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

Operating

On the face of it, opting for a 150hp petrol Volkswagen Transporter rather than one of its 150hp diesel stablemates should make sense if you are a low-mileage user, given that the former is £1,000 cheaper than the latter. If you don’t clock up the miles, the theory goes, then you won’t benefit from the fact that diesels are more frugal than petrol vans.

Unfortunately, the theory is wrong, at least in this case. Even if you cover no more than 10,000 miles annually the diesel is the winner, despite the front-end price premium.

We asked running-cost guru KwikCarcost to work out how much it would cost per mile to run our petrol Transporter for 10,000 miles annually for four years, and how much it would cost to run its diesel counterpart.

Even at this low mileage the diesel is cheaper, at 74.1p a mile. At 80.1p a mile, the petrol Transporter will cost you a full 6p a mile more.

In four years’ time the petrol light commercial will have depreciated to 31.6% of its list price. The diesel will have depreciated to 35.6% – evidence that there is still reason to be confident in diesel’s future.

Petrol or diesel, a three-year/100,000-mile warranty is included in the deal, with emergency roadside assistance provided for the duration. So is a three-year paint warranty, while the anti-perforation corrosion warranty lasts for 12 years. The initial service is set at two years/20,000 miles and is followed by a 12-month/20,000-mile servicing schedule.

Reversing sensors should reduce the risk of damage when backing up and they can be switched off if necessary. Optional front parking aids are fitted too.

The body has no side rubbing strips, which makes the van’s paint finish – cherry red, since you ask – vulnerable to minor damage. The same finish decorates the Transporter’s colour-coded front and rear bumpers, mirror casings and door handles.

VW Transporter Highline T30 SWB 2.0 TSI 150hp petrol

Price (ex VAT)             £25,745
Price range (ex VAT)              £19,870-£40,100
Gross payload             1,054kg
Load length             2,572mm
Load width (min/max)             1,244/1,700mm
Load bay height             1,410mm
Load volume             5.8m³
Loading height             568mm
Rear door aperture             1,473x1,305mm
Side door aperture            1,017x1,282mm
Gross vehicle weight             3,000kg
Braked trailer towing weight              2,500kg
Residual value            25.9% *
Cost per mile            52.7p
Engine size/power             1,968cc, 150hp @ 3,750-6,000rpm
Torque             280Nm @ 1,500-3,750rpm
Gearbox              6-speed
Fuel economy              31.0mpg
Fuel tank             80 litres
CO2             208g/km
Warranty             3yrs/100,00mls
Service intervals              2yrs/20,000mls
Insurance group             38E
Price as tested             £27,820

* after 4yrs/80,000mls
source: KwikCarcost