Ford has emerged as a multiple winner in the first Parkers Van and Pickup Awards. The UK’s biggest-selling commercial vehicle brand was a clear winner, not only taking Commercial Vehicle of The Year with the all-new Transit Custom, but also winning Best Medium Van while the Best Electric Van award goes to the E-Transit. Adding to Ford’s bulging trophy cabinet, the Ranger wins the Best Pickup prize.
Britain’s van and pickup market is flourishing with 10 consecutive months of growth and the annual sales forecast by trade body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) increasing to 332,000 registrations. Unlike the Parkers New Car Awards 2024, the Parkers Van and Pickup Awards 2024 continues with a separate electric van category, owing to the continued dominance of diesel in this market as van makers continue to catch up.
The best van on sale in the UK in 2024 is the all-new Ford Transit Custom. Not only has it claimed the outright Commercial Vehicle of The Year award, but it has also been victorious in the Best Medium Van category. It would be a shock if the successor to a multi-award-winning van wasn’t good, but the Transit Custom’s innovations are genuinely clever and make it stand out from rivals in the market.
Tom Webster, Deputy Head of the Digital Automotive Hub and Vans Editor, said: ‘This year’s Custom is all-new but does so much more than continue where its predecessor left off. It’s packed with tech, with so many driver assistance systems and such an excellent base offering of interior equipment that nothing else matches it. In short, the best got better.’
In the large van category, last year’s winner – the Ford Transit – makes it two in a row. It wins not for its excellent load capacity, but for its car-like driving experience, comfort and all-round usability. Top that off with brilliant in-car tech, a wide model range, and it really is the best large van you can buy.
Tom Webster added: ‘The Transit is well equipped, has front-, rear- and four-wheel drive options, is supported by a comprehensive dealer network and the ever-expanding Ford Pro proposition, and it is excellent to drive. It is the consummate all-rounder that justifies its position as the nation’s most famous name in commercial vehicles.’
On the Best Pickup award, Tom said: ‘The Ford Ranger is fantastic to drive, has a brilliant interior and has more space than its predecessor, making it more versatile for those who want to transport people just as much as they want to carry a heavy pile in the loading bay. It moves the game on and cements its place as the best pickup on sale today.’
It wasn’t a clean sweep for Ford, though. For Best Small Van, the Toyota Proace City was a clear-cut winner. It’s almost identical to the class-leading Citroen Berlingo, Fiat Doblo, Peugeot Partner and Vauxhall Combo, but noses ahead thanks to the added security of its 10-year warranty and industry-leading dealer network.
‘This is the sort of thing that could make a real-world difference to how much your van costs to run during its time with you and is a compelling reason for our continued championing of the Proace City,’ Tom added.
Parkers Editor Keith Adams said: ‘This is the first time we’ve spun out the vans and pickups from the main Parkers New Car Awards, reflecting how important commercial vehicles are. We’re also excited to have come up with such an interesting selection of winners – they’re all part of a brilliant line-up.’
The Van and Pickup Awards 2024 reflect the constantly evolving views of Britain’s commercial vehicle-buying public, with winners decided by a combination of the site’s expert reviewers’ verdicts. This process means thoroughly road testing and analysing the purchasing habits of the website’s 2.3 million monthly users.
