Toyota Proace Review 2024

Thanks to its tie-up with Stellantis, Toyota has established a respectable foothold in the UK van market, with the Proace mid-size van having been part of its line-up since 2016. Now heavily revised, the latest model has the added benefit of an unrivalled warranty. Read our full Toyota Proace review to find out if it fits the bill for you.

In 2023, Toyota saw its strongest LCV market share yet, ending the year with around five per cent of the UK’s total van and pick-up sales. Whilst much of that was attributable to the Toyota Hilux pick-up, the company also grew its share with the Toyota Proace City small van and the medium-sized Toyota Proace, which accounts for its smallest share volume.

With the latest model, though, that could all change, as although gunning for the Ford Transit Custom is no mean feat, with the UK’s best-seller being top of the class in many areas, the Stellantis Group mid-sizer on which the Toyota Proace is based leads the medium LCV market across Europe

The Vauxhall Vivaro, Peugeot Expert, Citroen Dispatch and Fiat Scudo are broadly the same – they use the same choice of bodies (two body lengths, plus a crew van and a chassis cab option) but each has a few differences to set it apart – and Toyota’s equivalent has a trump card of its own in the form of a 10-year warranty that none of the others can even come close to.

It’s also good value, easy-to-drive and has a decent reliability record – making the Proace an appealing proposition, not least because many of the Toyota’s rivals are so focused on large volume fleet business, whereas the Japanese brand is more geared up for serving small business.

Heavily revised in 2024, the latest Toyota Proace is more refined, with an extensively revised cabin, improved tech and a new-style front end with Toyota’s distinctive trapezoid headlights.

There are three diesel models - a 120PS 1.5-litre and a choice of 150PS or 180PS 2.0-litre models with six-speed manual and eight-speed automatic transmission, as well as the Toyota Proace Electric reviewed separately. Two trim levels are offered – Active and Icon – and are fairly well-equipped with an impressive suite of safety tech.

The Toyota Proace diesel engine range consists of 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder units, with power outputs spanning 120PS, 150PS and 180PS. The range-topping 180PS unit comes as standard with an eight-speed electronically controlled automatic gearbox, while a six-speed manual transmission is the sole choice on all other engines.

The 120PS 1.5-litre has 300Nm of torque, providing plenty of pulling power, yet is also the most efficient, with 47mpg quoted on the WLTP cycle. It has a maximum payload of one tonne.

To get the maximum 1450kg load carrying ability, you’ll need to go for the 2.0-litre, which is also rated to tow 2,500kg. The 180PS engine is the liveliest and is astonishingly rapid for a van, while the eight-speed auto maximises efficiency – it’s a van designed to travel long distances competently and efficiently, making it the perfect motorway companion – but it’s also rather pricey.

Visibility is excellent and the new Dynamic Surround Vision system is clever – using a rear-view-mirror housing even on vans with solid bulkheads and no rear windows, it uses cameras to show you what’s behind. It’s a useful safety aid, our main gripe being that it makes objects appear too close and can be a hindrance when judging parking manoeuvres.

On the road, the Toyota Proace is refined with no notable increase in road noise over a car, while the steering is light and precise with a firm yet pliable ride. As vans go, it’s dynamically very well-sorted.

In terms of load space and payload, the Toyota Proace remains one of the most competent load carriers in its class, with gross vehicle weights ranging from 2635kg to 3100kg, depending on spec, meaning an impressive maximum payload of 1450kg.

It is available in two lengths (imaginatively named Short and Long) and even the smaller model will carry two Euro pallets, though the larger version will carry three Euro pallets unless specified in crew van format, where it will still carry two.

All versions get twin side sliding doors as standard, each of which will take a Euro pallet sideways, with keyless electric release on the higher spec variant.

There are other medium vans that will carry more load volume, notably the Volkswagen Transporter and Renault Trafic, but 5.8 cubic metres of usable space will be sufficient for most users and there’s also an optional load-through bulkhead – known by Toyota as the Smart Cargo feature - that increases capacity to 6.6 cubic metres.

There’s just the one roof height on offer in the UK, with its load height being limited to 1397mm. The rear doors open to provide a load width of 1282mm and 1220mm in height.

Crew cab versions will carry six adults, although the passenger in the front middle seat will find legroom cramped due to the location of the gear lever. The rear seats can be folded away with the optional moveable bulkhead.

The cabin itself is well laid-out and comfortable, with a new 10-inch touchscreen controlling most of the functions. It’s intuitive and easy-to-use, our only real gripe being that some of the internal plastics feel a bit harsh and plasticky, notably the inner door panels.

Other changes from 2024-on include inductive charging for mobile phones, plus the option of ‘Dynamic Surround Vision’ which uses a network of cameras to transmit rearward visibility to the driver through a screen where the rear-view mirror would normally be found.