Vans

The big van (3.5-tonne) segment has been stale, made up of competent but older choices. But Renault is changing this with its latest Master. Now in its fourth generation since 1980, the van stalwart lifts the entire class into the 2020s with fresh styling, a completely reengineered platform, new interior and plenty of safety tech upgrades. With lots of awards already won, it's been keenly awaited.

The Fiat Scudo has returned to Australian showrooms after a long absence but does the latest third generation of this European workhorse have the credentials to be a major player in the mid-size commercial van segment?

A new budget electric ute crusher from China is about to hit Aussie showrooms. The Foton K2 van has been approved for sale in Australia, according to a Department of Infrastructure, Transports, Regional Development, Communications, Sports and the Arts filing. It will join the increasingly busy electric van segment, and will be available in short and long wheelbase variants.It sizes up in the mid-size van category at 4900mm long for the SWB and 5200mm long for the LWB. This makes it similarly sized to the Ford E-Transit Custom priced from $77,890, before on-road costs. There is no indication yet on how the K2 will be priced, but it is likely to come in cheaper than the E-Transit Custom. A spokesperson for Foton Australia would not confirm the K2's future launch, but sales approval rarely fails to result in a vehicle launch. The K2 is powered by an electric motor set-up that produces 125kW. There are two battery choices available, which are 50kWh and 67kWh units.There is no official driving range figure for the K2, but overseas versions, known as the i7, offer 360km from the 50kWh unit, according to more generous CLTC standards. Overseas versions feature a functional cabin, with seating for three people and a small pop-out digital driver display and optional central display. There are also physical climate control buttons. Other information remains scarce at this stage, but we are likely to find out more about it later on this year. It will join the Foton Tunland ute, which recently came to Australia after a more than eight-year absence Down Under. It is unclear what could be next on the agenda for Foton, but the brand has previously offered an SUV and that is something still on the cards. “Foton’s got some pretty strong van offerings,” Inchcape Australia (Foton distributor) Managing Director Blair Read told CarsGuide late last year. “That is where our current focus is, what we've been discussing with the factory, and then maybe SUVs down the track.”

Volkswagen will launch a number of new electrified commercial vehicles in Australia later this year and in early 2027.Headlining these is the addition of an ID. Buzz Pro all-wheel drive trim, complementing the existing GTX flagship all-wheel drive trim. To date the ID. Buzz Pro has only been offered with a single, rear-mounted electric motor.There is also an all-wheel drive version of the ID.Buzz Cargo, as well as a long-wheelbase body style, coming to complement the existing rear-wheel drive trim.Both of these will form part of a model year 2027 (MY27) update for the ID.Buzz and ID.Buzz Cargo. Volkswagen hasn’t fully disclosed what else will be changing or added with this update just yet.Volkswagen is planning to launch a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the Multivan people-mover in the first quarter of 2027. It’s understood this will come with all-wheel drive.This will be complemented by an Australian launch of the Caddy PHEV.Beyond the launch of these electrified products, the next launch for Volkswagen’s commercial vehicle division is the Amarok W600, which has been fettled by Australian engineering and manufacturing firm, Walkinshaw.The German carmaker will roll out its MY26 update for the Amarok, which axes the 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine, and the addition of a new Amarok Style with the 2.3-litre turbo-petrol engine and the special edition Amarok Dark Label.Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Australia Product Manager Michael Cenci told CarsGuide the entry-level Amarok Core will pick up the updated 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine for MY26, swapping out the wet belt for a timing chain.This mirrors what the related Ford Ranger received for its MY26 update.Beyond the updated engine, the Amarok Core will also receive a 10-speed automatic transmission, replacing the six-speed automatic.At this stage it’s unclear what other changes will occur with this MY26 update for the Amarok. Volkswagen hasn’t published pricing yet.

The MY26 Renault Trafic range brings numerous upgrades with considerable appeal for tradies, but are they enough to tempt mid-size commercial van buyers away from the dominant Toyota HiAce?

Multimedia is the worst. Always freezes and blanks out. Sometimes it won’t connect to Apple CarPlay, doesn’t scan radio stations and has poor reception. The seats are really comfortable, the cargo area has a lot of space and it’s convenient with the two sliding doors.It has the power required but has a lot of issues with premature disc rotor wear (warping at 20,000km) and issues with first and second gear.It’s fuel efficiency is great and with the Eco mode you can use e10. Servicing is very expensive and a lot of things aren’t covered under warranty. The reliability is very poor. It has rust within three years, a lot of mechanical issues and electrical faults.

After two different mechanics and hours of work, a carby kit and a new distributor, our 1987 Toyota HiAce still has limited power and really struggles to accelerate and get up hills. Is it in limp-home mode or is there some other issue?

My 2024 LDV Deliver 9’s lights and gauges have no power on the dashboard. Everything else is fine. How do I fix it?

Australia is about to get a new budget electric van early, with pricing and specifications for the LDV eDeliver 5 just revealed. The mid-size van will start with an introductory drive-away deal for ABN buyers from $47,990 for the short-wheel base variant, making it the cheapest electric van on sale from LDV.It will be available until 31 July 2026 while stocks last.ABN pricing for the long-wheel base will start from $52,990 (drive-away), while the high roof will be an extra $2000. It offers a competitive deal compared to other electric rivals in the segment such as the ID. Buzz Cargo.This pricing also comes in cheaper than some of the eDeliver 5’s diesel rivals like the Ford Transit Custom and the Toyota HiAce.It is powered by a single electric motor, producing 120kW and 240Nm, with its 64kWh battery offering a driving range of up to 335km (WLTP), depending on the variant. DC charging from 20 to 80 per cent takes 36 minutes, with the van also supporting vehicle-to-load capacity up to 6.6kW, enabling the charging and powering of tools. It has a payload of up to 1265kg, as well as dual sliding side doors and rear barn doors. Cargo volume can be as much as 8.7m³ for the high roof long-wheel base.The car’s interior has a 12.3-inch central touchscreen and 7.0-inch digital driver display, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. LDV Australia said stock for the van will be initially limited due to the expedited launch of the van, but deliveries are still expected to get under way from July 2026. The brand said it brought forward plans to release the eDeliver 5 in Australia because high fuel prices were driving demand for electric alternatives.Expressions of interesting on the van are up and running from today.2027 LDV eDeliver 5 pricing Australia2027 LDV eDeliver 5 electric motor and efficiency2027 LDV eDeliver 5 standard features include12.3-inch central touchscreen7.0-inch digital driver displayApple CarPlay and Android AutoTwin sliding doorsRear barn doors2027 LDV eDeliver 5 safety LDV Australia has been contacted to find out the safety features available on the eDeliver 5.2027 LDV eDeliver 5 dimensions Cargo capacitiesSWB low roof: 6.6m³LWB low roof: 7.5m³LWB high roof: 8.7m³2027 LDV eDeliver 5 warrantyThe eDeliver 5 comes with a five-year/160,000-kilometre manufacturers warranty and an eight-year/250,000-kilometre battery warranty. 

If you spend any time on the road you’ll see plenty of utes being used for work – but you also see just as many, if not more, vans being used as the conveyance of choice for couriers, tradies and the like.So which is actually better as a work vehicle: a ute or a van? It’s an age-old debate likely to generate more than a few raised voices.I’m ute-biased because I own a ute and use it for my other job(s), but I know plenty of people who are quite happy with their van.So, let’s tackle this touchy subject, shall we?Is the popularity of utes simply a result of hype? Are ute owners actually using entirely the wrong vehicle for work? Not at all.Vans and utes are close in terms of engine and transmission, power and torque outputs, the efficacy of driver-assist technology and even day-to-day useability.But the load space area – the business end of any work vehicle – is where the major difference lies.A ute’s tub or tray, as standard, is not closed-in so the extent of your packing is not limited by your vehicle’s roof-line as it is in a van. You can load beyond the top edge of a ute’s tub, and tall or awkwardly shaped loads aren’t a problem so long as they are safely secured.A ute also offers superior and more flexible load-carrying capabilities than a van.However, if a ute has no cover on its tub/tray, security from thieves and protection from the elements remain a serious issue. The good news is that there are OEM or aftermarket tub coverings available (hard or soft tonneau covers, roller shutters, aluminium lids etc) for utes, so that’s a potentially easily resolved issue.Or you can purchase an aftermarket canopy to be fixed to your ute tub, and some of those options are lockable. The problems is a canopy is not an engineered-at-vehicle-origin solution, so while it offers much better security, water- and dust-proofing than having no cover at all, it’s no match for a van’s factory built-in load space.And, besides, installing a cover on a ute’s tub – whether it’s a tonneau, roller shutter, canopy, or a bit of tarp over the top – defeats the purpose of owning an open-topped ute, because by doing so you’re robbing the ute tub of its load-carrying versatility.On the others side of the fence, vans have plenty of positives in their favour, even as standard.Take, for instance, the Ford Transit Custom Trail which I recently road-tested. Firstly, focusing on the cabin, the Trail can be optioned as a two-seater with hard-wearing plastic everywhere – ready for the messiness of work and life – as well as charge points (USB-A and -C) and storage (including a van-favourite dash-top slot for logbooks etc, outboard moulded cupholders and a nifty pop-out cupholder).Secondly, the load space includes access via a barn door at the rear and the Trail can be optioned up to have a sliding door on both sides.The cargo area is substantial – 3002mm long (to the bulkhead; 3450mm long if load-through hatch is used), 1392mm wide (between wheel arches) and 1425mm high (floor to roof). Easily big enough for work equipment or recreational gear. It can cope with four Euro pallets (1200mm x 800mm each) and it has a listed maximum load volume (with the bulkhead) of 6.8 cubic metres.Load height through the rear barn doors is 531-585mm, depending on how much weight (driver, passenger etc) is already onboard.The load space has a metal bulkhead (with window and load-through hatch), load area protection kit (full height walls and moulded floor), LED lights and eight tie-down loops.It has plenty of potential as a work and/or recreational vehicle with ample scope for modifications inside and out.Back to vans and utes in general, payloads in vans can range upwards of 1000kg, while payloads in utes (e.g. a single-cab) can be upwards of about 1000kg. (US pick-ups can manage more – with listed payloads of 1759kg and up – but in this yarn we’re focussing on mainstream utes.)But a van’s rear load space could be considered a distinct advantage – or at least a major point of difference – over a ute.A van can be big, for example the cargo space in a 2021 long-wheelbase Mercedes-Benz Vito 116 is 3061mm long, 1709mm wide, and 1391mm high; with 1265mm between the rear wheel-arches, so a 1165mm standard Australian pallet will slot in, no worries. Official cargo volume in the Vito is 6.6 square metres.Vans are built to carry loads and as such there is plenty of space in the rear, and amenities back there include tie-down points (with which to secure your load), lighting systems (halogen or LED), wood panelling on the interior walls and rear door, rubber or vinyl matting, or other grippy protective surface on the floor of the cargo area, and even power points.The load spaces in vans are ripe for customisation: maybe shelves for a tradie, or bedding and extra storage for an adventurous person or couple.And the rear load space may provide open access to the driver and front passengers(s), or it may be separated from the cabin of the van by a bulkhead with a built-in cargo barrier.Access to that fully secure load space may be via sliding doors on either side of the van or by using the rear door, which might be 180°-opening rear twin barn doors (with window), or a single lift-up tailgate, and either of those can be fully locked open so, importantly, a forklift can be used to place a heavier load in the cargo area.So while there’s no problem with permitted access, the load space is fully lockable, so theoretically secure, and the contents may be concealed.The cabins of utes and vans are similar in that they can be set up as mobile offices, with an immediate ease of use and comfort as priorities: think cloth seats, durable plastic surfaces and storage spaces aplenty including a lockable glovebox, dash-top slots (for log books, general paperwork etc) as well as door pockets and bottle-holder, a cup-holder at each end of the dash, and a centre console bin.But each type of vehicle has its own particular advantages, as well as exhibiting characteristics that may count against it when it comes to their potential as work vehicles.As mentioned, I’m well and truly in the ute camp but I know lots of people who wouldn’t swap their van for a ute as a work vehicle.To each their own… but to me utes still have the edge.