Large Van 2016 Comparison
Can numerous revised offerings loosen Mercedes-Benz's stranglehold on Australia's large van market?Fiat Ducato v Ford Transit v Iveco Daily v Mercedes-Benz Sprinter v Renault Master v Volkswagen Crafter
2016 Large Van Comparison Test (Introduction)
There's been plenty of activity in Australia's large van market over the past 18 months, where an influx of fresh offerings has reshaped the LCV landscape.
Some 7649 such vehicles were registered in 2015 (vans and cab/chassis derivatives with a Gross Vehicle Mass, or GVM, of over 3.5t), and while that's significantly below the equivalent figure for medium vans (17,094 units), for the manufacturers involved it still represents a large and lucrative slice of the automotive market.
In fact, the large van market is on a charge right now, with last year's registrations up a hefty 19.7 per cent from the previous year.
Hoarding the lion's share of the action is the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, which accounted for 37.9 per cent of large van registrations in 2015. That's followed by Renault's Master (19.7 per cent), Fiat's Ducato (15.1 per cent), Ford's Transit (10.4 per cent), Iveco's Daily (11.4 per cent) and Volkswagen's Crafter (5.5 per cent).
In 2014 we saw revisions of the Sprinter and Ducato arrive Down Under along with the next-gen Transit, while last year saw the introduction of a new Daily range and an update of the Master. Here at trucksales.com.au, we thought it was high time for a model comparison to sort out the new pecking order.
Of course, with this segment's massive scope for specification assembling a direct head-to-head comparison is challenging to say the least, with varying engine and transmission formats, GVMs, roof heights, wheelbases and payloads contributing to a depth of choice simply not found outside the commercial vehicle world.
Still, for this test we've achieved a six-strong line-up of vans with relatively similar GVMs (3510-3800kg) and wheelbases (3450-3750mm). All powered by four-cylinder turbo-diesels, the Daily and Crafter both had lower-spec engines with reduced outputs compared to the others, while breaking the manual transmission baseline was the Sprinter's seven-speed auto and the Ducato's automated manual.
In the capacity stakes the Ford had the unfair advantage, being a high-roof variant compared to the remaining standard-roof vehicles.
While this test focuses on vans it's worth noting that numerous body styles are available, with many models also coming in single cab/chassis, double cab/chassis and minibus variants.
Today's vans also come with a wide range of convenience, comfort and safety features. Standard offerings and pricing can vary widely from model to model and numerous door and load-bay fit-outs are available, so refer to your local dealer or the manufacturer's website for more detailed information.
We subjected our half-dozen contenders to our usual LCV test loop, comprising a busy industrial estate, undulating country roads and a section of freeway. Each loop was done twice – firstly unladen and then with a 975kg test weight in the back, the latter representing roughly two-thirds of each vehicle's GVM.
For performance testing we conducted acceleration and braking runs using GPS-equipped VBOX data-logging equipment, while cab noise levels were recorded on the same stretch of road at a steady 80km/h.
Sadly, as fate would have it, our performance testing was mired by Melbourne's typically changeable weather conditions, with some runs conducted on a wet or damp road – see the table below for a summary of the results…
While individual differences in specification must be taken into account, our time spent with these vehicles provided us with a good flavour of the current large van market, with each model bringing its own strengths and weaknesses to the LCV equation.
As such we've presented a summary of each model individually followed by a general conclusion, which can be accessed via the links below…
Related reading:
>> Ford Transit (from $47,680 plus ORCs)
>> Fiat Ducato (from $44,000 plus ORCs)
>> Iveco Daily (from $49,501 plus ORCs)
>> Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (from $44,490 plus ORCs)
>> Renault Master (from $40,990 plus ORCs)
>> Volkswagen Crafter (from $41,990 plus ORCs)
>> Large Van Comparison - The Verdict
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
If the price does not contain the notation that it is "Drive Away", the price may not include additional costs, such as stamp duty and other government charges.
