Toyota Proace City Review 2024

Toyota Proace City At A Glance

4/5

+Efficient diesel engines. Generous equipment levels. Handy bulkhead hatch and lots of storage up front. 1000kg payload.

-Limited engine line-up. Interior isn't as fancy as the Volkswagen Caddy Cargo's.

While Toyota has a reputation for making dependable passenger cars and SUVs, it's not got quite the same name for itself in the world of commercial vehicles. The rugged Hilux pick-up truck is perhaps the brand's best-known CV, while there's also the mid-size Toyota Proace which has been quietly rivalling the Ford Transit Custom since 2016.

The brand's first entry in the world of small vans is this, the Toyota Proace City. It's basically been bought in from Stellantis (formerly PSA Group), which means it's almost identical to the Citroen Berlingo, Peugeot Partner and Vauxhall Combo.

The Toyota Proace City is available with long or short wheelbases and a choice of three trim levels: Active, Icon and Design. There's just one engine available for now, a 100PS 1.5-litre diesel paired with a five-speed manual gearbox. A more powerful 130PS version of the 1.5 is on its way (twinned with an eight-speed automatic gearbox), while there's also set to be electric version with a 161-mile range.

Stick with the diesel and running costs ought to be low, with WLTP fuel economy figures of up to 50.4mpg for the standard-length model and up to 46.9mpg for the long-wheelbase variant. Maintenance schedules are up to 25,000 miles/two years, while all Proace City vans are covered for up to 10 years by Toyota's Relax warranty cover.

The Toyota Proace City Active is the entry point to the range, with standard kit including air conditioning, auto headlights and one-touch power windows. It also gets a DAB radio, full metal bulkhead and twin sliding side doors.

The Icon trim level adds an eight-inch media system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), the brand's clever Smart Cargo system, three front seats and an electronic parking brake. A reversing camera is also standard, as well as parking sensors (front and rear), power-fold door mirrors, cruise control and front fog lights.

Topping the range is the Toyota Proace City Design. This adds 16-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured bumpers, navigation and an alarm. Toyota's Safety Sense package of driver-assist features is also standard, including a lane departure alert system, road sign assist and driver fatigue alert.

Ultimately, the Toyota Proace City is a really convincing vehicle in the small van market. The underwhelming engine line-up limits its appeal slightly, while the new Volkswagen Caddy Cargo is a slightly trendier choice. But the Proace City is a convincing workhorse, backed up by a lengthy warranty and low running costs.

What does a Toyota Proace City cost?