Best Luton vans

Vans come in all shapes and sizes, with specialist conversions being some of the most useful for specific reasons. Luton vans are the go-to choice for people looking to carry around a tonne of cargo made up of individually light and bulky items, like furniture or parcels.

A Luton van is easily recognisable due to its hard-sided, box-like cargo compartment and an obvious over-the-cab storage area. They are made by taking the cabin and chassis base of a standard large panel van and building a cargo compartment onto the back.
Some have high-set cargo areas requiring a powered tail lift to access them, while others are referred to as ‘low-loaders’ due to their low loading lip that doesn’t require a lift. Most Luton vans have a roller shutter door for easier access, but some have enormous barn doors. There are no side doors on a Luton, hence the big rear access openings. Most manufacturers of large vans make Luton versions of their light commercial vehicles, and most weigh under 3.5 tonnes meaning they can be driven on a standard full UK driving licence. The name comes from the original Luton van’s birthplace… Luton (surprisingly).

Luton vans excel at carrying a lot of individually light and bulky items that collectively weigh around a tonne. Companies that deal with home or office removals, deliveries, logistics and similar pursuits are the key users of Luton vans.

This will largely depend on what you need a van for. If you need to move smaller heavy loads then a Luton might be too big, but if you regularly shift bulky items that collectively weigh up to a tonne and take up a lot of space then a Luton is a great choice. Plus, if you need something smaller to negotiate town or country roads, smaller vans are definitely worth considering.

Here are some of the best examples of Luton vans currently available in the UK.

The premium choice is definitely the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Luton, with its effortless style and proven practicality. The cavernous Luton box can carry payloads of up to 1000 kg and its tail lift manages items of up to 500 kg. It has a 2.0-litre diesel engine under the bonnet, not that you’d know it because the noise levels in the tastefully modern cabin are minimal. There are few workhorse load carriers that can pull off shiny piano black plastic interiors!
Take a look at the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Luton vans on the Autotrader marketplace by clicking here.

The iconic Ford Transit… so good it named an entire van category at one point… is available as a Luton conversion with a one-tonne payload and a load volume over 20 cubic metres. Thanks to its powerful 2.0-litre diesel engine, it can carry payloads of over 1000 kg without breaking a sweat and the cavernous load space will swallow most big items with ease. Access at the back is through a roller shutter and most come fitted with tail lifts.
Take a look at the Ford Transit Luton vans on the Autotrader marketplace by clicking here.

The Citroen Relay, alongside some of the other Stellantis large vans such as the Fiat Ducato, has been converted into a Luton and low-loader. Payloads circle 1000 kg with load volumes of over 20 cubic metres. It’s built on an aging shared platform, but modern touches in the cabin and the powerful diesel engine keep this line of vans very popular with a variety of businesses.
Take a look at the Citroen Relay Luton vans on the Autotrader marketplace by clicking here.

Volkswagen’s Crafter large van is a perfect platform for conversion to a Luton van. 1000 kg payloads? No problem! A tail lift capable of carrying loads of up to 500 kg? Of course! And we haven’t even mentioned the powerful diesel engine that does all the hard work. Being a Volkswagen also means the cabin has that quality touch with comfortable seats and connectivity.
Take a look at the Volkswagen Crafter Luton vans on the Autotrader marketplace by clicking here.

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