Vans come in all shapes and sizes, doing every job imaginable, from delivering food and parcels to helping build houses.

Without them, it’s fair to say we would be pretty stuck, but what are the best vans?

We’ve pulled together a list of the top 10 you can buy at the moment. It’s not scientific, but from big to small we’ve considered every option on sale (there are almost 100...) and these are our top recommendations. 

10. Ford Transit 

A surprise to kick us off, as we name the iconic Ford Transit as only the 10th best van on our list.

The Transit is a brilliant van that has kept this country going for years (60, to be precise), during which time it has mostly been the number one.

There are payloads of up to 1.5 tonnes for the panel vans and even more for chassis cabs, a potent 2.0-litre diesel engine and front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive options.

Then’s there’s the dizzying breadth of Transit van sizes available, making it incredibly versatile. Once upon a time, Ford claimed there were more than one million configurations, when it covered a weight range from two tonnes to five tonnes. Now flanked by a full range of Transit nameplates, though, the big flagship Transit is getting on a bit and sometimes taken for granted.

9. Volkswagen Caddy

Some would argue that the Caddy is Volkswagen's best van, but while the Golf-based platform has made it a better van to drive and live with, it has added in a lot of frustrating elements – mainly the lack of buttons inside and the adoption of tricky sliding controls.

It’s still a highly practical little van, though, with nearly 800kg of payload, load volumes of up to 4.2m3 and a choice of economical diesel or hybrid powertrains.

It looks incredibly smart, and fleets buy them in big numbers for their reliability and residual value. Who are we to argue with that?

8. Peugeot Partner

The smallest van in Stellantis's sprawling commercial range, the Partner – and its technically identical Citroën Berlingo, Vauxhall Combo, Fiat Doblò and Toyota Proace City siblings – are well known for their payload carrying abilities, with some models able to move more than a tonne, while there’s up to 4.4m3 of space inside.

The 1.5-litre diesel engine is economical and ideal for a small van, plus there are matching electric models should you want to go down the zero-emissions route.

The Partner is our favourite variant simply because we prefer its cabin and appearance, although the smart money would go with the otherwise identical Proace City, because of Toyota's more generous warranty. 

7. Vauxhall Vivaro

Another Stellantis product available in several flavours. We’re picking the Vauxhall Vivaro here, but you can also have the firm's medium van as a Citroën Dispatch, Fiat Scudo, Peugeot Expert or Toyota Proace.

We've chosen the Vivaro simply because of its British heritage as the finest thing to come out of Luton since, well… ever.

Short- and long-wheelbase options mean the Vivaro’s dimensions can give you up to 6m3 of storage, and it can move an impressive 1.4 tonnes.

Prices of all vans have gone through the roof post-Covid, but the Vivaro always seems to offer good value for money. 

6. Renault Kangoo

Renault has hit a rich seam of late with cars like the Renault 5, and it has also been turning out some great vans, like the Kangoo.

Diesel, petrol and electric options make it a crowd pleaser whatever kind of powertrain you’re after, but it’s the overall size of the van that’s really made the difference compared to its predecessor.

Significantly wider than before, it’s now more comfortable to be in, as well as more productive in the rear, with up to 4.2m3 of rear cargo space and up to a tonne of payload capacity.  

5. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

There’s no surprise the Sprinter is on our list, as this large Mercedes van is a mainstay on our roads.

As with the Ford Transit, there are hundreds of configurations of Sprinter van, including normal panel vans, chassis cabs and minibuses.

Payloads for panel vans range from more than a tonne to nearly 1.5 tonnes, and with four different-size vans to choose from, the load volume ranges from 10m3 up to 17m3.

Sprinters are hugely popular with fleets for their reliability but also the strength of Mercedes' dealers. It also helps that they hold their value incredibly well. 

4. Volkswagen Crafter

Mercedes executives might be a little irked to see the Crafter just ahead of the Sprinter on our list, but for our money, this Volkswagen is the best large van on the market, despite it getting on in years.

Why would they be annoyed? Well, Mercedes used to make the Crafter, but then, after more than €1 billion of investment, Volkswagen built its own plant and ended the relationship.

Nearly a decade on, the Crafter's dimensions make it a benchmark, with up to 18.4m3 of load volume, not to mentioned payloads of 1.5 tonnes in a 3.5-tonne van.

3. Renault Master

We said Renault has been on a roll with its vans, and the Master is the best example yet of what a purpose-built electric LCV can deliver.

Renault has sold electric vans since 2012, but its Master ZE was far from successful. The new Master E-Tech, however, changes all that, scooping up more awards than its maximum 15m3 loadspace can carry.

There’s also a diesel option, powered by a 2.3-litre engine, and a UK-specific range of bodied versions, like Luton vans, that are available direct through the dealers. 

2. Ford Transit Courier

It's in at number two, but you could argue that the Transit Courier is pound for pound the best van on the market.

An overlooked gem in the Ford range, both as an EV and an ICE van, it’s unusual in that it occupies roughly the same space as the Volkswagen Caddy-based Ford Transit Connect. 

But the Puma-based Courier does it better, with a standard version carrying 615kg or a high-payload one giving you up to 845kg. There's also nearly 3m3 of cargo space inside. 

1: Ford Transit Custom

Did you think there could be any other van on the top spot? The Transit Custom is Britain’s best-selling van by a country mile for very good reason.

There are more trim variants than on most cars, more available sizes than on any medium van competitor and a choice of hybrid and electric powertrains, as well as diesel.

“But it’s got a wet belt!” we hear you protest. Yes, it does have the troublesome Ecoblue diesel engine, but you will still (carefully) buy one, because it looks the business, drives brilliantly and can have almost any add-on or extra you care to dream of.

It will need a bit of looking after, with regular servicing, but the Transit Custom is still the obvious choice as our number-one van. 

George Barrow writes van content for Autocar, including for news and reviews. He is also the editor of van reviews website Van Reviewer and is the UK jury member for the International Van of the Year Award.