars


    If you’re looking at the Vauxhall Combo Life Electric, you might also be interested in these alternatives.

    Citroën ë-Berlingo | Mercedes-Benz EQT | Nissan e-NV200 Combi | Peugeot e-RifterVolkswagen ID. Buzz


    More news, reviews and information about the Vauxhall range at The Car Expert

    Full Vauxhall Astra Electric range now on sale

    Full Vauxhall Astra Electric range now on sale

    Britain’s best-selling cars of 2023

    Britain’s best-selling cars of 2023

    Vauxhall Astra Electric

    Vauxhall Astra Electric

    Facelifted Vauxhall Corsa now on sale

    Facelifted Vauxhall Corsa now on sale

    Vauxhall Crossland

    Vauxhall Crossland

    Plug-in hybrids – what’s on sale and what’s coming in 2023?

    Plug-in hybrids – what’s on sale and what’s coming in 2023?

    Electrified Vauxhall GSe range now available to order

    Electrified Vauxhall GSe range now available to order

    Electric cars – what’s on sale and what’s coming in 2023?

    Electric cars – what’s on sale and what’s coming in 2023?

    Britain’s best-selling cars of 2022

    Britain’s best-selling cars of 2022

    Vauxhall Mokka Electric gets battery upgrade

    Vauxhall Mokka Electric gets battery upgrade

    New Vauxhall Astra Electric to go on sale in 2023

    New Vauxhall Astra Electric to go on sale in 2023

    Vauxhall reveals Grandland GSe plug-in hybrid

    Vauxhall reveals Grandland GSe plug-in hybrid

    Buy a Vauxhall Combo Life Electric


    If you’re looking to buy a new or used Vauxhall Combo Life Electric, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car.

    Auto Trader logo 600x300

    Search for your next new or used car with Auto Trader. Find out more

    Carwow logo 600x300

    Discover great deals available on both new and used cars. Find out more

    Cazoo 600x300

    Buy a car online from your sofa. We’ll deliver it. Find out more

    Motors 600x300

    Search less, live more. We make finding the right car simple. Find out more

    Lease a Vauxhall Combo Life Electric


    If you’re looking to lease a new Vauxhall Combo Life Electric, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal.

    Carparison 600x300

    Personal contract hire deals from Carparison Leasing. Find out more

    Moneyshake logo 600x300

    Personal contract hire deals from Moneyshake. Find out more

    Rivervale Leasing logo 2022

    Personal contract hire deals from Rivervale Leasing. Find out more

    LeaseLoco logo 600x300

    Personal contract hire deals from LeaseLoco. Find out more

    Hippo Leasing 600x300

    Personal contract hire deals from Hippo Leasing. Find out more

    Ready2Lease logo

    Personal contract hire deals from Ready2Lease. Find out more

    Subscribe to a Vauxhall Combo Life Electric


    Subscriptions are becoming a very popular way for consumers to try an electric car for a few weeks or months to help decide whether it’s a suitable alternative to a petrol car. If you’re interested in a car subscription, The Car Expert’s partners can help. (PS: What’s a car subscription?)

    Mycardirect subscriptions – 600x300

    Car subscriptions from Mycardirect.
    Find out more

    Wagonex logo 2022

    Car subscriptions from Wagonex.
    Find out more

    Cocoon Vehicles logo 600x300

    Car subscriptions from Cocoon.
    Find out more

    Drive Fuze logo 600x300

    Car subscriptions from Drive Fuze.
    Find out more

    Used car finance

    Looking for an alternative to dealer finance? The Car Expert's partners can help
    We Finance Any Car 400x200

    Used car finance from We Finance Any Car.
    Find out more

    Blue Motor Finance

    Used car finance from Blue Motor Finance.
    Find out more

    Happy Motor Finance 600x300

    Used car finance from Happy Motor Finance.
    Find out more

    Quick Car Finance logo 800x400

    Used car finance from Quick Car Finance.
    Find out more

    Sell your car

    Do you have a car to sell? The Car Expert's partners can offer you a great price
    Motorway 600x300

    Get a free valuation in seconds from Motorway.
    Find out more

    Cazoo 600x300

    Get a free and instant offer for your car from Cazoo.
    Find out more

    Carwow logo 600x300

    The free, easy way to get 3,000+ dealers all over the UK bidding on your car.
    Find out more

    Auto Trader logo 600x300

    Get a cash offer for your car in minutes from Auto Trader.
    Find out more

    This page last updated:

    This page contains links to some of our commercial partners. If you click on any of those links, we may receive a commission.

    Best car rankings

    The top cars in every category

    The Car Expert has the ultimate ranking of the best and worst new cars on sale, based on scores from 30 of the top UK motoring websites. We're adding more cars and more lists all the time, so keep checking back for the latest results.

    Best car rankings

    The top cars in every category

    The Car Expert has the ultimate ranking of the best and worst new cars on sale, based on scores from 30 of the top UK motoring websites. We'll be adding more cars and more lists all the time, so keep checking back for the latest results.

    The Vauxhall Combo Life Electric is a spacious and versatile compact people carrier, but it is pricier than its Stellantis stablemates.Vauxhall Combo Life Electric