Who needs a sports car? The Vauxhall Vivaro GS is back from £39,990

It’s the return of the GS. Vauxhall has brought back its sporty trim for the Vivaro and Vivaro Electric.

Joining the likes of Vauxhall’s baby Mokka and the futuristic Vauxhall Grandland, the facelifted Vauxhall Vivaro has once again received the GS trim treatment. Sleek, sporty, and ready to bridge the gap between weekend and working week: meet the new Vivaro GS, available from £39,990, or with an electric powertrain from £48,940.

On the surface

To answer the question on everyone’s lips: no, there’s no performance upgrades to be found here. Unlike the rally-style Ford Transit Custom MS-RT, or even the ludicrous 2000 hp SuperVan, you’ll have to settle for the on-track capabilities of the standard Vivaro. That said, considering the latest SuperVan can do 0-60 in under two seconds, maybe the GS’s capped performance is for the best if you’re lining this up as a work van — for the sake of any precious cargo.

However, on the flip side, that means the sport-styled Vivaro is still the reliable workhorse we know and love. Available in both panel van and double cab format, the cargo volume up to 6.6m³ remains, as does the handy load-through bulkhead. On the ICE front, performance peaks at a 178 hp 2-litre turbodiesel engine, hooked up to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Opt for an Electric GS and the 75-kwh battery powered motor will churn out 134 hp for up to 209 miles. And — matching this functionality — the 100 kw fast charging capabilities will top you up from 5-80% in 45 minutes.

A fresh trim

But those are all pretty vanilla Vivaro numbers. So what is new on the GS? Vauxhall neatly sum it up as: ‘Sporty styling and interior upgrades’.

‘The GS brings a dynamic new look to the Vivaro line-up that makes it instantly recognisable on the road.’

Donning an angular front lip below the grille, swooping side skirts, and racy front mudguards, the design is kept relatively subtle, but with a clear bump up in road presence. At the rear, you’ll find a unique GS badge sat above a revamped bumper, all below a curved spoiler which in all honestly probably just adds some drag to the package. But, questionable spoilers are a sports van staple at this point, and they look the part, so we won’t complain. Completing the look, some exclusively Y-spoked 18-inch allow wheels come wrapped in complementary Nankang tyres. 

It’s all sleek and tastefully done, but most importantly, it’s a little bit fun — and for us that’s the key ingredient to a van which can make work shifts a bit more interesting, while also tempting you to reach for your keys at the weekend.

What’s inside?

The GS flair doesn’t stop there though. Crack open the door and you’ll find no bucket seats or stripped back racing instruments, but instead a comfy cabin with the versatility to tempt its use throughout the 9 to 5 and beyond. With a sporty twist, of course.

The interior actually packs a combo of the GS, Pro, Comfort, and Winter trims. Leading from the front, the star of the show is the hand-crafted, GS logo embossed, red stitched, perforated, tear resistant, heated, colourfast, eco-leather driver’s seat. Fancy, right? But also utilitarian and — you guessed it — sporty. 

In addition to this, and in no particular order, the Vivaro GS also comes with: dual zone climate control, wireless phone charging, a heated steering wheel, side airbags, 10-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, front and rear parking sensors, and blind-spot detection. And, breathe. That’s a wrap.

Hero image credit: Stellantis