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.
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 August 2025, the Vauxhall Combo Life Electric holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 70%. It scores top marks for its low running costs and zero tailpipe emissions. However, Vauxhall’s new car warranty coverage is only average, and the media review scores and safety rating are poor.
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
Image gallery
Media reviews
Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Featured reviews
“The Vauxhall Combo Life is unashamedly a van-based MPV, delivering practical, flexible and cost-effective family transport.”
Model reviewed: Range overview (includes diesel models)
Score: 7 / 10
Read full review
Auto Express
Max Adams
“Vauxhall’s electric small people carrier puts massive practicality over style or driving pleasure.”
Model reviewed:
0Read full review
Carwow
More reviews
Auto Express
Model reviewed: Electric model range
Score: 7 / 10
“It’s not a thrilling drive but the electric powertrain is smooth, quiet and more-than strong enough. The interior space is outstanding and the tough van-derived interior should stand up well to family use.”
Author: Steve Walker
Read review
Car
Model reviewed: Range overview
“Fair play to the Vauxhall, because what it does do well is ferry up to seven people and their stuff around in a comfy, flexibly arranged cabin – this transition from combustion engine to battery power hasn’t impinged on interior space one jot.”
Read review
Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7.4 / 10
“The Vauxhall Combo-e Life is an electric ‘van with windows’ that offers a hard-to-beat combination of value and versatility.”
Author: Ben Hodges
Read review
Driving Electric
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Vauxhall Combo Life Electric is by no means the most stylish or scintillating electric car on the market right now. But if practicality is your top priority, then the Vauxhall is a cheap-to-run option that may suit you.”
Author: Steve Walker
Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“Even looking past the limited range and factoring in a price that’s reasonable for an electric car, it’s the Combo-e Life’s image that’ll be a major hurdle for many.” (Alan Taylor-Jones)
Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Overall score: 4 stars
Date tested: October 2018
Date expired: January 2025
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 Euro NCAP tested in 2018. Since the two vehicles are the same, there was no need for the Vauxhall version to be tested separately.
Notes on safety rating
The Safety rating for the Vauxhall Combo Life Electric expired in January 2025 and is no longer valid as the car no longer meets the standards required for such a rating. This is normal practice, as Euro NCAP reviews its ratings on most cars annually with most ratings expiring after about six or seven years.
Although the rating has now expired, the score is still useful if you are comparing a used Combo Life to vehicles of similar age – whose ratings will have probably also expired.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of August 2025, the Vauxhall Combo Life Electric has not been lab tested by Green NCAP (and nor have its Citroën or Peugeot siblings).
The Green NCAP programme measures exhaust pollution (which is zero for an electric car) and energy efficiency. Electric cars are much more energy-efficient than combustion cars, so the Combo Life is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing if and when it takes place. Check back again soon.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
| Battery range | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 199 miles | C |
| Electrical efficiency | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 4 m/KWh | C |
| Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| All models | 19 | B |
| Service and maintenance | Cost | Score |
| Year 1 | £126 | A |
| Year 2 | £291 | A |
| Year 3 | £470 | A |
| Year 4 | £611 | A |
| Year 5 | £872 | A |
| Overall | £2,370 | A |
The Vauxhall Combo Life Electric should be a very affordable car to run and own, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
Electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of miles per gallon for a petrol or diesel car) is only average, but if you can charge the car at home then it will still be considerably cheaper to run than an equivalent petrol or diesel car.
On the plus side, insurance premiums should be better than average, while scheduled servicing costs for the first five years are very low.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of August 2025, 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.
Warranty rating
New car warranty information for the Vauxhall Combo Life Electric
| Overall rating | C | 56% |
| New car warranty duration | 3 years |
| New car warranty mileage | 60,000 miles |
| Battery warranty duration | 8 years |
| Battery warranty mileage | 100,000 miles |
Vauxhall’s new car warranty is pretty much the bare minimum offered in the UK, with a duration of three years and a limit of 60,000 miles. Other rivals in the price bracket do better (and in some cases, much better).
In addition to the standard new car warranty, the Combo Life Electric has an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components.
Warranty on a used Vauxhall Combo Life Electric
- If you are purchasing an ‘Approved Used’ Combo Life from an official Vauxhall dealership, you will get a minimum six-month warranty included.
- If you are buying a used Combo Life from an independent dealership, any warranty offered will vary and will probably be managed by a third-party warranty company.
- If you are buying a used Combo Life from a private seller, there are no warranty protections beyond any remaining portion of the original new car warranty.
If you’re looking to buy a used car that is approaching the end of its warranty period, a used car warranty is usually a worthwhile investment. Check out The Car Expert’s guide to the best used car warranty providers, which will probably be cheaper than a warranty sold by a dealer.
Similar cars
If you’re looking at a new or used Vauxhall Combo Life Electric, you might also be interested in these alternatives.
Current models: Citroën ë-Berlingo | Peugeot e-Rifter | Toyota Proace City Verso EV | Volkswagen ID. Buzz
Discontinued models: Nissan e-NV200 Combi (2014 to 2022)
More information
More news, reviews and information about the Vauxhall range at The Car Expert
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.
Find your next used car with Motors. Find out more
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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.
Personal contract hire deals from Leasing.com. Find out more
Personal contract hire deals from Carwow. Find out more
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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?)
Car subscriptions from SelfDrive.
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