If you imagine the UK’s industry as a living organ, then the nation’s vans are the equivalent of red blood cells, travelling through the body’s vast network to deliver crucial supplies. And as Britain begins to emerge from a crippling pandemic, we’re going to need this fleet of light commercial vehicles more than ever before.
The good news for customers looking for a great deal on a lease van is that you’re very much spoilt for choice when it comes to what’s on offer - no matter how small or large your payload needs. Whether you want an environmentally-friendly, zero-emissions vehicle, such as the fully-electric Renault Kangoo ZE, or you crave pace and power, such as you’d find in the brilliant Volkswagen Transporter range, there are models and spec-levels to suit your individual needs.
Read on to discover some our recommendations:
Small Vans
Renault Kangoo ZE
Van lease price from £105 per month*
The new and improved Renault Kangoo ZE van is a stylish alternative to the Volkswagen Caddy. And not only does it look the part, with a new front-end designed to look like the Renault Megane hatchback, the ZE variant is 100 per cent electric. This is a small van designed to criss-cross cities, with a range between 75 and 124 miles – depending on the ambient temperature, which affects battery life – before you have to plug it in.
And speaking of charging, if you use a dedicated wallbox you can take the battery from flat to full in just six hours. Yet if you don’t have access to a wallbox, simply connect it to a standard domestic wall socket and you’ll get a full charge in 10-12 hours. There are two lengths available, with a maximum payload of 640kg.
And it’s well equipped on the inside, too, coming with a 7 inch infotainment screen and a host of driver aids.
Car Leasing Category: small van
Select’s Car Review Score: 3.3**
Max Payload: 640 kg
Engine Options: electric
NCAP Safety Rating: ZE not yet tested
Ford Transit Connect
Van lease price from £178 per month*
You get bags of versatility with a Ford Transit Connect lease – and arguably the best-looking exterior on the market, too. There are short and long wheelbase options, providing a payload capacity of up to 982kg – which is not too shabby at all for a small van. And with a range of body styles on offer, from standard van to double-cab-in-van, you’ll be able to find the vehicle that matches your business’ needs.
The interior is clean and refined, with base ‘Leader’ models enjoying DAB radio and Bluetooth connectivity. And when it comes to the choice of engines, the 1.5 litre EcoBlue diesel comes in a range of power outputs, with the 120 PS version providing a winner mix of good fuel economy – close to 60 miles to the gallon – as well as low CO2 emissions.
Car Leasing Category: small van
Select’s Car Review Score: 4**
Max Payload: 982 kg
Engine Options: Diesel, petrol
NCAP Safety Rating: 5 stars (for Tourneo passenger version)
Medium Vans
Volkswagen Transporter
Van lease price from £239 per month*
There’s a reason the Volkswagen Transporter has an almost cult-like following – it marries iconic styling with real road presence.
The Transporter, now in its sixth generation, is available in two wheelbases and two roof sizes to provide a load volume from 5.8 to 9.3 m3 and a payload of 713 to 1,309 kg. And the great thing about the Transporter is that even base models come loaded with equipment as standard. The short wheelbase ‘Startline’ model features cruise control and a DAB radio, as well as safety tech such as autonomous emergency braking and a driver alert system.
There’s also a great choice of engines – all of them diesel, with the previous petrol ‘TSI’ mill having been removed from the range – with power of up to 199 PS, and which can be bolted to VW’s ‘4MOTION’ all-wheel-drive system. And, if you’re willing to stretch the budget further, there’s also a new all-electric ‘e-Transporter’, which has a range of up to 82 miles and has a payload up to 1,001 kg.
Car Leasing Category: Medium van
Select’s Car Review Score: 4.3**
Max Payload: 1,309 kg
Engine Options: Diesel, petrol
NCAP Safety Rating: Gold Medal 2021
Vauxhall Vivaro
Van lease price from £189 per month*
With a bigger payload than the VW Transporter, and more affordable leasing costs, you can see why the Vauxhall Vivaro is one of the UK’s best-loved and most popular vans.The Vivaro, which recently scooped the ‘Best Practicality’ gong at the What Car? Van of the Year Awards 2021, is available as either a standard panel van or a double-cab, and there are two wheelbase options, too.
Base ‘Edition’ models enjoy standard equipment like cruise control and nearside and offside sliding side-access doors, while top of the range ‘Elite’ variants come loaded with everything from sat nav and parking sensors to speed sign recognition with intelligent speed adaptation. And with a payload up to 1,458 kg, as well as a potential 2,862mm load length, it provides the versatility that scores of firms crave.
The latest addition to the range is perhaps the most important – the all-electric Vivaro-e, which can travel further than any other electric van on a single charge, with a range of 205 miles if you opt for the version with the largest battery.
Car Leasing Category: Medium van
Select’s Car Review Score: 4**
Max Payload: 1,458 kg
Engine Options: Diesel, electric
NCAP Safety Rating: Silver medal 2021
Large Vans
Peugeot Boxer
Van lease price from £240 per month*
Rugged and affordable, the Peugeot Boxer is a real workhorse that’s also rewarding to drive. And what makes the Boxer so attractive is how configurable it is, coming in four different lengths and three different heights based on three wheelbases, sized 3m, 3.45m and 4.03m.
Depending on which version you opt for, you can enjoy payloads of between 1,125kg and 1,570kg. And if you opt for one of the higher-specced models, such as ‘Grip’ or ‘Asphalt’, there are creature comforts galore, including intelligent cruise control, a rear parking camera, reinforced wheel arches, uprated suspension, and an air-conditioned glove box.
A ‘Full Electric’ version should be arriving later in 2021, with a promised range of 167 miles between charges.
Car Leasing Category: Large van
Select’s Car Review Score: 3.8**
Max Payload: 1,570 kg
Engine Options: Diesel, electric
NCAP Safety: Bronze medal 2021
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
Van lease price from £258 per month*
Mercedes-Benz says its Sprinter panel van is ‘the most adaptable large van on the market’, and there are stats to back up that boast.
The first thing to note is that every Sprinter is powered by Mercedes’ ‘PRO connect’ system – free integrated vehicle monitoring software that connects drivers and businesses in an effort to improve efficiency as well as increase safety and security.
There are four different lengths – with a load length of up to 4810mm – as well as three different roof heights and three trim levels, with a maximum payload of 2,529kg. And the list of equipment fitted as standard is impressive - including an infotainment screen with full smartphone integration, cruise control, eco stop/start, as well as a multifunction steering wheel. When it comes to power, there’s a range of four-cylinder diesel engines – and a more powerful turbocharged V6 – with power outputs ranging from 143hp to 190 hp.
Meanwhile there’s also a full-electric e-Sprinter variant – which has a range of 96 miles between charges and a smaller payload of 774kg.
Car Leasing Category: Large van
Select’s Car Review Score: 4.4**
Max Payload: 2,529 kg
Engine Options: Diesel, electric
NCAP Safety Rating: Silver Medal 2021
- Update for Dacia Duster commercial van
- New Renault Trafic panel van launches
- SsangYong announces update for its Musso pick-up
- New Citroen e-Relay launches
- Suzuki introduces new Jimny van
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*Prices excluding VAT. Credit is Subject to Status, Ts and Cs and Arrangement Fees apply. Excess mileage may apply. Price correct as of 28/02/2021.
**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the scores of the UK’s top five leading independent car website reviews
