Best crew vans 2024
Need a crew cab van for the family? You're not alone. There are times when, as well as cargo, you need a van to carry more than two or three people, whether that's for work commuting purposes or a vehicle that can double as a family car.
That’s where crew cab vans come in — at the back is a secure, spacious cargo area which is separated from the passenger compartment with a bulkhead as a safety precaution.
Although they are available as large vans, they're most popular when based on small or medium-sized models, where their multi-purpose nature really shines thanks to being easy to drive and compact enough to park on most household driveways.
Several crew cab vans are also available with plug-in hybrid and fully electric forms if reducing running costs and your carbon footprint are important to you.
Here are the best cab crew vans for a family on sale today.
Best crew cab vans |
Ford Transit Custom Double Cab-in-Van
There’s no real limit to the talents of the Ford Transit Custom, which has been the UK’s best-selling vehicle. since 2021. It’s great to drive, brilliantly functional and in Double Cab-in-Van format becomes even more versatile, with over 4 cubic metres of cargo space and seating for up to six people. There’s even a sporty MS-RT performance variant, as well as electric and PHEV models. The Transit Custom also forms the basis of the all-new Volkswagen Transporter range, due on sale here in early 2025.
Citroen Berlingo Crew Van
Flexibility is key to the Citroen Berlingo Crew Van’s appeal, with a folding second row of seats that disappears flat into the floor when not needed, making it as practical as the L2 variant of the standard van. It can carry two Euro pallets with the rear seats folded, or one Euro pallet and up to five people. As Citroen is part of the Stellantis group, what is effectively the same van is also available as the Fiat Doblo, Peugeot Partner, Toyota Proace City and Vauxhall Combo.
Renault Kangoo Crew Van
Despite its compact dimensions, the Renault Kangoo Crew Cab is brilliantly practical and in L2 format will carry a greater payload than many of its rivals, while its car-like dynamics, clever folding seats and pop-up bulkhead make it the ideal choice for those who want a van during the week and a car at weekends. Due to the way van manufacturers pool resources to develop models, the Kangoo forms the basis of both the Mercedes Citan and Nissan Townstar.
Vauxhall Vivaro Double Cab
Offered as a passenger model as well as a crew van and panel van, the British-built Vauxhall Vivaro is a highly competent mid-size van which saw a major facelift and tech improvements in 2024. It has a smart cabin, wireless phone charging technology and a much-improved infotainment system, as well as plenty of space for up to six passengers. As with all Stellantis vans, largely identical facsimiles of the Vivaro are sold under a variety of brand names: Citroen Dispatch, Fiat Scudo, Peugeot Expert and Toyota Proace.
Renault Trafic Crew Van
Bigger and more workmanlike than most, the Renault Trafic is a heavier-duty van than a lot of the other models on this list, but in Crew Van form that’s a good thing — it’ll move people and tools from job-to-job with plenty of room to spare. There’s also an electric version in the guise of the Renault Trafic E-Tech. The Trafic is also the basis of the Nissan Primastar as well as its NV300 predecessor, as well as the previous-generation Vauxhall Vivaro.
Mercedes Vito Crew Van
Image and comfort count in the Mercedes Vito’s favour, which makes it a good choice if you want to promote a premium face for your business. It was given a facelift in 2024 to keep it fresh inside and out ahead of its replacement's arrival in 2027. Powered by a a proven, reliable diesel engine range there is also a competitive electric Mercedes eVito alternative. As a six-seater, there’s a lot to recommend it.
Peugeot Expert Crew Van
Peugeot’s mid-size van is a flexible six-seater with twin sliding doors in crew van format. As a Stellantis product, it's essentially the same van as models offered by Citroen, Fiat, Vauxhall and commercial vehicle partner Toyota, with little to distinguish them in terms of practicality and mechanical components. If you don't need the long-range driving capabilities of a diesel engine, there's a highly competitive electric version sold as the Peugeot E-Expert.
Volkswagen Transporter T6.1 Kombi
Strong resale values and premium image make the Volkswagen Transporter T6.1 very popular with small businesses, and in Kombi format it’s even better, with a spacious and well-finished six-seater passenger compartment with an impressive cargo area to boot. It’s well-made and has a good reliability record, too — but you will have to wait until 2025 for the all-new Volkswagen Transporter's arrival before there’s anything other than a diesel model in the line-up.
Vauxhall Combo Cargo Crew Van
The Vauxhall Combo shares its architecture with the Citroen Berlingo, Fiat Doblo, Peugeot Partner and Toyota Proace City, but it’s more versatile than all of them with a wider choice of trim and body options. Among them is a Crew Van with twin side-loading doors and a folding rear seat, giving it the ability to lug two Europallets if required. It’s also cracking value.
Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Combi
It doesn’t do anything sensational or different, and others are more practical, but the Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Combi has a sense of quality and durability that makes it stand out, while at the same time being one of the best vans in its class for comfort and driver appeal. It’s a comfortable five-seater with great dynamics. Randomly, Volkswagen uses the Kombi name for the Transporter and Combi for the Caddy – we’re afraid we don’t know why, either…
What are the differences between a crew van and an MPV?
Some of the crew vans here are also sold as passenger cars — MPVs with between five and nine seats, depending on the model — and feature windows all the way around the vehicle. Although van-based, they are legally considered to be cars, meaning they are not restricted to van speed limits.
Crew vans are legally regarded as commercial vehicles, even with a second row of seats. Their separate load area has a bulkhead to help protect passengers, while the side panels of the cargo space remain unglazed.
Are crew cab vans taxed as cars or vans?
Crew vans are taxed as commercial vehicles, with flat-rate vehicle excise duty, also known as VED or road tax, and a fixed rate benefit-in-kind tax rate for business users.
Unsurprisingly, the car versions are taxed in the same way as regular cars.
Can I legally carry children in a crew van?
Yes, the rules are the same as with cars meaning that three-point seatbelts and the correct type of car seat must also be used.
