Most popular vans and pickups - the UK's bestselling vans of 2024

Want to know which are the UK’s bestselling large vans? Curious about how electric vans are selling? These were the top 10 most popular vans in the UK in April 2024, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

April is traditionally a quiet month for new vehicle registrations after the March rush sparked by the number plate change. April 2024 was no different, but registrations still grew 5.4% over the same month last year. Indeed, the total of 23,889 new vans, 4x4s and pickups that were registered made it the busiest April since 2021.

Large vans with gross vehicle weights of 2.5t to 3.5t continue their dominance of the market, accounting for 15,714 registrations – an increase of 3.3% on the same period last year.  However, small vans of under 2.0t GVW were the biggest growth area, with registrations up 41.1% year-on-year. Though only 604 vehicles in that category reached the roads.

4x4s remain the smallest sector of the market and recorded the only reduction in demand – by 17.6% – in April. Just 473 were registered, compared to 574 in April 2023.

Demand for battery electric vans practically fell off a cliff in April, down by a whopping 42.4% on the same month last year. The situation isn’t quite as dire across the year to date, though demand is still down 3.1% compared to the same period in 2023. The SMMT expects BEV vans to take a market share of 8.3% across the whole of 2024, down from the 9.4% predicted at the start of the year.

Diesel remains the most popular choice by far, making up over 90% of registrations both in April and so far in 2024.

What the industry says

SMMT chief executive, Mike Hawes, said: ‘Britain’s new van market continues to grow with the very latest, more fuel-efficient models driving down CO2 – a core mission for the sector. Manufacturers are investing billions to bring electric vehicles to market, however uptake is slowing and urgent action is needed.

‘If government is serious about delivery of its ambitious targets, it must deploy an equally bold strategy for delivering van-suitable public charge points across the UK, now the single most important step to get a greener Britain moving.’

Below, you’ll see the UK’s top 10 most popular vans in April 2024, in reverse order. You’ll also find full year data for the years 2018 to 2023, so you can see what the most popular vans and pickups were in those years.

All this is useful because it means you can see which vans make the most sense to other businesses, so they may also make the most sense for you. What’s more, it gives you an idea of the most available used vans of a particular age.

Top 10 bestselling vans and pickups April 2024

10. Peugeot Partner (829 sold)

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The Peugeot Partner is one of five near-identical vans, sharing much with equivalents from Citroen, Vauxhall, Toyota and Fiat. However, it’s the only one to have a smaller steering wheel as part of Peugeot’s signature i-Cockpit dashboard setup. This will suit some drivers better than others, but the rest of the van is otherwise as per the rest of the quintet – practical, good to drive and boasting a strong electric version.

Find a Peugeot Partner for sale near you

9. Renault Trafic (852 sold)

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The Renault Trafic has had a major update in 2022, with loads of new safety features and a new look helping to keep it fresh and maintaining its appeal. The medium-sized van has some strong contenders in its class, with the Ford Transit Custom and VW Transporter to name but two, but it has plenty in its favour.

Find a Renault Trafic for sale near you

8. Vauxhall Combo (951 sold)

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The Vauxhall Combo is a great small van. Its biggest problem is that it is almost exactly the same as the equally great and almost identical vans from Citroen, Fiat, Peugeot and Toyota. Vauxhall has lots of dealers, though. If one of those is  nearby then that could well be all the reason you need for picking a Combo over its siblings. It’s a great van so that is a good a reason as any to choose it over the closely-related alternatives.

Find a Vauxhall Combo for sale near you

7. Ford Transit Connect (1,003 sold)

The Ford Transit Connect is the first of four models from the brand in the best selling vans top 10, underlining its popularity with van and pickup buyers. The Connect will soon be replaced by a new version based on the Volkswagen Caddy, but there is still much to recommend it.

Find a Ford Transit Connect for sale near you

6. Volkswagen Transporter (1,218 sold)

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The Volkswagen Transporter’s appeal is down to the wide range of models on offer. Coupled to a strong choice of engines, this is one medium-sized van that has something for everyone. Plenty of safety systems and a respectable level of comfort help the Transporter hold its value well too. It’s no longer available to order new, though, as a new VW Transporter is on its way later in 2024. If you want one, you’ll have to buy a vehicle from stock. Going by its continued presence in the top 10 there are plenty left.

Find a Volkswagen Transporter for sale near you

5. Mercedes Sprinter (1,411 sold)

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The Mercedes Sprinter continues to set incredible standards that make it one of the best large vans you can buy. The cutting-edge on-board technology that’s now included only adds to its appeal. Popular particularly in the delivery industry, it has exceptional reliability and the Mercedes eSprinter electric van has a good driving range compared with rivals.

Find a Mercedes Sprinter for sale near you

4. Ford Ranger (1,416 sold)

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The all-new Ford Ranger has picked up where the previous version left off, as one of the UK’s most popular pickup trucks. It has moved the game on significantly from its predecessor, being excellent to drive, comfortable and well equipped inside, and offering a wide range of practicality. There are loads of versions to choose from, too, including the outrageous Ford Ranger Raptor.

Find a Ford Ranger for sale near you

3. Vauxhall Vivaro (1,661 sold)

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The latest Vauxhall Vivaro is still proudly built in Britain, even though Vauxhall is now part of the massive Stellantis group of companies. Cousin to the Citroen Dispatch, Peugeot Expert and Toyota Proace, it can carry vast amounts of payload, offers great fuel economy and is now also available in Vivaro Electric form.

Find a Vauxhall Vivaro for sale near you

2. Ford Transit Custom (1,920 sold)

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The new Ford Transit Custom only went on sale in late 2023 but it’s very much business as usual for the brand’s sales team as it takes up where the old one left off at the top of the charts. This all-new model is a notable improvement over all of its rivals and its predecessor, which made it our 2024 Parkers Commercial Vehicle of the Year.

Find a Ford Transit Custom for sale near you

1. Ford Transit (2,148 sold)

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The Ford Transit is the household name for vans in the UK. This latest version has increased payload, upgraded engines, a revised interior and even more technology. It remains easy to drive, comfortable, and there are plenty of specialist dealers around to keep you on the road. It’s also setting new standards for electric vans, with the Ford E-Transit the best out there by a country mile.

Find a Ford Transit for sale near you

Bestselling vans and pickups of 2023

This table shows the bestselling vans and pickup for all of 2023:

Bestselling vans and pickups of 2022

This table shows the bestselling vans and pickup for all of 2022:

Bestselling vans and pickups of 2021

This table shows the most popular vans and pickups for all of 2021:

Bestselling vans and pickups of 2020

The most popular vans and pickups of 2020 in a table.

Bestselling vans and pickups of 2019

This is the top 10 list of the bestselling vans (and pickups) of 2019 in total.

Bestselling vans and pickups of 2018

This is the top 10 list of the most popular vans (and pickups) in all of 2018.