Want to know what the best medium-size vans for payload are in the UK? We’ve been through all the specification lists and trawled the data to find out which of the mid-size vans can carry the most.
There are currently 12 vans that qualify for this section of the market, and we have listed them all below. We have included them all, regardless of what they are powered by – be they diesel, plug-in hybrid or electric vans. However, the latter tend not to be the best-in-class, so where a van offers a diesel and an electric, it is the former that beats the latter.
The very best in the class now challenge the best large vans for payload, and are capable of carrying nearly 1.5-tonnes. So on a value-for-money and a space efficiency basis, a medium van could be your best bet if you are carrying heavy items.
As this list shows, though, it is worth doing your research as the difference between the best and worst in class is notable – it’s more than 500kg, or almost 50% in some cases. That means the vans at the bottom of the list will do three trips while the best in the class will carry everything in two.
Payload pointers
It’s worth noting that payload capacity in most vans has to include everything inside, including the driver and any passengers; Mercedes and VW include a 75kg driver in their basic weights, however, so we’ve added that to their payload ratings to create a comparable figure.
Similarly, vans with more fitted kit will have a lower payload rating than the most basic versions of the same model. You’ll also find that there are different gross vehicle weights (GVW) within the same van range – go for the highest figure to get the greatest payload.
Keep reading for the list of the best medium-size vans for payload
11. LEVC VN5: 830kg
Is it harsh to include the LEVC VN5 in this list? After all, it only comes with a plug-in range-extender powertrain, with a battery that is kept topped up by a small petrol engine that acts as a generator. Such things are not going to fare well against an old-school diesel engine.
Still, these are the rivals that LEVC are hoping to take sales from, so the comparison is a worthwhile one. The 830kg payload still allows you to carry a fair amount of stuff, but not as much as anything else of a similar size.
Read our full LEVC VN5 review
10. Maxus eDeliver 3: 905kg
The Maxus eDeliver 3 is the second of the two vans on this list that doesn’t come with a diesel engine in some form – it’s only available as an EV. This means it doesn’t have the same outright carrying capabilities as many of its medium-van rivals, but the 905kg the short-wheelbase version with the 52.5kWh battery isn’t too bad all things considered.
However, the rest of the eDeliver 3’s package is slightly eccentric in other ways. There are only two settings for the heating, for example – on or off.
Read our full Maxus eDeliver 3 review
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9. Mercedes-Benz Vito: 944kg
The most recent Mercedes-Benz Vito has suffered a drop in its top payload. Where older versions could take around 1,200kg or more, the 2023 model doesn’t even make it over 950kg. Mercedes puts the drop in carrying ability down to an increased amount of standard equipment on the models it offers in the UK, as well as new safety regulations.
If you want the maximum payload from a Mercedes Vito then you need to go for the 114 L2 model.
Read the full Mercedes Vito review
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= 7) Nissan Primastar / Renault Trafic: 1,251kg
These two vans are close to identical. Unlike the Stellantis family of vans, where the different brands offer different levels of specifications that impact the payloads, the Renault and Nissan provide exactly the same top-end payload. This comes from the L2H1 model in both cases.
Nissan has even gone to the extent of changing its medium-sized van’s name in recent years, but this doesn’t impact matters. The NV300 might now be called the Primastar but it still matches the Trafic in all senses apart from the badge.
Read the full Nissan NV300 review
Read the full Renault Trafic review
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6. Fiat Scudo: 1,318kg
The Fiat Scudo is the first of five vans in this list to come from the Stellantis family. Due to Fiat’s selection of trims and engines, however, it doesn’t have the same maximum payload as the other four. Fiat may well have done this as it feels that it wants to concentrate on what it reckons will be the biggest sellers, but it isn’t exactly putting out a van with a tiny payload.
The 1,318kg offering of this van is still relatively strong, and many of those that sit above it in this list are the closely related equivalents at Citroen, Peugeot, Toyota and Vauxhall.
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6. Volkswagen Transporter: 1,353kg
The VW Transporter T6.1 might be close to the end of its life in 2023, but it remains popular and a strong contender in the medium-van class. The payload usually quoted on VW’s brochures allows for a 75kg driver as well, which is fair in some senses as you do have to factor people into the overall weight being transported. However, in the interest of comparison we’ve removed it to give a like-for-like figure.
The version with the best payload is one of the more basic versions – the 110hp 1.0-litre diesel in Startline trim. Add more toys, you lose that top weight.
Read the full Volkswagen Transporter review
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= 3. Citroen Dispatch / Peugeot Expert / Toyota Proace: 1,446kg
In a previous version of this list, the Citroen and Peugeot were ahead of the pack with the best payload in the medium-size van sector. However, that came courtesy of the shortest model, which has since been dropped from the range.
This means that their maximum payload has come down a touch, and they now have to share a position with the technically identical Toyota Proace. All three offer their maximum payload on the longer of the two models, with the lower powered 2.0-litre diesel engine.
Read the full Citroen Dispatch review
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Read the full Peugeot Expert review
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Read the full Toyota Proace review
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2. Vauxhall Vivaro: 1,458kg
The Vauxhall Vivaro just edges ahead of its Stellantis cousins, by offering a maximum payload that is just 8kg higher than the Citroen, Peugeot and Toyota equivalents. This will be down to a minor difference in specification rather than anything else as the version you go for offers the same engine and length as the other three.
You don’t have to go for the really basic model, though, as you get to choose between Prime and Pro trims, which is nice.
Read the full Vauxhall Vivaro review
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1. Ford Transit Custom: 1,459kg
This is the kind of petty one-upmanship we love. It might be a total coincidence that the Ford Transit Custom has a maximum potential payload that is one whole kilogram higher than the next best, which happens to be its close rival the Vauxhall Vivaro, or it could be that an eagle-eyed sort at Ford has spotted an opportunity.
Whether it is intentional or not, the end result is that if you want the biggest possible payload from a medium van then you need to head to Ford and ask for a 340 L1 H1 manual Transit Custom.
Read the full Ford Transit Custom review
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