Our van experts explain what a car-derived van is – and which one models are the best in the UK

Written by Luke Wilkinson Updated: 4 March 2024

A car-derived van is exactly what it sounds like – a van that’s based on a regular passenger car. They’re generally built using small cars, which makes them the dinkiest type of light commercial vehicle (LCV) you can buy. This means they aren’t as practical as proper vans, but they’re usually far sharper to drive and much better equipped.

Classic examples of a car-derived van include the Ford Fiesta Van and Vauxhall Corsavan, which gives you an indication of the dimensions this class of commercial vehicle has historically favoured. There are technical legal reasons for this, alongside the obvious practical one that is, if you wanted a bigger vehicle, you’d probably just buy a proper van.

The class is changing, though. Now, there are some commercial 4x4s that also qualify as car-derived vans. They offer the same packaging benefits of a traditional car-derived van, but they provide the additional advantage of being able access job sites halfway up a mountain.

On this page, we’ll explain what a car-derived van (or CDV) is and we’ll walk you through their associated tax regulations and legal conventions. We’ll also provide a list of the best car-derived vans on the market right now, which includes links to our detailed reviews of each CDV mentioned. Scroll down to learn more.

What is a car-derived van?

The Department for Transport (DfT) wryly states that ‘very few vans will meet the criteria for a car-derived van’ – and those that do will be ‘similar’ to the Ford Fiesta Van. That’s to say, a small car with its rear seats removed and a load platform installed in their place. The rear side windows should also be covered or replaced entirely by solid panels so you can’t see through them.

These changes must be made to an extent that they can’t be reversed. So, the rear seats must be removed and destroyed, and the rear seat belt mountings must be disabled. This is to stop drivers from taking advantage of lower commercial vehicle tax rates and then retrofitting a set of seats and belts to get a cheap passenger vehicle.

The official legal definition is laid out in the 1984 Road Traffic Regulations Act. It says a ‘car-derived van’ means ‘a goods vehicle that is adapted as a derivative of a passenger vehicle and which has a maximum laden weight not exceeding two tonnes.’

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That latter part about the maximum laden weight is the reason car-derived vans are usually based on small cars. It’s also an example of government regulations being unnecessarily confusing because maximum laden weight means the same as gross vehicle weight (GVW), maximum authorised mass (MAM) and permissible maximum weight.

In simple terms, to qualify as a car-derived van, the vehicle must be based on a passenger car, but the total weight of the vehicle and everything on board – people and equipment included – can’t be legally higher than two tonnes (2,000kg).

If you’re unsure whether the vehicle you’re considering buying is a proper car derived van, check the ‘body type’ field on its V5C registration document. If it says ‘CDV,’ then it’s a car-derived van. If it says anything else, then it isn’t.

Are car-derived vans any good?

That depends on what job you need the vehicle to do. Naturally, given their size and weight limitations, they’re less practical than other types of van – even small ones.

However, because they’re based on cars they look smarter than most other vans. The dearly departed Fiesta Sport Van is particularly attractive. Plus, CDVs typically have higher levels of standard equipment and offer a more comfortable driving experience.

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They drive exactly like their passenger-carrying counterparts, too. That makes them more approachable for those who haven’t driven a large commercial vehicle but who need a vehicle that’s more adept at carrying things than a car with its seats folded flat.

For drivers who don’t need to carry much, they have plenty of appeal. They’re also cheap to run, thanks to their lightweight construction and van tax rates.

What’s the best car-derived van?

If you want to buy new, you don’t have a lot of choice. Currently, there are just three on sale – the Toyota Corolla Commercial, the Dacia Duster Commercial and the Suzuki Jimny. The van versions of the Land Rover Defender, Discovery and Toyota Land Cruiser might look like their car equivalents, but their weight classifies them as commercial 4x4s.

Until autumn 2022, there were two other very notable options for buyers in the form of the Ford Fiesta Van and the Renault Zoe, but they’ve both since been axed. You can find out how the two cars compare in our Fiesta Van versus Zoe Van twin-test. The main takeaway is that the Fiesta is powered by conventional engines, while the Zoe is pure-electric.

Fret not, though, because there are plenty of car-derived kicking around the used market. Scroll down to check out our list of all the new CDVs on sale, plus a couple of our favourites from the classifieds.

Where can I get a cheap car-derived van?

Perhaps one of the most surprising things about car-derived vans is that they aren’t actually that cheap. Despite having smaller load areas, they often cost more than entry-level versions of proper vans from the same manufacturer.

If you want a cheap car-derived van, the best thing to do is look for a second-hand one – where you’ll also find there’s a much greater choice of models. Not only will you find examples of the Vauxhall Corsavan, but also the Renault Clio Van, the Mini Clubvan, two older generations of Fiesta Van and the slightly larger Vauxhall Astravan. You can read reviews of them all on Parkers, too.

Another way to cut costs might be to look at leasing rather than buying outright.

Car-derived van FAQs

Is there an official list of car-derived vans?

HMRC publishes an official list of car-derived vans (and combi vans – which is a whole other can of worms), but it was last updated in 2015. So it is massively out of date.

Given this, we thought we’d ask Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs if it had any plans to update the list. This is the statement we got in reply:

‘The 2015 guidance is the most recent version of the list. We are currently working with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) to ensure we have the most current information, and we will then update the published list.’

We were given no timescale for when this might happen. Another six years, perhaps?

Is a commercial 4x4 a car-derived van?

You’ll see some lists of car-derived vans that include commercial 4x4s other than the Dacia Duster mentioned above – and while it’s true that these are also based on passenger vehicles, they do not technically come under the legal definition of a car-derived van or CDV. Aside from the Duster and the Jimny, they don’t meet the 2-tonne maximum laden weight rule (they’re heavier).

Is the Citroen Berlingo a car-derived van?

The Citroen Berlingo comes as both a passenger carrying MPV and a van, but the current version doesn’t meet the definition of a car-derived van.

Just to be confusing, it’s possible that some – but not all – older versions do meet the definition. However, we contacted Citroen UK for clarity, and the current head of product does not believe they were ever classed as anything but vans.

Similar questions people ask include ‘Is the Volkswagen Caddy a car-dervied van?’ and ‘Is the Ford Transit Courier a car-derived van?’ Again, although there are passenger versions of these models, the vans are not technically car-derived.

If you want to be sure, you can check the ‘body type’ section of the V5C registration document.

Is CDV a legal term?

CDV is the official acronym for car-derived van, and is what you’ll see on the V5C registration document under ‘body type’ if the vehicle is officially and legally a car-derived van.

This is important, because if it says any other type of van here you will be subject to different speed limits. As we shall now explain.

What’s the speed limit for a car-derived van?

One of the most important distinction between car-derived vans and other types of vans is that CDVs are legally allowed to travel at the same speeds as regular passenger cars on all roads.

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You can read more about this subject on our dedicated van speed limits page, but other types of van are legally restricted to 10mph less than cars on national limit roads and dual carriageways (though can travel at 70mph on motorways).

How much does it cost to tax a car-derived van?

Car-derived vans are subject to the same fixed-rate tax levels as any other light commercial vehicle, which means there’s no tax advantage to opting for one over a larger, proper van. However, that doesn’t mean all car-derived vans cost the same to tax.

Some older models will fall into different tax brackets due to their age or emissions levels – you can read details of this in our van tax guide – while the Renault Zoe Van will be cheaper than other CDVs because it’s powered by an electric motor. But this is the same for all electric vans versus petrol and diesel vans.