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

 Due to its generous dimensions and ‘great outdoors’ appearance the L200 can seem incongruous in cramped city environments, at least that’s the impression I get from the furrowed brows of urbanites behind the wheels of superminis as I squeeze past them in residential back streets or negotiate the Barbarian’s hulking stern into snug fitting parking spaces.
The automatic transmission has remained unflustered whatever the driving conditions, but it is out on the open road that the L200 really comes to life. The 2.5-litre 178hp diesel powertrain gobbles up the motorway miles with enthusiasm and the spacious cabin and leather seats featured in our automatic Double Cab LB deliver a comfortable ride. The roominess extends to passengers in the back seats.
Long journeys are made easier by low interior noise levels and the excellent cruise control system, which is operated by straightforward controls mounted on the steering wheel.
The satnav is simple enough to set using the touch-screen and will reliably get you to where you want to go once you’ve punched in the post code. It also remembers addresses, which is handy if you need to get to a previously visited destination from a different starting point. The on-screen instructions are clearly arrowed too, making it hard to miss directions and meaning there’s no need to rely on the, albeit very pleasant, computerised voice to avoid making wrong turns.
The speed limit of the road you are on is displayed next to your own speed, which goes red if you exceed the limit. This is more discreet than some systems, which bark “speed camera” whenever one looms, leading to frequent interruptions to whatever you’re listening to.