A panel van is the shape that most people would picture when asked to describe a van. Typically, it consists of a cabin with either two or three seats alongside one another, and a storage area that is accessed by doors on the rear, or often on the side.
There are three generally accepted sizes of panel van, loosely described as small, medium and large. The small models tend to have a payload of between 600 to 900kg, while the internal load length starts around 1800mm. Examples include the Citroen Berlingo, Fiat Doblo, Peugeot Partner and Ford Transit Connect, and almost all are two-seaters.
The medium sector is the point at which some vans have room for three seats across the front. However, it can be a bit cramped in the middle seat, so you’ll have drawn the short straw if you end up spending the working day stuck between your colleagues.
Payloads range from around 900kg to 1,200kg, and internal load lengths tend to start around 2,200mm. Vans in this sector include the Citroen Dispatch, Ford Transit Custom, Peugeot Expert and Vauxhall Vivaro.
Large panel vans are the biggest light commercial vehicle that most people can drive on a standard driving licence, and tend to have payloads that range from around 1,100kg to 1,500kg or so. The important thing to note is the overall gross weight – it must be below 3,500kg for drivers to be legal. Examples of this sort of van include the likes of the Citroen Relay, Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, Vauxhall Movano and Volkswagen Crafter.
As with all panel vans, the lines between the sectors are blurred by the fact that each model often offers a variety of lengths and heights, so buyers are rarely going to find that their precise needs are not catered for.
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