When you’re buying a used van, your biggest concern will naturally be all about its reliability. Vans can clock up a ton of miles and soak up a lot of punishment. Yes, they’re built to take all that, but getting this decision right is absolutely key to your reliability and reputation. Fortunately, we can save you a lot of work and worry with this list.
What does reliability mean to you?
First, what does reliability actually mean to you? Good all-round performer? Starts every time, whatever the weather? Hardly ever in the garage? Whatever you need from your van, a good clue to its reliability is how many warranty claims certain models rack up, how much labour is needed and the average cost of repairs. Courtesy of one the UK’s leading warranty providers, we can tell you some of the vans they rated as performing really well on all of this.
Who’s made our list of reliable vans?
Right, down to the nitty gritty! You want to know the used vans you can rely on. So, here’s 10 that made the grade – but in no particular order, we’ve just listed them alphabetically.
Citroen Berlingo
Sister van to the Peugeot Partner, the Berlingo delivers on comfort and tech and combines decent power and torque with good fuel economy.
Citroen Dispatch
Sister van to the Peugeot Expert and popular with the Royal Mail, it’s good to drive, boasts an impressive line-up of tech with high payload ratings and lower fuel bills.
Fiat Doblo
Impressive on the road with a spirited drive thanks to the independent suspension. Load volumes of up to 4.2cu/m and a side loading door that makes loading and unloading simple.
Mercedes Sprinter
A firm favourite with a solid reputation for reliability and if you need plenty of volume check out the L4 with its colossal 4.8 metre load bed. All with the aspiration of that three-pointed star.
Nissan NV200
Compact van but cleverly big on load space with twin sliding side load doors as standard to get to all that handy space. The taller model can carry as much as 4.2m3.
Peugeot Expert
The model that brings a solid mix of MPV-style tech, safety and efficiency to the mid-sized van sector. Really solid on payload and fuel economy. All with a beefy 1,400kg payload.
Peugeot Partner
Another leading choice with couriers and it’s easy to see why. Car-like comfort, good tech and able to carry up to a whopping 1000kgs. Popular with the Royal Mail so you know it’s dependable.
Renault Kangoo
A solid no-nonsense van and one of the biggest sellers across Europe. A winning combination of being highly practical but low on running costs makes it a popular choice.
Toyota Hilux
One of the original pick-ups earning an enviable reputation as a durable workhorse and capable off-roader over the decades. On some models you’ll get 3.5t towing capacity.
Volkswagen Crafter
Large van with a big reputation – particular in the world of couriers with DPD being a major user.
Look at reliability in a new way
So that’s the field for some of the most reliable used vans around. But another way to look at this is how vans start out brand spanking new and how they get rated. Every year, Fleet News runs the FN50 Survey based on asking 50 of the UK’s largest leasing companies all about the reliability of their vehicles. The survey covers thousands of cars and vans so it will give you some more food for thought. Here’s the list, again in alphabetical order.
• Citroen Berlingo
• Ford Transit Connect
• Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
• Mercdees-Benz Vito
• Peugeot Partner
• Renault Trafic
• Vauxhall Vivaro
• Volkswagen Caddy
• Volkswagen Crafter
• Volkswagen Transporter
When you want extra guidance, feel free to talk to our specialist dealer partners. They supply thousands of vans every year and with all their experience they’ll always be happy to help.