Large Van 2016 Comparison: The Verdict
Six vans, one commercial objective, myriad specs and options. Which one is best?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.
Related reading:
>> Large Van 2016 Comparison: Introduction
>> 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)
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