What Van? Awards 2012: Van of the Year: Renault Kangoo ZE
The first electric van from a mainstream manufacturer is a winner. From when What Van? first drove a prototype Renault Kangoo ZE over a year ago, and again when we finally sampled the production version in the previous month’s edition, we had a feeling Renault had pulled something impressive out of the bag. The What Van? First Drive verdict last month read that the Kangoo ZE “not only proves that electric vehicles are nothing to fear, but also that they can actually be a sensible, cost-effective addition to a business”.
It’s not the first electric light commercial vehicle, but the product itself and the price Renault is charging for it puts electric vehicles into territory they haven’t previously ventured toward. To have a full electric vehicle direct from the same manufacturer’s production line as the diesel version, sold through the dealer network and priced from less than £17,000, admittedly with the monthly battery lease separate, is impressive. To then suffer no loss of load space compared with a standard Kangoo and still offer a 650kg payload enhances the package to the point where the ZE should be a serious consideration for urban operators.
The end of that last sentence is key though. Electric vehicles won’t suit everyone. But in the right circumstances they make perfect sense, and electric vans, rather than passenger cars, are where the greatest potential exists. Renault claims 70% of van drivers cover less than 62 miles per day, although EVs won’t necessarily suit all of those drivers. Vans that run a route of known distance and then head back to the same base will be able to reap the benefits of electric vehicles’ stArengths, especially those operating in London where congestion charge exemption is also a running cost factor. A
Power delivery
The Kangoo ZE is available in standard and Maxi body lengths, with the Maxi also available as a five-seat window van, with prices running from £16,990 for the entry van to another £1000 for the two-seat Maxi and £18,690 for the window van. Unfortunately, the Government’s £5000 subsidy for electric cars doesn’t find its way over to the light commercial vehicle market, despite many recognising the sector as the one best-placed to embrace electric power.
The 44kW motor is roughly equivalent to a 60hp diesel engine, but the instant power delivery makes it easy to nip in and out of urban traffic, while low-speed performance is impressive. At higher speeds, out of the ZE’s natural environment, it tails off, and battery consumption increases markedly.
Although the official range figure for the battery is 106 miles, Renault claims 125 miles is achievable in electric vehicles’ natural habitat of heavy traffic where the battery regeneration can kick in. We have been critical about the level of regeneration Renault has given the Kangoo ZE – it’s so harsh that a little anticipation could see drivers not needing to hit the brake pedal all day, such is the rate of deceleration. It takes some getting used to, and will do for drivers swapping out of the Kangoo ZE back to a diesel van after a few days behind the wheel, but helps regenerate more energy, and the effect will also diminish with a full 650kg payload inside.
Renault’s refusal to offer the battery as part of the purchase price has caused flurries of discontent in some areas of the industry, and it’s a shame the French firm won’t consider offering the vehicle as a complete package, even at inflated prices versus the lease, as some businesses would prefer to own outright rather than commit to a mileage package over a number of years. The offering from Renault is, though, comprehensive, with options from one to five years and 6000, 9000, 12,000 or 15,000 miles.
The cheapest is £60 a month over either three, four or five years at 6000 miles a year, while a one-year 15,000-mile lease costs £105 a month. The 20 options mean there will be something to suit everyone, and Renault claims it has gone down the lease route to protect users from worries over any problems with the technology. Battery degradation has been a particular concern for some, but Renault is promising a charging capacity of at least 75% of showroom fresh, or it will replace the battery under warranty. The company is also extending its breakdown cover on electric vehicles to include running out of power, so it will recover the vehicle to a specified charging point within 50 miles, something it won’t do for vehicles running out of fuel.
Relaxing normality
But the Kangoo ZE’s biggest assets, apart from the accessibly low entry price, is its relaxing normality. The lack of a diesel soundtrack is refreshingly serene, with silent progress meaning the driver does have to keep an eye out for pedestrians and cyclists that haven’t recognised that they have a van bearing down on them. The cabin is completely standard and recognisable to drivers of the current Kangoo, save a battery-level meter instead of the rev counter and a small gauge that illustrates the amount of power being used at a particular moment.
The Kangoo EV is a very impressive addition to the light commercial vehicle market and gives more businesses than ever before the chance to consider whether this emerging technology is right for them. Renault has already confirmed 15,000 orders in France from 19 of the country’s largest companies over the next four years. If the ZE is a success the extra volumes shouldn’t be a problem as production is at the same MCA plant in northern France as the standard vehicle.
What Van? is pleased to, for the first time ever, hand our Van of the Year title to an electric vehicle. The Renault Kangoo ZE is a more than worthy winner.
What Van? Awards 2012: Small Van: Vauxhall Corsavan
Cutting your carbon footprint – which means cutting the amount of fuel you burn and thus saving money – has to be a priority for all van operators. Vauxhall’s diesel-powered Euro5 Corsavan 95hp 1.3 CDTi Ecoflex Start/Stop makes a key contribution toward achieving this desirable goal: one reason why the most compact light commercial in the company’s line-up has won our Small Van of the Year accolade for 2012.
At a super-low 95g/km, no other diesel light commercial in its sector puts out less CO2. Stop/start, which kills the engine if the driver allows it to idle wastefully in traffic or at the lights, clearly helps, but the modifications do not stop there. Other features aimed at reducing diesel consumption and emissions include aerodynamic wheel covers, optimised gear ratios and an indicator on the dashboard that tells you when to change up a gear to achieve optimum fuel economy.
The end result is a handy 65.6mpg on the urban driving cycle, according to Vauxhall, and a stunning 78.3mpg on the combined cycle – it’s enough to make an oil sheikh weep.
Laudable though these figures are, this is by no means the only Corsavan in the line-up. Customers can also pick from a 70hp 1.2-litre petrol model, a 75hp 1.3 CDTi diesel, and a 95hp 1.3 CDTi diesel in fancy Sportive trim.
Sportive gets a six-speed manual gearbox – the other models come with five speeds – along with a brimming basket of goodies including air-conditioning, 15-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, sports-style seats, metallic or pearlescent paint and a chrome exhaust tailpipe. Electric windows and electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors are fitted too.
Whichever model you opt for, you will enjoy the same payload capacity – 550kg – and the same load cube: a compact 0.92cu/m. You are also protected by a wide variety of safety devices including ABS, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Emergency Brake Assist, Drag Torque Control and Cornering Brake Control. Electronic Stability Programme with traction control is listed as an option.
Lively on-road performance is what you get with virtually all Corsavans, including the Ecoflex, with sharp handling – the power steering provides plenty of feedback – and a precise gear change thrown in for good measure. In passing it is worth noting that Vauxhall now has an Ecoflex version of every light commercial in its line-up.
Potential purchasers won’t complain about the amount of space available in the cab. For a small van, the Corsavan’s cabin is surprisingly roomy, with more generous legroom than one might expect.
Highly Commended
Hard on the heels of the Corsavan comes Ford’s appealing little Fiesta Van, our Highly Commended choice.
With very roughly the same amount of load space and payload capacity as Vauxhall’s offering, along with responsive handling, it too boasts environmental credentials. The Econetic variant has shaved 3g/km from its CO2 output and now generates 95g/km of CO2; the same as the Corsavan Ecoflex Start/Stop and certainly a figure that impresses.
Buyers get to choose from a 70hp 1.4-litre diesel, a 95hp 1.6-litre diesel, and a 82hp 1.25-litre petrol. Our advice would be to check out the 95hp Sport Van if you want a bit of fun for your money.
What Van? Awards 2012: Light Van: Fiat Doblo Cargo
Occasionally LCV manufacturers do something that is a little surprising, yet nonetheless welcome. That was certainly the case so far as Fiat was concerned when it launched the latest version of its Doblo Cargo – our Light Van of the Year for 2012 – getting on for two years ago.
Unusually, the manufacturer equipped its new offering with a sophisticated bi-link independent rear-suspension system. Aimed at enhancing the ride and handling, it is light – good news for fuel consumption and payload capacity – and compact.
As a consequence, Fiat has been able to fit slim wheel boxes with extra space between them to ease loading and unloading. Nor is there any evidence that the set-up has been incapable of standing up to the hammering van suspensions regularly receive in service.
The Doblo Cargo’s ride and handling certainly have not suffered: far from it. When combined with Fiat’s eager yet frugal Euro5 Multijet common-rail diesel engines they result in a van that is pleasant to drive, yet will not break the bank.
Customers can pick from a 90hp 1.3-litre (with CO2 emissions of just 126g/km), a 105hp 1.6-litre or a 135hp 2.0-litre. All three come with particulate filters and Start & Stop – another praiseworthy move by Fiat – while the 95hp 1.4-litre Euro5 petrol lump gets Start & Stop too. The 1.6 is marketed with an automated Comfort-Matic box.
With a short-wheelbase standard-roof Doblo Cargo you get a 3.4cu/m cargo area to play with. Specify the high roof and the cube goes up to 4.0cu/m, and you will be able to utilise 4.2cu/m if you opt for the long-wheelbase model.
Payload capacities range from 750kg to 1000kg. A five-seater Combi version is also produced and a pick-up model under the Doblo Work Up banner was unveiled recently.
In passing it is worth noting that Fiat Professional – Fiat’s light commercial wing – has strengthened its network by signing up a number of Daf and Iveco heavy truck outlets as dealers. Also worthy of note is the fact that Vauxhall is in the process of replacing Combo with a re-badged Doblo.
Styled conventionally, and none the worse for that, the Doblo Cargo’s roomy cab interior boasts a comfortable driving position with plenty of head and shoulder room plus a decent level of oddment storage space. Good-quality plastic is used throughout and this is much better constructed than some previous Fiats. However, it is not quite as well put together as the Volkswagen Caddy and its long-wheelbase counterpart the Caddy Maxi – our Highly Commended choice.
Highly Commended
VW restyled and up-specced both Caddy models late last year, installed new Euro5 common rail diesels and made the Caddy Maxi available with a 4Motion all-wheel drive system for the first time.
You can pick from a 1.6 in either 75hp or 102hp guise – the latter can be ordered with the superb semi-automatic twin-clutch seven-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) – or a 140hp 2.0-litre. The latter can be specified with a six-speed DSG in Maxi.
Also on offer is a 109hp 2.0-litre EcoFuel petrol engine that will run on compressed natural gas.
What van? Awards 2012: Medium Van: Ford Transit
This year’s top gong in the hotly contested medium van category goes to the impressive new Euro5 Ford Transit, which withstood a tough challenge from last year’s winner, the highly accomplished Volkswagen Transporter.
This year’s top gong in the hotly contested medium van category goes to the impressive new Euro5 Ford Transit, which withstood a tough challenge from last year’s winner, the highly accomplished Volkswagen Transporter.
Ford focused on making significant improvements to the Euro5 Transit’s economy compared with the Euro4 van.
Former UK boss Nigel Sharp, who retired this summer, said the manufacturer’s engineers had “crawled all over the drivetrain and delivered big improvements in fuel economy”.
And it is under the surface that the major changes have taken place. From the outside the new Transit appears much as it was, although a silver grille and a blue badge detailing the engine derivation has replaced the red one previously used. This should help used buyers spot the Euro5 model at remarketing time.
The new Transit is £800 more expensive than the outgoing one across the line-up and prices for the short-wheelbase version start at £17,405 excluding VAT. But Ford has done more than just fit pricey particulate filters to bring down NOx emissions.
The biggest change is the introduction of the more efficient Duratorq 2.2 TDCi engine in place of the previous 2.2 and 2.4 diesels.
Front-wheel drive SWB Euro5 Transits are available with 100, 125 and 140hp iterations of this engine.
The 100hp 280 Econetic achieves class-leading official CO2 emissions of 178g/km, which fall to 173g/km with the addition of the optional fixed 62mph speed limiter. It also delivers fuel cost savings of 10% compared with its predecessor, with an official fuel consumption figure of 43.4mpg.
Acting on feedback from operators who said a fixed speed limiter does not best suit all driving situations, Ford offers an Eco Pack that includes both a switchable 70mph speed limiter and switchable auto stop/start as standard on Econetic models. The Eco Pack is an option across the rest of the SWB range. In another customer- friendly move, Ford has extended service intervals from 15,000 to 20,000 miles.
The brand has also taken great strides in improving the Transit’s refinement through increased noise suppression. The now standard six-speed transmission provides longer gearing for a quieter ride as well as lower fuel consumption. The gearbox, sourced from the Ford Mondeo for FWD Transits, delivers the much sought-after car-like shift.
Highly Commended
Highly commended is the VW Transporter. The Transporter is a solidly constructed, dependable workhorse that is unlikely to disappoint anybody who buys one. Admittedly, its styling, both internally and externally, is underwhelming, but the ride, handling and gear-change are all first-class.
Meanwhile, the 5.8cu/m load area can swallow a lot more cargo than you might expect and giving it a bit of weight to haul does not impair its on-road performance to any noticeable extent. The Transporter is powered by four versions of the 2.0-litre Euro5 diesel unit. Power outputs are 84, 102, 140 and 180hp.
What Van? Awards 2012: Large Van: Iveco Daily
Quiet, smooth-running and flexible engines, a slick gear change, surprisingly good handling and a roomy cab that can accommodate three occupants without feeling overcrowded are all sound reasons for awarding Iveco’s latest Daily our Large Panel Van of the Year accolade.
On top of all that you get a standard of construction that is a vast improvement on the hit-and-miss quality customers were faced with a few years ago and a comprehensive range supported by a dealer network that understands the needs of CV operators.
As well as vans, the line-up encompasses chassis cabs, chassis double cabs, crew vans and Irisbus-badged minibuses. With gross weights of from 3.2 to 7.0 tonnes, and with a van body offering up to 17.2cu/m of load area space, the rear-wheel drive Daily can be ordered with the optional AGile automated manual gearbox and with four-wheel-drive.
Iveco will be launching a ready-to-go-to-work line-up of bodied Dailys in a few months time including tippers, dropsides and Lutons in a bid to compete with similar packages already marketed by rivals such as Ford and Citroen.
When Iveco recently launched the Daily in Euro5/EEV (Enhanced Environmentally friendly Vehicle) guise, it took the opportunity to make a number of other changes. They include the introduction of a restyled, and handsome-looking, front grille. It features headlamp units incorporating daytime running lights with optional cornering fog lights that track the highway ahead and illuminate it at speeds of up to 25mph as you turn into a bend.
The Daily now comes with the firm’s latest electronic stability programme – ESP 9 – as standard. The technology incorporates a number of new features such as Hydraulic Brake Fade Control, Roll Movement Intervention and Roll Over Mitigation.
Cab interior alterations include a repositioned gear lever housing – to ease cross-cab movement – an adjustable steering column and more storage space. A clever feature is the availability of a clipboard that can be attached to the steering wheel and used as a desk so that the driver can complete paperwork more easily.
In-cab technology on offer includes a TomTom Go Live 1000 satellite navigation system with a 4.7-inch touch-screen, Blue&Me Bluetooth and a Blue&Me Fleet telematics package.
The engine line-up is better than it has ever been, including as it does a new and hugely impressive 205hp/470Nm Euro5 twin-turbo 3.0-litre and a new 146hp/370Nm 3.0-litre. Equipped with a variable geometry turbocharger, it meets the EU’s EEV standard. It is alternatively available in Euro5 trim with 20Nm less torque.
Another newcomer is a 146hp/350Nm Euro5 2.3-litre with a variable geometry turbo plus Multijet 2+ fuel injection with up to eight injections per cycle. It offers the combination of a new six-speed gearbox plus stop/start.
As well as the engines referred to above the Daily can be ordered with Euro5 106hp and 126hp versions of the 2.3-litre – they are scheduled to be offered with stop/start too – and as a 170hp 3.0-litre with either a variable-geometry turbo (Euro5) or twin turbos (EEV). A 140hp 3.0-litre EEV model that will run on landfill gas continues to be available alongside an electric Daily.
Highly Commended
There are two Highly Commended winners: Renault’s Master and Vauxhall’s Movano, the joint What Van? 2011 Vans of the Year. The fruits of an agreement between the Renault-Nissan Alliance and General Motors, Vauxhall’s parent company, and sharing the same basic design, they win laurels for their engines, cabin, handling, build quality and the breadth of the range on offer.
Buyers can choose either front- or rear-wheel drive, and both configurations are available with a spacious and well-equipped cab with oodles of storage space.
What Van? Awards 2012: Pick-up: VW Amarok
Offering ample performance both on- and off-road, unimpeachable build quality and respectable fuel economy, VW’s Amarok 4×4 – the name means ‘wolf’ in the Inuit language – is a deserving winner of our Pick-Up of the Year award for 2012.
Power comes courtesy of VW’s ubiquitous 2.0-litre TDI common-rail direct-injection diesel, with either 122hp (single turbo) or 163hp (twin turbo) on tap. The latter carries the BiTDI designation.
A six-speed manual gearbox is standard but the eight-speed automatic unveiled at September’s Frankfurt show is scheduled to appear on this side of the Channel in mid to late 2012. In a package that includes a 180hp version of the 2.0-litre, Bluemotion technology and stop/start, it will return an average 37mpg says VW.
Admittedly, the choice of body configurations currently offered to UK Amarok buyers is restricted – at present VW only imports the four-door double-cab from the factory in Argentina and there are no immediate plans to ship in the single cab – but at least buyers can choose either selectable or permanent four-wheel drive.
Three different trim levels are up for grabs too, ranging from the entry-level Startline to the top-of-the-range Highline, and taking in Trendline specification along the way. All offer plenty of goodies.
Nor is the Amarok short on clever ideas when it comes to safety. We especially like its intelligent ABS system, which cuts in slightly more slowly than usual if you attempt to pull up quickly on gravel. The way it works ensures that a wedge of pebbles builds up ahead of the front wheels when the brakes are applied. That allows the driver to retain control and stop the vehicle without sliding all over the place. To make it function in that way you press the Off-Road Mode switch next to the gear lever, which you may do at up to 60mph. You’ll trigger Hill Descent Control too if you hit that button at up to 18mph. It keeps driving speeds constant on steep descents by means of targeted brake actuations, enabling travel down some surprisingly acute slopes without encountering disaster. Hearing the brakes being applied, released and re-applied is soothing – especially if the incline is precipitous – rather than intrusive.
To go back up that nightmare slope again, Hill Hold Assist should ensure you don’t roll backwards.
The Amarok’s built-in safety package also includes Electronic Stability Programme, Brake Assist System, Traction Control System and Trailer Stability Control.
The vehicle offers remarkably good handling on tarmac, with none of the lurching and wallowing through bends traditionally associated with big 4×4 pick-ups. Take to the fields and it will resolutely claw its way along muddy, heavily rutted tracks, pock-marked with deep potholes overflowing with water, without getting bogged down.
Four load tie-down points are to be found in the cargo box, which is mounted on a beefy ladder-frame chassis. Access to the load area is by means of a sturdy tailgate that can be locked horizontally.
Gross payloads go up to 1119kg depending on the variant selected.
Highly Commended
This year Mitsubishi’s iconic L200 4×4 pick-up has to content itself with our Highly Commended accolade, but that should not be viewed as a disgrace. It remains a competent and praiseworthy package.
On offer with three different body styles – single cab, club cab and double cab – and available in long bed as well as standard bed guise if you opt for the last-named, it is powered by a dependable 2.5-litre diesel at either 134hp or 175hp.
A variety of different levels of specification are marketed – Warrior and Barbarian are among the best-known – but if you want a real treat, then check out the Walkinshaw Performance Double Cab with its fully independent five-point multi-link rear suspension and 20-inch alloy wheels. It deserves an award all of its own.
What Van? Awards 2012: 4×4 Van: VW Caddy Maxi 4Motion
Not everybody who wants a four-wheel drive light commercial needs one that will cope with deeply rutted terrain and can tackle steep, boulder-strewn, muddy slopes without coming to grief. All many operators require is a van that will help them keep moving on snowy or icy local roads that may not have been gritted given the parlous state of council finances.
Not everybody who wants a four-wheel drive light commercial needs one that will cope with deeply rutted terrain and can tackle steep, boulder-strewn, muddy slopes without coming to grief. All many operators require is a van that will help them keep moving on snowy or icy local roads that may not have been gritted given the parlous state of council finances.
If that is what you require, then Volkswagen’s Caddy Maxi 4Motion – our 4×4 Van of the Year for 2012 – could match your requirements. 
Its four-wheel drive system engages instantly whenever it senses slippage, transmitting power to whichever wheels have the most grip. Otherwise, it runs in front-wheel drive mode.
Ground clearance is nothing to write home about, but this need not be an issue given the uses to which the Maxi 4Motion is likely to be put. The package includes Hill Hold Assist, designed to stop you rolling backwards on an incline, with a trip computer with a multi-function display included in the overall deal.
Power comes courtesy of a 110hp version of the 2.0-litre TDI four-cylinder diesel found elsewhere in the Caddy Maxi line-up – a power level that happens to be unique to 4Motion – with common-rail fuel injection and a variable-geometry turbocharger. Married to a six-speed manual gearbox, it offers enough impetus to provide the 4Motion with ample performance in all road conditions, while the 4×4 handles and rides just as well as its 4×2 stablemates. It shares their high standard of build quality too.
Gross payload is a useful 690kg, and you get a 4.2cu/m load area for your money, accessible by means of asymmetric rear doors and a sliding door on each side. Should you be looking to haul a braked trailer, then the 4Motion will tow one grossing at up to 1500kg.
If you need to be out on the public highway in all weathers than Caddy Maxi 4Motion is worthy of serious consideration. That is not to say, however, that you will feel short-changed if you opt for Mitsubishi’s ASX 4Work 4×4 van – the winner of our Highly Commended accolade – instead.
Highly Commended
A conversion based on the ASX five-door passenger car, and executed by Mitsubishi in the UK, it is a likeable and well-equipped package that, while not designed for really arduous off-roading activities, should help get you up and down untreated side roads or rutted ground when winter strikes.
The conversion involves removing the back seats, slotting in a rubber-covered load bed and installing a full-height bulkhead with a solid lower and a mesh upper section. Cargo bay access is easy thanks to a rear hatch and the retention of the car’s rear doors.
Under the bonnet you will find a 147hp 1.8-litre diesel with 300Nm of torque on tap.
Top payload capacity is 535kg while the load area encompasses 1.2cu/m. Admittedly, neither of those figures is vast, but they offer more than enough leeway to allow you to transport a couple of toolboxes and a high visibility jacket – or a medical bag and a defibrillator – if you need to respond to an urgent call.
What Van? Awards 2012: Van Conversion: Citroen Ready to Run
Citroen seems to have set itself the wholly laudable target of covering every niche in the LCV market. With its Ready to Run programme of specialist conversions it has largely succeeded too, which is why we are once again handing it our Van Conversions Award.
Citroen seems to have set itself the wholly laudable target of covering every niche in the LCV market. With its Ready to Run programme of specialist conversions it has largely succeeded too, which is why we are once again handing it our Van Conversions Award.
The aim of such schemes is to provide customers with ready-bodied vehicles that can be delivered straight to them via the dealer and put to work instantly. There is no need for the buyer to wait while the chassis is bodied locally, possibly by an under-the-arches body builder whose work is of questionable quality and whose only virtue is cheapness.
By contrast, conversions that form part of a manufacturer’s programme tend to conform to strict quality standards: and while they may not be cheap, some of the packages on offer are remarkably price-competitive.
Citroen’s Ready to Run line-up doesn’t solely embrace tippers, dropsides, and Lutons; it also encompasses vehicles bodied to carry lightweight items of plant, car transporters, glass carriers, refrigerated vans – precious few van makers other than Citroen offer temperature-controlled conversions – and vans converted to run on LPG.
Minibuses are included in the portfolio too, and that portfolio is continuing to expand. Last February saw the introduction of a six-seater Dispatch Crew Van. Developed by Snoeks Automotive, the conversion allows the operator to transport a team of workers in comfort and safety. Their tools can be stowed in a compartment at the rear of the vehicle separated from the passenger saloon by a bulkhead.
At the same time Citroen unveiled a Ready to Run Space Van constructed by Supertrucks and based on the Relay. Available with a choice of two load floor lengths – 4100mm or 4500mm – it is up for grabs with either a 20.4cu/m or a 22.3cu/m cargo area with a payload capacity of up to 1300kg.
Aside from the amount of room it offers, the Space Van boasts a low deck height. With a standard steel suspension the height is just 550mm. Specify the optional air suspension that is available, and lower it, and you are talking a remarkably modest 370mm.
Highly Commended
Citroen is not the only manufacturer to run programmes of this type. Ford offers its One-Stop Shop scheme, and we are happy to gift it our Highly Commended award.
As well as a one-way Transit-based tipper, the line-up embraces a three-way tipper – an unusual sight in the UK – in addition to a Transit chassis cab-based dropside, box van and Luton derivatives. A Transit curtainsider can be ordered too.
Precious few firms running 3.5- or 4.6-tonners – the weights the curtainsider is available at – use curtained bodies, despite their advantages of low weight, which means a higher potential payload, and ease of loading and unloading. Maybe they should.
While security with curtainsiders is always going to be an issue, all sorts of reinforced backings are available for curtains these days that will help them resist the attention of a knife-wielding thief and without making them more difficult to open and close.
What Van? Awards 2012: Website: Renault
The LCV Website of the Year category is a new one introduced for the 2012 What Van? Awards, and follows a comprehensive analysis of the top vanmakers’ websites carried out for the October issue of What Van?
With businesses and individuals finding time at more of a premium than ever before, being able to track down information quickly and easily is paramount to a company’s ability to attract and retain customers.
Everybody has experienced the frustration of not being able to find what they consider to be fairly basic information on a website, and a business’s reputation can take a severe pasting or praising based on its online presence.
That’s why we took the decision to immerse What Van? in the online persona of the top dozen light commercial vehicle brands, in order to reward those found to be doing the best job, and point others in the direction of improvement.
Renault’s website, found at www.renault.co.uk/vans won our October analysis and is the first What Van? website of the year with a final score of 78%, 6% clear of Citroen in second place after assessment across a range of 10 criteria, ranging from site accessibility and speed of email response time to dealer finder search and site extras.
With the exception of a social media presence, Renault scored strongly across the board, gaining maximum marks for accessibility, ease of use and site extras, which included a van owner forum, guide to future models, links to the Department for Transport’s Van Best Practice website, van offers and a mass of company news and information.
Renault’s light commercial vehicle website also scored very well for a clean and appealing design, the access to downloadable brochures and an impressively detailed email response that arrived within six hours of the enquiry while others took days or, in two cases, failed to respond at all. Finding a dealer through the website is also easy thanks to a search that returns sites by distance with dealer phone number, route from your postcode and links to the dealer’s own site.
The What Van? verdict on the Renault site was that it’s an “impressive site with few weaknesses”. We did criticise the van configurator tool for being clunkier than the best systems, but if Renault improves that then it could be looking good to hold onto its prize in the 2013 What Van? Awards.
Highly Commended
Citroen’s www.citroen.co.uk/vans website came out as second best in our analysis, just ahead of rival manufacturers Ford, Peugeot and Vauxhall, and therefore claims the Highly Commended in the 2012 What Van? Awards. Had the telephone or email assistance been more helpful, this website would have at least pushed Renault close, if not actually nabbed the crown from its French competitor. Another strong all-round site, the downloadable brochure impressed, while ease of use, site design and the light commercial vehicle configuring tool were also strong.
It will be interesting to see if any of the websites that didn’t perform as well this time around take our criticism on board and push the leaders harder when we undertake the same exercise towards the end of 2012, but for now it’s congratulations to Renault for a website that best helps light commercial vehicle users and operators in their daily lives.
What Van? Awards 2012: Green: Vauxhall Ecoflex
Vauxhall has set the pace in the increasingly important eco-van sector by including a green Ecoflex version for every model in its line-up.
Vauxhall has set the pace in the increasingly important eco-van sector by including a green Ecoflex version for every model in its line-up.
The fuel-saving applications installed vary from van to van, but the manufacturer deserves credit for signalling the most economic choice for every model in its range at a time when green credentials are rising up the agenda for customers.
Starting at the small end, the Corsavan 1.3-litre CDTi 16v 95hp wears the Ecoflex badge. It seized the mantle as the greenest van in its class from the Ford Fiesta Van, which has since fought back to equal its official 95g/km of CO2.
If Transport for London ever deigns to exempt the cleanest vans from London’s congestion charge, then the Corsavan could enter the city centre for free by dint of its sub-100g/km output.
As well as using a stop/start system, Vauxhall has also lowered the Corsavan’s chassis and fitted a variable geometry turbocharger. The van is also adorned with aerodynamic wheel covers and optimised gear ratios with a shift-up indicator. Vauxhall claims the Ecoflex Corsavan achieves fuel economy of 78.3mpg.
The lowest-emission versions of the Astravan and Combo small light commercial vehicles also take the Ecoflex badge, with CO2 emissions of 130g/km and 134g/km respectively.
Moving up the weight range, the medium-sized Vivaro is offered with two short-wheelbase Ecoflex derivatives: 90hp and 115hp versions of the 2.0-litre CDTi,
both of which deliver CO2 of 185g/km, about 5% less than the standard model.
Ecoflex status on the Vivaro comes courtesy of a speed limiter that restricts its top speed to 62mph. The rationale is that cutting the top speed burns less fuel and causes less pollution.
Until you reach the artificially imposed top speed, Vauxhall’s Ecoflex Vivaros drive exactly the same as their conventional stablemates. It is a simple but effective measure, which could prove beneficial for most operators unless they are racing against time on the motorway.
For heavy van customers Vauxhall offers the Movano Ecoflex, based on the 3.3-tonne L2H2 2.3-litre CDTi 100hp derivative. It offers CO2 of 202g/km via energy- and weight-saving features including manually operated windows, mirrors and door locks, and a tyre repair kit rather than a spare wheel. However, it is not the only brand to flag-up its greenest vans with an eco badge.
Highly Commended
Highly commended is Ford, which has conferred its Econetic label upon a brace of its Euro5 Transits. The larger of these is the long-wheelbase medium-roof 125hp Transit 350 Econetic, with 90% of the load volume and an increased payload compared with the rear-wheel drive high roof 350. Ford claims customers could save £3000 a year on fuel alone compared to the RWD 350.
Also up for grabs is the SWB 280 Econetic, which emits 178g/km CO2, falling to 173g/km with the optional 62mph speed limiter. The official fuel consumption figure is 43.5mpg.
In the small van sector, the Econetic Ford Fiesta Van led the way in cutting CO2 to below 100g/km.
What Van? Awards 2012: Safety: Mercedes-Benz
{mosimage}Rising concerns about the environmental impact of light commercial vehicles should not cause another key imperative to be ignored: that of safety. Van operators, quite literally, forget it at their peril, at the peril of their employees, and at the peril of other road users.
They also need to bear in mind that if an accident does occur, and injuries are suffered, then there is every risk that civil and criminal litigation could follow if it can be shown to be their fault.
As a consequence wise operators will invest in safe products – even if it means ticking a few boxes on the options list – and wise manufacturers will make every attempt to provide them. Top of the list is Mercedes- Benz, and we are more than happy to hand the firm our 2012 Safety Award.
ABS, ASR, an anti-skid package, Brake Assist and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution are all standard features on both the Vito and Sprinter. So is an adaptive Electronic Stability Programme – something that should, of course, be standard on all light commercials.
ESP is intended to prevent the van it is fitted to from rolling over if violent evasive action has to be taken on a slippery road surface. In adaptive guise it takes into account the position and size of any cargo that is on board as it makes its rapid calculations.
Both vehicles are fitted with a driver’s airbag – passenger, thorax and window bags are all to be found on the options list – not to mention big, electrically adjustable exterior mirrors plus a bulkhead to stop loads hurtling forwards and injuring the cab’s occupants. Cargo that is likely to shift should, of course, be secured properly, and both the Vito and Sprinter have lashing points and non-slip floors in their cargo areas.
Run your finger down the options list and, depending on which model you have selected, you can add the cost of reversing sensors, a reversing camera, cruise control including a speed limiter, a light and rain sensor, headlamps with a cornering function and a tyre pressure monitor to the final invoice. While all van buyers have to work to a budget – and often a tight one – many of these items undoubtedly represent money well spent.
Highly Commended
Also worth investing in is Telemotion’s Nempi, our Highly Commended pick. It is a telematics-based onboard device that provides the driver with instant feedback on his or her driving style on an in-cab display and to the fleet manager back at base via a secure website.
A poor driving style is usually associated with speeding, harsh braking and acceleration and cornering too quickly, practices Nempi helps to deter. As well as increasing fuel consumption and wear and tear on the vehicle’s components, such behaviour means that the van concerned is more likely to be involved in a collision – something all responsible owners and drivers will wish to avoid.
Because it can judge how much strain is being put on the engine, the Nempi can figure out when a service is likely to be due: and the gentler and more-considered driving style it promotes could result in service intervals being extended and expenditure falling.
What Van? Awards 2012: Innovation: Citroen Business Class
This year’s inaugural Innovation Award goes to Citroen for its Business Class programme.
The French brand seized the initiative in targeting small business customers with the scheme and in doing so improved its offering to fleet operators. It has successfully backed up the scheme with a high-profile marketing campaign to make sure potential customers know what’s on offer at Citroen’s dealerships.
The manufacturer is driving the Business Class programme through 90 Business Centres, about half of its UK dealerships.
Citroen stated its commitment to improving customers’ sales and aftersales experiences in the first quarter of 2010 when it began recruiting retailers to become Business Centres.
As we passed the halfway point of this year the brand announced that Business Centres were accounting for at least four out of five van sales to SMEs.
The manufacturer has worked hard to maintain the initiative’s high profile. In September it targeted small businesses and owner/drivers with a ‘Free fuel for a year’ incentive for customers buying a new van by outright purchase, PCP or hire purchase. National fleets are not included in the deal.
Scott Michael, commercial vehicles operations manager, says: “In today’s tough economic climate businesses need to make savings and the new ‘Free fuel for a year’ scheme meets this need.”
In October Citroen launched its 5 Star Euro5 LCV programme under the Business Class banner to highlight its commitment to technology to cut the CO2 emissions and improve the fuel economy of its Euro5 line-up of vans.
The scheme flags up five eco-friendly characteristics of the range: fuel-efficient, low-emission petrol and diesel engines; new e-HDi Airdream micro-hybrid drivetrains for selected Berlingo vans; a diesel particulate filtration system; the Citroen Trafficmaster Smartnav and Trackstar stolen vehicle telematics package that is claimed to improve fuel efficiency and comes as standard on Dispatch, Berlingo and Relay panel vans; and the fact that Citroen’s HDi engines can run on up to 30% bio-diesel without affecting the warranty.
Says Michael: “Since the introduction this year of the Citroen Vans Business Class programme, Citroen has continued to improve its sales and aftersales service as well as provide a greater choice of converted vehicles through our Relay Specialist range and our expanded Ready-to-Run range. With 5 Star Euro5 our customers can now benefit from fuel efficiency improvements of up to 19% and CO2 reductions of up to 17.5%.”
In pursuit of its aim to set the benchmark for customer service in the LCV sector, Citroen has installed dedicated sales and aftersales staff in Business Centres and offers extended workshop hours to accommodate working fleets. Courtesy vans are available and a wider range of demonstrators are kept than in standard dealerships.
There are more approved-used LCVs stocked and displays of Ready-to-Run conversions. Through Business Class the manufacturer has enhanced its offering to SMEs in a tough economic climate.
Highly Commended
Highly commended in this new category is Bevan for its lightweight, aerodynamic Luton body for 3.5-tonne vans. With a payload of 1200kg compared with the industry standard 1000kg, the body, dubbed the Icon, was unveiled at the Commercial Vehicle Show fitted to a Mercedes Sprinter chassis cab. It is made largely from fibreglass and was designed by three-dimensional CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics).
What Van Awards 2012: Editor’s Choice: VW Transporter Sportline
Any Editor’s Choice award is something of an indulgence, so it’s appropriate that this prize goes to what’s probably the biggest indulgence in the light commercial vehicle world.
Volkswagen’s Transporter Sportline is now in its second generation having returned with the facelifted Transporter in autumn 2011, and enjoying its status as the king of the sporting panel vans. Ford has offered the Transit Sportvan in a number of limited edition series, and Mercedes is about to introduce a Vito Sport X edition, but Volkswagen has managed to establish its Sportline branding thanks to the first and now post-facelift Transporters, and the old pre-facelift Caddy Sportline VW is still weighing up a replacement for.
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As referenced above, the £28,220 plus VAT Sportline is certainly not cheap. But it’s a striking vehicle, available in a choice of metallic silver, pearlescent black or optional white with contrasting black roof. Unique 18-inch alloys, polished stainless steel side bars, front fog lights, roof spoiler, smoked rear lights and a gloss-black grille all mark out the Sportline as something a bit special, and that principle continues under the bonnet where a pleasingly rapid 180hp 2.0 bi-turbo TDI diesel engine resides.
The vehicle’s inside is as overt as the exterior, with two-tone leather upholstery spelling out that the Sportline isn’t a normal Transporter. Standard kit also includes toys unrecognisable to most LCV drivers including satellite navigation, Bluetooth, rear parking sensors and semi-automatic air-conditioning.
The Transporter Sportline comes in short- and long-wheelbase form, with both lengths available as a panel van or Kombi five-seater version while the acclaimed seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox is a £1400 option.
That means the Sportline range tops out at £31,990 plus VAT for the LWB Kombi DSG. It’s a hefty wedge of cash, but for a peerless commercial vehicle in terms of brand prestige, equipment, appeal and presence.
Fuel economy for the 180hp beast is 36.2mpg for the six-speed manual model and 34.9mpg for the DSG auto, and the manual panel van will complete the 0-62mph dash in under 10 seconds, heading onto 119mph flat out.
The light commercial vehicle market is rightly ruled by sensible choices made according to cost and fitness for purpose. But it should be celebrated that appealing vans such as this exist, which is why the Volkswagen Transporter Sportline takes the 2012 Editor’s Choice Award.
Highly Commended
Highly Commended in this Editor’s Choice category is an interesting development going on down near Swindon. Chinese Loadhopper microvans built by manufacturer DFSK are being imported by a company called Vestatec, which is in the process of setting up a dealer network to sell the four-vehicle range of single- and double-cab pick-ups, van and tipper models, with prices starting at £6999. Vestatec claims that it has spotted a gap in the light commercial vehicle market left by the likes of the Suzuki Carry and Bedford Rascal, which were up to around 7000 sales per year in the mid-‘00s.
The cheap and cheerful vehicles aren’t going to win any awards for refinement and comfort, however, as workhorses they could find a niche not served by car-derived vans or the likes of Citroen’s Nemo.
The company is targeting 5000 sales per year by 2016 and is led by former Mitsubishi UK boss Jim Tyrrell, so its progress will make interesting viewing.
