What Van? Britain's biggest and best van buyers' guide

The importance of aesthetic appeal in the van market has risen thanks to manufacturers rapidly changing designs, according to RV expert Cap.

Forecasting editor Tim Cattlin believes that the importance of a fresh look and new features is more influential than ever before to van users.

Until recently, pick-ups were the only LCVs to be seen as lifestyle vehicles, with Mitsubishi pioneering this with the L200, which included trim levels such as Barbarian. Now higher spec levels of vehicles such as the Ford Transit Custom are proving increasingly popular.

“The days of when a van was solely regarded as a work tool are certainly coming to an end,” explained Cattlin.

However, he added a slight warning: “The creep of vanity into the van market is a mixed blessing: it ensures a more dynamic market with exciting and fresh offerings appearing with increasing regularity, [but] it also threatens faster depreciation as model shelf life begins to shorten and end users are constantly drawn to the newest vehicle on offer.”