British built Vauxhall Vivaro 2700 Panel Van Scoops Business Van of the Year 2016
Vauxhall Vivaro named Business Van of the Year 2016
Independent Business Van of the Year Awards run by Business Vans
Supported by Vanarama, an award winning supplier of van leasing to SMEs
The bulging trophy cabinet at Vauxhall's Luton HQ will need to make more space after the Vauxhall Vivaro 2700 Panel Van was judged Business Van of the Year 2016 by the Business Vans website.
Now in their third year, the Business Van of the Year Awards, sponsored by van leasing experts Vanarama, are the premier awards for the light commercial vehicle industry. And this year competition was even fiercer as the manufacturers battled it out for the top honours.
On sale for just over a year and built in the UK, the latest Vauxhall Vivaro has eclipsed its already excellent predecessor with an array of impressive refinements and the 1.6 CDTI 16v BiTurbo boasts 120PS and 320Nm of torque. However, all this power isn't likely to hit buyers in the pocket as it's still capable of a class-leading 47.9mpg on the combined cycle.
Inside the Vivaro's cabin, operators who need their van's cabin to double up as a mobile office will be right at home, as there's plenty of clever, user-friendly features.
But it's not just innovative cabin features that impresses, the Vivaro's practical 8.6 cu m load area boasts the clever FlexCargo load-through bulkhead as standard. This means that items up to 3.75m in length can be carried with ease.
Vivaro Sportive models also have a generous level of standard equipment with a six-way adjustable driver's seat with height adjustable armrest and lumbar support, Bluetooth, USB and a digital radio included. Other innovative features include the wide-angle, blind spot mirror and ecoMode offered as standard.
Dave Bowen, Chairman of the Judges and Managing Director of BT fleet summed up his thoughts on the Vivaro: "The Vivaro provides outstanding green credentials and a fantastic overall small business solution. It is easy and car-like to drive yet offers a hard working business tool that through sheer efficiency helps minimise its environmental impact.
"In a nutshell, it's a massive step forward over its already excellent predecessor. That's why the Vivaro is the Business Van of the Year 2016."
Category winners of the Business Van of the Year were:
Best Small Delivery Van: Ford Transit Courier 1.0-litre Ecoboost Trend
Best Small Trades Van: Ford Transit Custom 2.2 TDCi Trend
Business Van of the Year: Vauxhall Vivaro 2700 Panel Van
Best Large Trades Van: Vauxhall Vivaro 2700 Panel Van
Best Heavy Van: Vauxhall Movano Panel 3500 Panel Van
Best Green Van: Vauxhall Vivaro 2700 Panel Van
Best Pick-Up: Volkswagen Amarok 2.0 Trendline 180PS 4Motion
Best Crew Van: Volkswagen Transporter Kombi 2.0
Best Finance & Service Package: Volkswagen
Martyn Collins, editor of Business Vans, said: "Choosing the right vehicles for the job is a serious business and one which many van operators get wrong - sometimes with costly consequences. So these Awards highlight the best vans, financing and business support programmes for traders, small businesses and small fleet van operators in the SME sector."
The Business Van of the Year Awards were judged by an independent panel of experts:
Dave Bowen, managing director, BT Fleet - chair of the judges.
Andy Alderson, managing director, Vanarama
Duncan Ward, regional operational director, BCA
Jayson Whittington, manager of commercial vehicle and leisure valuations, Glass's
Eddie Parker, fleet CV consultant EMEA, GE Capital Fleet
James Davis, director of commercial vehicles, Manheim
Business Vans serves the small business, trades and SME van fleet sector with information on business vans. The news portal and e-newsletter specialises in talking to micro business (fewer than 10 employees) to the larger small enterprise with more than 25 vans on its books.
Click here for full details of the Awards go to: http://www.businessvans.co.uk/van-news/business-van-of-the-year-2016-van-news/.
Contact:
Ralph Morton, editorial director
07970 165 328