LDV Deliver 7 vs Volkswagen Transporter

What's the difference?

Following up the electric LDV eDeliver 7 comes the diesel-powered model which may look identical from the outside but is an altogether more traditional package. 

Effectively replacing the G10 as LDV’s mid-size (2.5-3.5 tonne GVM) van, the Deliver 7 competes against segment stalwarts like the Ford Transit Custom, Hyundai Staria Load, Renault Trafic Pro, Toyota HiAce and Volkswagen Transporter. 

Unlike some of the others in that list, the Deliver 7 has its eyes firmly set on the fleet operator crowd with all the required safety equipment, plenty of payload capacity and – crucially – a cheap starting price.

The Volkswagen Transporter has a long bloodline which can be traced to 1950 when the first split-windscreen Type 2 (aka Kombi) van was launched sharing mechanical components with its equally iconic T1 ‘Beetle’ sedan sibling.

Since then, the Transporter has evolved through seven generations, with the latest being the result of a global alliance with Ford in which the automotive giants share vehicle underpinnings and other technologies. This is designed to streamline new model development and amortise costs, as demonstrated by VW’s current Amarok ute based on the Ford Ranger.

The latest Transporter shares a similar relationship with Ford’s mid-size Transit Custom range, including the full-electric e-Transporter variant based on the E-Transit Custom. We recently spent a working week aboard this electrified model to see how it measures up from a tradie’s perspective.