Best small panel vans UK
Carwow’s pick of the most practical and useful small vans on the market
Last updated June 14, 2024 by
Tom Wiltshire
Best small vans 2025
Mid-sized vehicles like the Ford Transit Custom might be the most synonymous with the word ‘van’, but small commercial vehicles have a very big place in the world. The best small vans are a hugely convenient and accessible route into commercial vehicles - they’re ideal for deliveries and jobs in tight cities, perfect for people who’ve never driven anything bigger than a car before and can be hugely efficient and cost-effective.
In fact, if your business doesn’t involve lots of heavy load-lugging - and many of them don’t - a small van could be the only vehicle you need.
Navigating through the multiple small vans on sale in the UK can be difficult - particularly as so many of them share their underlying mechanicals with each other. Which should you choose? Luckily, our expert road test team is on hand to help you choose.
What's good
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The Proace City is the same van as the Citroen Berlingo and its siblings (below), which means it’s comfortable, good to drive and can carry over a tonne of payload for the best versions. An update in 2024 means much more up-to-date tech, too, including a huge touchscreen and all the safety kit you could need.
But where the Proace City steps away from its French, British and Italian siblings is that while Peugeot, Citroen, Vauxhall and Fiat only offer three years of warranty coverage, Toyota will offer up to a decade, provided you keep servicing your van with them. A growing network of Toyota Professional dealers with excellent service records just hammers it home.
But where the Proace City steps away from its French, British and Italian siblings is that while Peugeot, Citroen, Vauxhall and Fiat only offer three years of warranty coverage, Toyota will offer up to a decade, provided you keep servicing your van with them. A growing network of Toyota Professional dealers with excellent service records just hammers it home.
Battery range up to 213 miles
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With the small exception of a slightly different dashboard for the Peugeot Partner, these vehicles are identical, and so choosing between them depends largely on your personal preference, proximity to a dealership, what deals are offered to you and existing vehicle fleet commitments.
No matter which badge is on the nose, this is a cracking small van with efficient engines, a great payload and a comfortable drive. There’s also a clever load-through bulkhead option which gives you almost as much loading length as some mid-sized vans.
No matter which badge is on the nose, this is a cracking small van with efficient engines, a great payload and a comfortable drive. There’s also a clever load-through bulkhead option which gives you almost as much loading length as some mid-sized vans.
What's good
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The Renault Kangoo (or identical Nissan Townstar) is a fantastic van if you spend a lot of time behind the wheel. It feels really car-like to drive, aided by its compact dimensions, smooth powertrain and a cabin that feels like it was lifted from a Clio hatchback.
The Kangoo has some clever touches – the internal roof rack to allow long items like ladders is a stroke of genius, though the smartest features are reserved for left-hand drive markets and aren’t mirrored for the UK. Max payload is just shy of a ton, though internal loading dimensions are on the small side as a result of its dinky footprint.
The Kangoo has some clever touches – the internal roof rack to allow long items like ladders is a stroke of genius, though the smartest features are reserved for left-hand drive markets and aren’t mirrored for the UK. Max payload is just shy of a ton, though internal loading dimensions are on the small side as a result of its dinky footprint.
The Transit Connect is essentially the same van as the Volkswagen Caddy, but don't let that scare you away. It's excellent to drive and feels very car-like inside.
Its well thought-out cargo bay is pretty capacious both in size and in payload, and the Ford Pro suite of business services can make life painless whether you’re running a single van or a fleet of 50.
Its well thought-out cargo bay is pretty capacious both in size and in payload, and the Ford Pro suite of business services can make life painless whether you’re running a single van or a fleet of 50.
The Volkswagen Caddy is a classy, comfortable van. Volkswagen’s larger Transporter has long been a go-to for giving your business some premium gravitas – the Caddy does the same on a smaller scale.
There’s plenty of choice in the range, including a petrol engine, 4Motion four-wheel drive and an excellent DSG automatic transmission if you’d prefer not to shift yourself. Where the Caddy loses out is payload – the best version can only carry around 700kg, which is well down on the best alternatives.
There’s plenty of choice in the range, including a petrol engine, 4Motion four-wheel drive and an excellent DSG automatic transmission if you’d prefer not to shift yourself. Where the Caddy loses out is payload – the best version can only carry around 700kg, which is well down on the best alternatives.
Battery range up to 181 miles
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Ford’s newest, smallest and cheapest van is a useful option if you only have small loads to carry. It’s smaller than a lot of cars, and uses either a 1.0-litre petrol or a 1.5-litre diesel with an electric version to follow later.
The digital-first cabin might not suit everyone, but the driving experience is top-notch – just like one of Ford’s cars. Payloads are relatively modest at around 600-700kg for most models, but the square load area can carry a lot more than you might expect. Better yet, it’s one of the cheapest vans you can buy, but still can be tied to the full FordPro fleet management system.
The digital-first cabin might not suit everyone, but the driving experience is top-notch – just like one of Ford’s cars. Payloads are relatively modest at around 600-700kg for most models, but the square load area can carry a lot more than you might expect. Better yet, it’s one of the cheapest vans you can buy, but still can be tied to the full FordPro fleet management system.
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What’s not so good
The Citan is Mercedes smallest van, and while mechanically it’s based on the same platform as the Renault Kangoo and Nissan Townstar it has a much plusher interior with Mercedes’ own switchgear and software. There’s a little less choice in the model range, though, with no petrol engine offered.
Overall this is a more premium-feeling van than the ones it’s based on, with a more premium price tag to match. Payload and loading dimensions are similar, meaning they’re good but not the best in class.
Overall this is a more premium-feeling van than the ones it’s based on, with a more premium price tag to match. Payload and loading dimensions are similar, meaning they’re good but not the best in class.
You might have to look twice at the Toyota Corolla Commercial before you even realise it is a van. Based on the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports Estate, it’s had its rear windows blanked out, a level floor fitted and a mesh bulkhead installed. It’s a bit like the now-discontinued Vauxhall Astravan.
The benefits are obvious – it looks and feels like a car, so will be less of a target for thieves. It drives like one too, being very comfortable and thanks to a standard hybrid powertrain, almost ridiculously efficient. However, you lose out with the low loading height limiting overall space and a small payload of just 425kg.
The benefits are obvious – it looks and feels like a car, so will be less of a target for thieves. It drives like one too, being very comfortable and thanks to a standard hybrid powertrain, almost ridiculously efficient. However, you lose out with the low loading height limiting overall space and a small payload of just 425kg.
The Defender 90 Hard Top, like the Corolla Commercial above, starts life as a regular passenger car but has its rear seats removed and rear windows blanked off. The result here is a van that, while it can’t carry a whole lot, is capable of taking it literally anywhere. The Defender is one of the finest off-road vehicles on sale, not to mention one of the best SUVs – and those qualities carry over.
Payload is pretty good at nearly 900kg, but you’ll need to be pretty strong to load it up given the Defender’s high floor. The short 90 variants can also only be loaded through the back door, which is large and awkward to open. Looks fantastic though, doesn’t it?
Payload is pretty good at nearly 900kg, but you’ll need to be pretty strong to load it up given the Defender’s high floor. The short 90 variants can also only be loaded through the back door, which is large and awkward to open. Looks fantastic though, doesn’t it?
