Bedford finally replaced its ageing Bedford KB model with the Brava in 1988, and rebranding it just two years later following the demise of the historic brand, when it became known as the Vauxhall Brava.

Unlike its predecessor, the Vauxhall Brava was available in four-wheel drive, which opened it up more to the agricultural industry.

As with the Bedford KB, the Vauxhall Brava was a rebadged Isuzu KB and was manufactured by Isuzu in Thailand. It was Vauxhall’s first four-wheel-drive vehicle and, unlike the previous pickup, there was a choice of body styles and much more powerful engines for strenuous applications.

There was no replacement when GM withdrew the Vauxhall Brava from sale in 2002, although there was talk of Vauxhall reentering the market until the US firm split with Isuzu.

Bedford Brava
Vauxhall Brava: History

Initially badged as the Bedford Brava at its launch in October 1988, the brand name was swapped to Vauxhall in 1990 after the Bedford name was dropped. A year later, as diesel power gained popularity, the petrol model became a special order item before being cancelled ahead of the 1993 model year.

A crew cab was introduced in 1994, finally allowing seating for five people, but there were few other changes right up until 1997, bar the odd special edition.

It was then that the Brava was given a thorough facelift, rounding off the corners and introducing a gentler aesthetic to the pickup. The interior also received a significant update, resolving one of the biggest complaints of the vehicle.

Vauxhall kept the pickup in production for another five years, before finally ending production in 2002, just as leisure-oriented pickups were beginning to see a significant boost in popularity.

Vauxhall Brava
Vauxhall Brava: Engine and Driveline

Initially, the Brava was available with the choice of either a 2.3-litre petrol (89hp/167Nm) or a 2.2-litre diesel (53hp/120Nm), both coupled to a five-speed manual transmission, and replacing the KB’s 1.6-litre petrol engine. The underwhelming 2.2-litre diesel engine was quickly replaced by the Isuzu J Series 2.5-litre turbo unit, giving 75hp and producing 160Nm of torque.

The 4×4 models cold be switched to front-wheel drive using an extra gear lever. The transfer box offered a straight-through high ratio of 1:1, but a low ratio of 1.57:1 was available for tougher conditions. An ultra-low crawler gear ensured impressive off-road capabilities.

The 2.3-litre petrol engine was dropped on the Vauxhall Brava in 1995 and the 2.2-litre diesel was replaced by a 2.5-litre diesel (76hp/160Nm) in 1991. In 1995, a turbo-diesel engine was offered, which produced up to 100hp and 226N.

Vauxhall Brava
Vauxhall Brava: On The Road

The Vauxhall Brava was fitted with double-wishbones at the front and leaf springs at the rear, which were fitted with telescopic double-acting shock absorbers and revised bushes to improve the unladen ride. The Brava also had an improved steering system, which made it more responsive and required less effort to turn.

Vauxhall Brava interior
Vauxhall Brava: Payload and Practicality

Instead of the previous short wheelbase 4×4 version of the KB series and long-wheelbase 4×2 model, the new Brava range used a single standardised long-wheelbase platform for all models.

The load area of the Vauxhall Brava measured 2,300mm long by 1,530mm wide – at the time, the largest load bay in its class – although the load length was restricted to 1,510mm on the double cab version that was introduced in 1996. The Vauxhall Brava was fairly practical too, offering a 1,100kg payload. Thirteen lashing cleats around the load bed ensured any cargo remained firmly in place.

However, despite the ventilated front disc brakes, heavy-duty suspension and powerful turbo-diesel engine, the maximum gross combination weight is just 3.5 tonnes. Given the 1.5-tonne kerb weight, this would leave very little room left for payload when towing the full capacity of 1.9 tonnes.

Liam Campbell
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