Toyota Proace Max Review 2024

Toyota is something of a latecomer to the large van market, having never venture into 3.5-tonne territory before. But with a desire to expand its presence in the LCV market and a ready-made selection of vans to choose from courtesy of its tie-in with Stellantis Group, the Japanese manufacturer has introduced its first big van – albeit one with quite a heritage. Read our comprehensive Toyota Proace Max review to find out more about it.

Launched in 2024, the Toyota Proace Max shares its bodywork and engines with the Vauxhall Movano, the Peugeot Boxer, the Citroen Relay and the Fiat Ducato, which are capable contenders in the large van market, thanks to low running costs and a recent mid-cycle facelift, which has seen it gain an extra generation of production despite the original architecture now being almost 20 years old.

It's a functional van, though, and the cabin brings it kicking and screaming into the modern age, with a plethora of new technology including inductive charging, a 10-inch touchscreen covering all major infotainment controls and settings, TomTom cloud-based sat nav and an optional mains socket in the dash that can be used to power items such as laptops and battery chargers, with up to 150w charging requirements. Keyless entry and remote start functions are a further benefit of a cabin that is surprisingly plush.

Also of great benefit will be Toyota’s class-leading 10-year/120,000 mile warranty – a massive benefit for small business and sole trader users, as well as those looking to buy a conversion or camper van basis.

The engine is a 2.2-litre 140PS diesel unit with a choice of six-speed manual or eight-speed auto transmission, while there’s also an electric model, the Toyota Proace Max Electric, reviewed separately on Honest John.

Just the one trim level is offered, known as ‘Icon’, but it’s well-equipped with electronic climate control, cruise control and a touchscreen as standard. Safety features include forward collision alert, blind spot warning, brake assist and lane departure warning.

There are three lengths and two roof height choices known as L2, L3, L4 and H2 and H3, all pretty easy to interpret, while the Toyota Proace Max is also available as a crew van, chassis cab and platform cab with a single row of three seats, ideal for those looking for a camper van conversion with a lengthy factory warranty.

Under the bonnet, ICE versions of the Toyota Proace Max have a punchy 2.2-litre common rail turbodiesel engine, which is offered in just one power output by Toyota. It’s a 140PS unit and it feels perfectly adequate even when laden, albeit a bit gruff at low speeds. It never feels out of its depth, though.

All models have a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, which has a light and easy shift, with a new eight-speed auto offered as an option.

There’s a fair bit of engine and wind noise – a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter or Ford Transit will beat the Toyota Proace in the refinement stakes – but it’s a comfortable enough cruiser and never feels imposing or difficult to drive.

It benefits from great visibility for such a large van, with extremely light steering that can feel a little vague at speed. It rides well with a full load, but can be a bit crashy over bumps and the handling can feel a little ponderous, betraying the age of the basic vehicle.  Manoeuvrability is impressive, though, with an excellent turning circle for such a big vehicle.

Overall, then, the Toyota Proace Max is a competent large van that will absolutely do the job – and that’s exactly why Toyota wants it, as it gives it an entry into the 3.5t market. But although competent, it’s no class-leader.

In diesel-powered form the Toyota Proace Max has an impressive payload of up to 2,110kg and has a vast load area – at its smallest it’s 1,32 cubic metres, while the largest example has 17.5 cubic metres of space to hand.

With the shortest L2 model you get a load deck length of 3,120mm and an interior load height of 1,662mm (H1) or 1932mm (H2).  

The longer wheelbase L3 has a load deck length of 3,705mm and an internal load height of 1,932mm, while the largest panel vans are the 3.5 and 4.005 tonne L4H2 and L4H3 models, which have a load deck length of 4,070mm.

The cabin is well-trimmed and feels quite fresh even though the basic van can trace its roots back to 2006, as it’s smart and well-finished. The passenger seat includes a drop-down desk unit, with up to 10 additional in-cab storage areas including a huge glovebox, document clip and multiple lidded compartments on the dash, as well as a modern-looking digital instrument display and an optional Dynamic Rear View system, which projects camera images from the rear of the van toward a rear-view-mirror screen.

There’s also a large overhead shelf above the cab, and storage for valuables beneath the passenger seat.