With so much variance in terms of specifications and options, determining a winner in this comparison is anything but clear cut.
Will you be carrying lighter bulk loads or shifting some major
weight? Will you be towing a trailer? Will the van be carting you and
your gear from job to job, or – in the case of a courier – will you be
spending the majority of your day behind the wheel?
Then there’s the price factor. Any initial purchase price needs to be
weighed up against on-going running costs, which is where things like
fuel economy and service intervals come into play.
As is the case in virtually every automotive niche today, there are
no bad options on offer here. Each one of these six vehicles will shift a
load effectively and efficiently, and with a degree of comfort that’s a
far cry from the very basic and humble vans of not so many years ago.
Despite their size and weight, each of these six is also remarkably
easy to drive, displaying solid on-road performance and easy handling
that belies their dimensions. Let’s take a recap of each, in no
particular order.
Iveco’s Daily stands proud for its sheer utility and load-lugging
ability, boasting the highest payload and towing capacities of the
bunch, and the longest service interval. That alone will mean it makes
the most sense for some operators, who will look beyond its less refined
cabin interior.
Its
Italian sibling, the Fiat Ducato, fights hard on purchase price, and
has a level of interior and exterior style that will attract plenty of
interest. Its powerful engine certainly doesn’t disappoint either,
although the van isn’t without its Latin quirks – like the slightly odd
driving position and the modest amount of cab storage.
Volkswagen’s Crafter displays all the quality of its Mercedes-Benz
sibling but arrives at a lower price point (no surprise there, given its
lower spec). It comes with a long options list and while the modest
engine output was more than sufficient, we felt it was let down by its
stiff and heavy six-speed manual transmission. It’s a strong contender
on aftersales support though, coming with a solid warranty, but it
shares the Sprinter’s low 2000kg towing limit.
The
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is king in this niche and, after driving it,
it’s no surprise why. A dynamically superb package, it’s hard to fault
its on-road performance and it can shoulder a decent load, although –
like the Crafter – it’s let down by its modest towing limit. A quality
finish inside and out completes the picture and the available safety
features put it a cut above most in this company. You will pay more for a
Mercedes-Benz but the majority of Australia’s large van market sees the
value in the Sprinter’s TCO (total cost of ownership) proposition.
Ford’s Transit impressed on this test – for its commendable safety
(six airbags as standard), for its quietness and comfort, and for its
high level of finish inside and out. It was right up there with the
Sprinter for ride quality too, but falls down somewhat with its shorter
warranty coverage and service intervals, and lower payload. The low-end
lag and limited model choice may deter some, but the new Transit is a
very worthy progression for the breed.
That
leaves us with Renault’s front-drive Master, which we deemed to
represent the best all-round package in this comparison. With healthy
load and towing limits, a competitive price, a comfortable cab with any
number of practical touches and a frugal engine with amply sufficient
urge, the Master also comes with an impressive package of aftersales
support.
If the front-drive format and six-speed manual transmission aren’t
deal breakers, the Master is a well-rounded choice that ticks just about
every box in the LCV sphere.