As I reported back in January, there’s a new version of the Vauxhall Corsavan for 2015. It’s already on sale and should hit showrooms later in March.

The last version of the Corsavan sold 34,000 units in the UK, and as the first examples of the new Corsavan will soon make an appearance on UK roads, it’s worth taking a closer look at what buyers will be getting for the van’s list price, which starts at £11,858.33 and ascends to £14,558.33.

Two trim levels will be offered, Corsavan and Corsavan Sportive, and specification levels have been improved across the range. As I reported from the launch of the new Corsa car, this is definitely the best Corsa yet and the interior is comfortable and modern.

Under the bonnet, Corsavan buyers won’t get a chance to enjoy the firm’s fantastic new 1-litre turbo petrol engine, but will get updated versions of the popular 1.3CDTi diesel with a choice of 75PS and 95PS power levels and Start/Stop as standard, along with the company’s rather dated 1.2-litre petrol engine. This is probably best avoided unless you won’t be doing many miles, in which case the cost saving — the petrol model is £1,250 +VAT cheaper than the cheapest diesel — could be worthwhile.

All engines are Euro 6 compliant and the diesel units offer economy levels of up to 85mpg, with CO2 emissions starting from just 87g/km. Handling and ride are improved — albeit still a little dull — and the new Corsavan’s payload has increased slightly to a new maximum of 571kg and a flat loading capacity of 920 litres.

An upgraded Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) is standard across the Corsavan range, as are tyre pressure monitoring, electric windows and mirrors, and no fewer than six airbags.

Corsavan Sportive buyers also get air conditioning, metallic or pearlescent paint, 16″ alloy wheels, heated windscreen, leather steering wheel, sports seats and a few bits as standard. If you still want more, then climate control, a 7″ touchscreen-based infotainment system, and a package including lane departure warning and front collision alert are all new options for Corsavan buyers.

The new Corsavan looks better on the outside than the outgoing model, in my view, but it’s inside that counts, so here’s a shot of the new Corsavan’s loadspace, which offers 920 litres/up to 571kg of load-lugging capacity:

Drivers get to sit up front in the updated cab area, pictured here in Sportive specification:

To be honest, it’s a little bit boy racer for me, but this sporty is sure to appeal to many younger drivers, and is something of a feature across the range.

Our verdict

Having driven the new Corsa last year, there’s very little not to like about the model, except that it’s not quite as good to drive (or look at, in my view) as the Fiesta.

Coincidentally, Ford is the only other manufacturer offering a small car-derived van in the UK market — so this niche is likely to continue to be shared between Vauxhall and Ford, as it has been since the Peugeot withdrew the 207 Van from the market, a few years ago.