What were the UK’s bestselling large vans in 2024? Was this the year that electric vans sold in big numbers? These were the top 10 most popular vans in the UK in the whole of 2024, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The headline van sales figures for 2024 were encouraging for the industry, with the overall registrations the highest they have been for three years. There were 351,834 light commercial vehicles – vans, commercial 4x4s and pickups – sold in 2024, which represents a rise of 3.0% compared to 2023. This was helped by a strong but not stellar December performance, which saw 27,221 sales – a drop of 8.3% versus the same month in 2023.
For 2024 as a whole, it was large vans that accounted for both the majority of registrations and a notable amount of the rise in sales versus the previous 12 months. Some 233,216 large vans were sold, which represented a 2.1% increase. The medium van sector recorded a 12.3% increase, while the small van market managed a 44.5% uptick, but this makes up a smaller proportion of the overall number.
Curiously, and slightly concerningly, the pickup sector had a tricky year, with the 37,582 sales representing an 8.3% drop over 2023’s results. The forthcoming closure of the loophole that allows pickup owners to pay lower Benefit in Kind tax rates might well be in buyers’ minds, even if this doesn’t kick in until April.
The big elephant in the room is the performance of the electric van market, though. In one sense it iwas good news as the overall registrations rose by 3.3% to 22,155 for the year. However, this only represented a 6.3% share of the market, which is the same as 2023 and some way short of the government’s zero emission vehicles mandate.
This comes despite a big rise in the number of models offered, with 33 different electric models available in the UK – more than half of those on sale.
What the industry says
SMMT chief executive, Mike Hawes, said: ‘Vans, 4x4s and pick-ups keep businesses everywhere on the move, making this sector a barometer of the UK economy. The best overall volume in three years, therefore, is good news with van makers striving to deliver abundant and competitive EV choice.
‘Buyer confidence, however, will inevitably be undermined when charging infrastructure does not meet the needs of fleet operations. A review of EV regulation is crucial, therefore, to reflect current market realities and ensure ambitions are deliverable, without any negative and costly consequences..’
Below, you’ll see the UK’s top 10 most popular vans in December 2024, in reverse order. You’ll also find full year data for the years 2018 to 2024, so you can see what the most popular vans and pickups were in those years.
All this is useful because it means you can see which vans make the most sense to other businesses, so they may also make the most sense for you. What’s more, it gives you an idea of the most available used vans of a particular age.
Top 10 bestselling vans and pickups December 2024
10. Volkswagen Transporter (852 sold)
The outgoing Volkswagen Transporter is not long for this world, but it is maintaining its appeal to the very end. Part of this appeal is down to the wide range of models on offer. Coupled to a strong choice of engines, this is one medium-sized van that has something for everyone. Plenty of safety systems and a respectable level of comfort help the Transporter hold its value well too.
It’s no longer available to order new, though, as a new VW Transporter is on its way early in 2025. If you want one of the T6.1 models, you’ll have to buy a vehicle from stock. Going by its continued presence in the top 10 there are plenty left.
Find a Volkswagen Transporter for sale near you
9. Volkswagen Crafter (923 sold)
The Volkswagen Crafter is a multiple former Parkers Award winner and a big favourite with us. It has a well-thought-out cabin, is great to drive and has a strong set of engines. It is much more modern than some of its large-van rivals, too, with some excellent tech on offer. It’s a shame that it won’t come with an electric version until the new model arrives but it is proving popular with buyers nonetheless.
Find a Volkswagen Crafter for sale near you
8. Peugeot Partner (952 sold)
The Peugeot Partner is one of five nigh identical vans, sharing much with equivalents at Citroen, Vauxhall, Toyota and Fiat, many of which crop up in the top 10 list from time to time. However, the Partner is the only one to have something that sets it apart from the others – a smaller steering wheel as part of a setup dubbed the i-Cockpit. This will suit some better than others, but the rest of the van is otherwise the same as the rest of the quintet – practical, good to drive and boasting a strong electric version.
Find a Peugeot Partner for sale near you
7. Ford Ranger (1,193 sold)
The latest Ford Ranger has picked up where the previous version left off, as one of the UK’s most popular pickup trucks. It has moved the game on significantly from its predecessor, being excellent to drive, comfortable and well equipped inside, and offering a wide range of practicality. There are loads of versions to choose from, too, including the outrageous Ford Ranger Raptor.
Find a Ford Ranger for sale near you
8. Renault Trafic (1,429 sold)
The Renault Trafic last had a major update in 2022, with loads of new safety features and a new look helping to keep it fresh and maintaining its appeal. The medium-sized van has some strong contenders in its class, though, with the Ford Transit Custom and VW Transporter to name but two, but it has plenty in its favour. A new E-Tech electric version has since joined the range, matching its major rivals in that sense.
Find a Renault Trafic for sale near you
5. Isuzu D-Max (1,522 sold)
Pickups are a rarity in the top-10 best-sellers list, and the Isuzu D-Max is an even less regular feature. That’s not to say it isn’t a good truck, though, but it is much more geared towards the utilitarian end of the market than its rivals. It features a single engine choice, with just a 1.9-litre diesel on offer. It’s strong enough to tow as much as its competitors, though, and handily doesn’t need topping up with AdBlue in the same way.
There are loads of accessories on offer in the D-Max’s catalogue, too, if you fancy a more lifestyle-focused version. This includes a rooftop tent and a small kitchen in the loading bed.
Find an Isuzu D-Max for sale near you
4. Ford Transit (1,524 sold)
The Ford Transit is the household name for vans in the UK. This latest version has increased payload, upgraded engines, a revised interior and even more technology. It remains easy to drive, comfortable, and there are plenty of specialist dealers around to keep you on the road. It’s also setting new standards for electric vans, with the Ford E-Transit the best out there by a country mile.
Find a Ford Transit for sale near you
3. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (1,595 sold)
The Mercedes Sprinter continues to set incredible standards that make it one of the best large vans you can buy. The cutting-edge on-board technology that’s now included only adds to its appeal. Popular particularly in the delivery industry, it has exceptional reliability and the Mercedes eSprinter electric van has a good driving range compared with rivals.
Find a Mercedes Sprinter for sale near you
2. Vauxhall Vivaro (1,790 sold)
The latest Vauxhall Vivaro is still proudly built in Britain, even though Vauxhall is now part of the massive Stellantis group of companies. Cousin to the Citroen Dispatch, Peugeot Expert and Toyota Proace, it can carry vast amounts of payload, offers great fuel economy and is now also available in Vivaro Electric form.
Find a Vauxhall Vivaro for sale near you
1. Ford Transit Custom (3,715 sold)
The new Ford Transit Custom only went on sale in late 2023 but it’s very much business as usual for the brand’s sales team as it takes up where the old one left off at the top of the charts. This all-new model is a notable improvement over all of its rivals and its predecessor, which made it our 2024 Parkers Commercial Vehicle of the Year.
Find a Ford Transit Custom for sale near you
Bestselling vans and pickups of 2024
This table shows the bestselling vans and pickups for all of 2024:
| Sales position | Model | Number sold | Parkers review link |
| 1 | Ford Transit Custom | 46,967 | Ford Transit Custom review |
| 2 | Ford Transit | 31,322 | Ford Transit review |
| 3 | Ford Ranger | 19,695 | Ford Ranger review |
| 4 | Mercedes Sprinter | 18,753 | Mercedes Sprinter review |
| 5 | Vauxhall Vivaro | 18,581 | Vauxhall Vivaro review |
| 6 | VW Transporter | 15,425 | VW Transporter review |
| 7 | Renault Trafic | 15,799 | Renault Trafic review |
| 8 | Peugeot Partner | 12,828 | Peugeot Partner review |
| 9 | Vauxhall Combo | 12,584 | Vauxhall Combo review |
| 10 | Citroen Berlingo | 12,229 | Citroen Berlingo review |
Bestselling vans and pickups of 2023
This table shows the bestselling vans and pickup for all of 2023:
| Sales position | Model | Number sold | Parkers review link |
| 1 | Ford Transit Custom | 40,865 | Ford Transit Custom review |
| 2 | Ford Transit | 28,280 | Ford Transit review |
| 3 | Vauxhall Vivaro | 20,477 | Vauxhall Vivaro review |
| 4 | Ford Ranger | 18,679 | Ford Ranger review |
| 5 | VW Transporter | 17,487 | VW Transporter review |
| 6 | Renault Trafic | 16,041 | Renault Trafic review |
| 7 | Mercedes Sprinter | 15,799 | Mercedes Sprinter review |
| 8 | Citroen Berlingo | 14,065 | Citroen Berlingo review |
| 9 | Toyota Hilux | 10,888 | Toyota Hilux review |
| 10 | Ford Transit Connect | 10,856 | Ford Transit Connect review |
Bestselling vans and pickups of 2022
This table shows the bestselling vans and pickup for all of 2022:
| Sales position | Model | Number sold | Parkers review link |
| 1 | Ford Transit Custom | 42,215 | Ford Transit Custom review |
| 2 | Ford Transit | 33,203 | Ford Transit review |
| 3 | Mercedes Sprinter | 17,034 | Mercedes Sprinter review |
| 4 | Vauxhall Vivaro | 16,830 | Vauxhall Vivaro review |
| 5 | Ford Ranger | 16,827 | Ford Ranger review |
| 6 | VW Transporter | 15,164 | VW Transporter review |
| 7 | Ford Transit Connect | 8,218 | Ford Transit Connect review |
| 8 | Peugeot Expert | 8,131 | Peugeot Expert review |
| 9 | Renault Trafic | 8,085 | Renault Trafic review |
| 10 | VW Crafter | 7,455 | VW Crafter review |
Bestselling vans and pickups of 2021
This table shows the most popular vans and pickups for all of 2021:
| Sales position | Model | Number sold | Parkers review link |
| 1 | Ford Transit Custom | 49,671 | Ford Transit Custom review |
| 2 | Ford Transit | 31,083 | Ford Transit review |
| 3 | Mercedes Sprinter | 20,862 | Mercedes Sprinter review |
| 4 | VW Transporter | 20,033 | VW Transporter review |
| 5 | Ford Ranger | 16,376 | Ford Ranger review |
| 6 | Vauxhall Vivaro | 16,004 | Vauxhall Vivaro review |
| 7 | Citroen Berlingo | 11,109 | Citroen Berlingo review |
| 8 | Ford Transit Connect | 11,001 | Ford Transit Connect review |
| 9 | Peugeot Partner | 10,553 | Peugeot Partner review |
| 10 | Vauxhall Combo | 9,886 | Vauxhall Combo review |
Bestselling vans and pickups of 2020
The most popular vans and pickups of 2020 in a table.
| Sales position | Model | Number sold | Parkers review link |
| 1 | Ford Transit Custom | 43,551 | Ford Transit Custom review |
| 2 | Mercedes Sprinter | 23,506 | Mercedes Sprinter review |
| 3 | Ford Transit | 21,724 | Ford Transit review |
| 4 | VW Transporter | 15,856 | VW Transporter review |
| 5 | Vauxhall Vivaro | 15,530 | Vauxhall Vivaro review |
| 6 | Ford Ranger | 13,097 | Ford Ranger review |
| 7 | Citroen Berlingo | 12,159 | Citroen Berlingo review |
| 8 | Ford Transit Connect | 11,344 | Ford Transit Connect review |
| 9 | Peugeot Partner | 11,174 | Peugeot Partner review |
| 10 | Vauxhall Combo | 11,118 | Vauxhall Combo review |
Bestselling vans and pickups of 2019
This is the top 10 list of the bestselling vans (and pickups) of 2019 in total.
| Sales position | Model | Number sold | Parkers review link |
| 1 | Ford Transit Custom | 52,512 | Ford Transit Custom review |
| 2 | Ford Transit | 26,237 | Ford Transit review |
| 3 | Mercedes Sprinter | 25,862 | Mercedes Sprinter review |
| 4 | VW Transporter | 19,608 | VW Transporter review |
| 5 | Vauxhall Vivaro | 18,029 | Vauxhall Vivaro review |
| 6 | Ford Ranger | 16,459 | Ford Ranger review |
| 7 | Ford Transit Connect | 15,477 | Ford Transit Connect review |
| 8 | Peugeot Partner | 14,605 | Peugeot Partner review |
| 9 | Citroen Berlingo | 13,492 | Citroen Berlingo review |
| 10 | Vauxhall Combo | 12,944 | Vauxhall Combo review |
Bestselling vans and pickups of 2018
This is the top 10 list of the most popular vans (and pickups) in all of 2018.
| Sales position | Model | Number sold | Parkers review link |
| 1 | Ford Transit Custom | 54,806 | Ford Transit Custom review |
| 2 | Ford Transit | 32,694 | Ford Transit review |
| 3 | VW Transporter | 21,763 | VW Transporter review |
| 4 | Mercedes Sprinter | 21,278 | Mercedes Sprinter review |
| 5 | Vauxhall Vivaro | 19,232 | Vauxhall Vivaro review |
| 6 | Ford Transit Connect | 17,495 | Ford Transit Connect review |
| 7 | Ford Ranger | 16,440 | Ford Ranger review |
| 8 | Peugeot Partner | 15,056 | Peugeot Partner review |
| 9 | Citroen Berlingo | 13,428 | Citroen Berlingo review |
| 10 | Peugeot Boxer | 11,731 | Peugeot Boxer review |
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