Renault Kangoo vs Volkswagen Transporter

What's the difference?

The small van segment (Under 2.5-tonne GVM) is one of the smallest in Australia’s light commercial vehicle market, as it currently caters for only three contenders, the Volkswagen Caddy Cargo, Peugeot Partner and Renault Kangoo.

Although total sales in this category are a fraction of those achieved in the mid-size (2.5-3.5-tonne GVM) van division, these compact commercials are ideal for buyers not requiring the big one-tonne payload ratings and cavernous load volumes of their larger siblings.

Petrol and diesel-powered models are typically equipped with small displacement engines offering excellent fuel efficiency, combined with cabin ergonomics and driving dynamics which are the most car-like of any LCV offering.

French manufacturer Renault released its third generation Kangoo range in Australia in 2024, comprising a mix of petrol and full-electric variants. We were recently handed the keys to one of the petrol models to see if it has what it takes to win costumers in this three-way fight.

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.