1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194 
LARGE VANS AND CHASSIS-CABS
Page 41
Page 42
Page 43
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Testers' choice: Vauxhall Vivaro 2.5 Highly commended: Volkswagen Transit 174 Shortlisted: Ford Transit 2.425
Mercedes-Benz Vito 109CDI
The category for large vans, which we defined as those above 2,500kg GVW, was the largest of them all this year, with at least 15 contenders. As a result, simply making the shortlist is a significant achievement.Among the trends we identified during the year were the rise of the six-seater crewcabs, which offers a new level of flexibility. and the first signs that maybe automated transmissions are finally on the verge of heir accepted by van operators.
New vans in the three-tonnish sector have arrived from both the major German brands. The new Mercedes-Benz Vito is the most radical, with its driving wheels moved from front to rear. Its fresh new styling inside and out led us to call it "the C-Class for the workers". However, longer acquaintance has left us slightly disappointed with the Vito's level of refinement.
Without a bulkhead, there's rather more road noise from the rear than is desirable, and features such as the coarser ratchet on the foot-operated parking brake mean that van drivers don't quite get the full prestige car experience. Mind you, that didn't stop 25% more Vitos taking to the road in 2004.
The onlyTransit we tested last year was Ford's first serious attempt at an automated transmission since the short-lived Autoshift.Durashift is a great improvement, but it's not yet the universal panacea for van driving. It does what it claims for round-town multi-drop work, but gear changes can be ponderous and progress a touch jerky until the driver is familiar enough to second guess Dura shift's actions.
The application of a now unique-to-Durashift 125PS (124hp) engine rating helps fill the performance gap, but with a small fuel penalty. The rest of the Transit is the competent all-rounder we've come to expect.
Separating our top pair in this section wasn't easy.The other Teutonic newcomer, the fifth-generation Volkswagen Transporter, has only been tested by CM in its extreme versions: the smallest 84hp and the 172hp monster, Europe's most powerful production van.A prodigious 400Nm of torque blesses this version with amazing performance or outstanding fuel economy.
At this level, standards are so high that we're getting down to personal tastes, and driving the latest 2.5-litre 133hp version of theVauxhallVivaro only served to reinforce our view that it is still the best all-round package on the market.The flexibility of the bigger engine enhances an already driverfriendly environment, which includes the lowest noise level we've ever seen on a van.
By a short nose, then, the Vivaro is our Testers' Choice for the second year running.