Shortest and smallest vans 2024
By their nature vans are generally bigger than cars but not everybody looking to buy a light commercial vehicle needs or has space for a large one.
Having a van with a suitably sized cargo area and a sufficiently high payload doesn’t mean a large van is a must. For those who keep their van in a garage or need to regularly access height-restricted parking areas, today’s excellent range of shorter, low-roofed vans is especially good news.
Similarly not all drivers enjoy being behind the wheel of a very long and high-sided vehicle, preferring something nimbler and car-like to drive, particularly around town.
Here are the best short, low and generally compact vans that you can buy:
Shortest and smallest vans |
Ford Transit Courier
With an overall length of 4337mm, the short wheelbase Ford Transit Courier is a compact and charming little van, with entertaining roadholding and good passenger comfort. Its load bay is pretty good for a small van with 2.9 cubic metres of space on offer. As its name suggests, it’s perfect for couriers!
Toyota Proace City
If the Toyota Proace City looks familiar, it’s hardly surprising as it’s one of five vans on this list that are based on the same design, although it’s fractionally shorter than its Citroen Berlingo, Fiat Doblo, Peugeot Partner and Vauxhall Combo siblings at 4401mm overall. It’s made on Toyota’s behalf by Stellantis under a joint venture agreement. Toyota doesn’t offer the same breadth choice as the other brands but it does have the Proace City Electric option as well as a unique 10-year warranty offer.
Citroen Berlingo
The latest Citroen Berlingo feels quite large, but is no bigger than a small SUV at 4403mm in short-wheelbase format. It has a load length of 1817mm and 3.3 cubic metres of load capacity. We prefer it over its Fiat, Peugeot, Toyota and Vauxhall sister vans due to the availability of Advanced Comfort Seats and the additional choice of a petrol engine.
Fiat Doblo
You guessed it — the Fiat Doblo offers much the same as the Berlingo, Partner, Proace City and Combo but is arguably the most stylish of this quintet. It’s also the best in terms of value for money but dealers are less prolific and there’s a limited choice of trim levels. Both diesel and electric Fiat E-Doblo models are available.
Peugeot Partner
The Peugeot Partner is the same size as the Berlingo, Doblo, Proace City and Combo because it’s essentially the same but with more cabin technology being its standout feature. At 1796mm high, it’ll easily fit into most domestic garages and multi-storey car parks.
Vauxhall Combo
Another of the vans from Stellantis in this list, the Vauxhall Combo is the same van as the Citroen, Fiat, Peugeot and Toyota versions, barring a few details. In the case of the Combo, it’s the Matrix LED headlights that stand out. Vauxhall has some keen deals on EVs so it’s worth looking very closely at the Vauxhall Combo Electric.
Renault Kangoo
In this latest generation guise, the Renault Kangoo doesn’t look as stumpy as its predecessor but it’s still more compact than the Mercedes Citan and Nissan Townstar versions of fundamentally the same van. At 4486mm it’s about the same size as most family hatchbacks yet has a 3.3-cubic metre load space.
Nissan Townstar
At 4488mm long and 1864mm high, the Nissan Townstar is a great small van for urban operators, and with no diesel option it’s unique in the market for being petrol- or electric-only. If you’re getting a sense of déjà-vu from the Townstar that’ll be because its main bodywork and architecture is the same as that of the Kangoo and Citan yet it manages to look sufficiently different, at least from the front.
Mercedes Citan
The Mercedes Citan was developed alongside the Townstar and Kangoo, using the same platform and mechanical components, yet is slightly longer at 4498mm. It’s still a compact van, though and offers a load capacity of 2.9 cubic metres.
Toyota Corolla Commercial
At 4650mm long, 1460mm high and 1790mm wide, the Toyota Corolla Commercial is one of the smallest vans you can buy — albeit not the shortest. That’s no bad thing, though, as it means it also gets a 1558mm load length. It’s based on the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports estate, so car-based speed limits apply, while the petrol-electric hybrid powertrain makes it efficient.
Are small vans subject to the same speed limits as large ones?
Yes they are. The only exception in this list is the Toyota Corolla Commercial which is officially recognised as a Car Derived Van (CDV). CDVs have the same speed limit rules as the cars on which they are based. The rest of the vans on this list are restricted to 50mph on single carriageways and 60mph on dual carriageways.
Can I park a small van in a residential street?
You can park any van in a residential street subject to local parking restrictions but it must be facing the direction of traffic if parked at night. A small van is less likely to upset the neighbours, though.
Would I not be better off with an MPV or estate car?
This depends on your needs. A lot of estates and MPVs are spacious with the seats folded, so if you run a small business but need to ferry the family around at weekends, then a large car may be a better option than a small van. If you run a VAT-registered business, though, vans are VAT-deductible and can save you a lot of money.
