Best small vans 2024
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The small van market is proving vibrant in the UK right now. Small vans are especially popular among sole traders and small business owners, where having a van that looks smart, is easy to drive in and offers good value for money is more important than the need to carry big loads.
There's a bigger selection than ever before when it comes to small vans you can buy today, with Stellantis Group (Citroen, Peugeot, Vauxhall and Fiat) and Ford leading the market. Small vans are more functional than ever, too, with payloads of up to one tonne and greater cargo volumes than smaller vans ever had in the past.
The best small vans are even capable of carrying two full euro pallets, though you will usually have to opt for the longer wheelbase options to achieve this. Crew van layouts are offered in many of them, too, as well as clever loading solutions such as pop-up and load-through bulkheads. Electric models are also increasingly popular in the small van market, where they make a lot of sense for urban deliveries.
Here are the best small vans on sale right now.
Best small vans |
Ford Transit Connect
Still as popular as ever, the Ford Transit Connect is smart, refined and has an impressive 1000kg payload, with a practical load bay and a clever flip-up hatch in the bulkhead to allow occasional long loads to be transported. It’s offered with Ford’s 1.6-litre TDCi EcoBlue diesel engine in 75PS, 100PS or 120PS outputs and has lots of thoughtful touches, such as a standard “Quickclear” windscreen in all models. There’s no electric model yet but a plug-in model, as well as a hybrid, are expected for the 2025 model year.
Citroen Berlingo
A regular fixture at the top of the small van sales charts, the Citroen Berlingo is a brilliant small van, with an established and well-respected reputation. It has recently been heavily revised with new styling and a massively improved cabin, with inductive smartphone charging and Citroen’s unique Advanced Comfort Seating, making it ideal for long journeys. It’s offered with a brilliant 1.5-litre diesel engine that’s surprisingly punchy for its size, along with a 205-mile range electric model. Exclusively among its sister models, the Citroen Berlingo is also available with special Advanced Comfort seats and a turbocharged petrol engine.
Mercedes Citan
Co-developed alongside the Renault Kangoo, the Mercedes Citan benefits from a premium cabin feel as well as stronger residual values than the its French counterpart. It has a smaller load volume than many of its rivals here, but the benefit is it’s also smaller, making it more agile and dynamic. Two body lengths are available and there are three diesel and two petrol variants, giving it a broad model range. There’s also a fully electric Mercedes e-Citan with an official range of 176 miles.
Peugeot Partner
Sharing its basic body style with the Citroen Berlingo, Vauxhall Combo and Fiat Doblo, the Peugeot Partner is rightfully one of the most popular small vans on the market right now – and it’s an exceptional choice. Revisions in 2024 have significantly improved the cabin layout and quality, while new front-end styling incorporates a smart shield-style grille and badge. Opt for the upmarket Asphalt model and you also get Peugeot’s advanced i-Cockpit. Payloads range from 650kg to 1000kg, with two body lengths, foldable seats and a bulkhead hatch extending the load length up to 3.4 metres. Engine choices include a 1.5 diesel in three power outputs, or the electric Peugeot e-Partner with a 205-mile range.
Vauxhall Combo
Built in the UK at Ellesmere Port, the Vauxhall Combo is one of a range of small vans built by the Stellantis Group and is based on the same architecture as the Citroen Berlingo, Peugeot Partner and Fiat Doblo. That means a choice of two body lengths and an excellent 1.5-litre diesel engine in three power outputs, along with the electric Vauxhall Combo Electric, which is currently the best-selling small electric van in the UK. Crew van models are available while the longer model will also comfortably carry two Euro pallets – it’s a superb van in all of its formats.
Fiat Doblo
The fourth of the Stellantis small van range to appear in our top 10 is essentially the same vehicle as the other three – but that’s no bad thing. The Fiat Doblo is also one of the best small vans you can buy. Again, it’s offered in two body lengths and with a crew van option, while the entry-level model generally has a lower list price which can make it an especially attractive option. Like its sister models, the Fiat Doblo comes with a choice of an impressive 1.5-litre diesel engine in three power outputs or as an electric van in the form of the Fiat e-Doblo. It’s great to drive as well as extremely practical.
Renault Kangoo
The latest Renault Kangoo was developed in tandem with the Mercedes Citan and is a great van to drive as well as being efficient and well-engineered. It’s offered with a choice of two 1.5-litre diesel engine, a surprisingly eager 1.3 petrol and, in the form of the Renault Kangoo e-Tech, a fully electric model with a 45kWh battery pack and a range of 186 miles. It comes in two different body lengths and two trim levels and is one of the best-value small vans on the market.
VW Caddy
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Popular for four generations, the Volkswagen Caddy’s trump card is that it’s among the most car-like and sophisticated small vans on the market. Its load capacity and payload are a little bit behind some of its rivals in the segment – notably the Stellantis Group vans and the Ford Transit Connect, but it’s still a sturdy and capable van that’s a rugged as it is refined. It has comprehensive levels of safety tech and a choice of 2.0-litre TDI diesel or 1.5-litre TFSI petrol engines, all of which are lively and capable units.
Ford Transit Courier
One of the smallest and – by definition – cheapest new small vans on the market, the Ford Transit Courier is the baby of the Ford Transit range and a superb choice for small businesses that don’t need anything bigger. It’s a cracking van to drive, too. It rides on the chassis of the Ford Puma, which is a lively and agile car to drive. It comes equipped with either a 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine with 100 or 125PS, or a 120PS 1.5-litre EcoBlue diesel. The petrol models are particularly good fun and offer almost as good fuel economy as the diesels. The Ford Transit Courier is a great-looking little van, too.
Nissan Townstar
The Nissan Townstar is something of an anomaly in the small van market, as there is no diesel model at all – it doesn’t really align with the Japanese company’s eco-credentials. As such, just two models are available. One is a 1.3-litre tCe turbocharged petrol model, and the other is the Nissan Townstar EV, which is based on the Renault Kangoo e-Tech and has a 186-mile range. The star of the range, though, is the petrol version – the turbocharged engine develops 131PS, making it one of the fastest and most entertaining small vans you can buy.
Which is the most reliable small van?
Reliability isn't a given on any vehicle but vans are designed to cover large mileages. Among the new vans currently on sale, Ford's EcoBlue diesel is pretty hardy and you'll find it in the Ford Transit Courier and Ford Transit Connect.
What is the best selling small van in the UK?
The small van market in the UK has been dominated for the past decade by the Citroen Berlingo, which remains the best-selling small van on sale and is also one of the bst
What is the smallest van in the UK?
The smallest new van currently on sale in the UK is the Toyota Corolla Commercial, which is the only remaining car-derived van on the market and is based on the Toyota Corolla estate car.
