The Vauxhall Combo is revealed to be the best van for younger drivers starting out a new career in a trade or making their first purchase, according to a new study.
Confused.com analysed 15 of the highest-rated small, medium and large vans across 10 metrics to determine which ranked best in terms of affordability and practicality, to determine which is the best model for young drivers to purchase.
These are the top 10 vans for young drivers in 2020:
| Rank | Van | Size |
| 1 | Vauxhall Combo | Small |
| 2 | Ford Transit Connect | Small |
| 3 | Peugeot Partner | Small |
| 4 | Citroen Berlingo | Small |
| 5 | Peugeot Expert | Medium |
| 6 | Toyota Proace | Medium |
| 7 | Volkswagen Caddy | Small |
| 8 | Ford Transit | Medium |
| 9 | Citroen Dispatch | Medium |
| 10 | Vauxhall Vivaro | Medium |
The Vauxhall Combo takes the crown as the best van for young drivers overall, due to being the most affordable – a key consideration for younger drivers when investing in their first van. This is followed very closely by the Ford Transit Connect – a smaller version of the trusty Ford Transit van.
Both vans scored highly due to the low annual running costs and an affordable price tag. For drivers looking for a small run-around van that is cheap to run, and are less reliant on space, these could be the perfect solution.
Meanwhile, those looking for a little more space may opt for the Peugeot Expert, which ranked the highest of the medium vans. Of all medium-sized vans, the Peugeot Expert has the lowest annual fuel cost by over £100, at just £788. The Ford Transit is the second cheapest for fuel at £906.28. The Peugeot Expert also sits at a reasonable initial cost of £23,820, which is over £3,000 less than the Ford Transit at £27,106.
Within the top 10 list, Vauxhall, Citroen and Peugeot are the most featured car manufacturers, with Peugeot holding two of its vans in the top five.
According to the research, the Vauxhall Combo ranked top for affordability. Van drivers opting for this model can expect to pay £2,041 in total, on average. This is just 10% of an average apprentice salary. It’s also the most efficient van when it comes to fuel consumption, costing just £56 to fill up the 50L tank, and £620 over the course of the year.
However, those who are more concerned about the initial price tag might look to invest in the Ford Transit Connect, which costs just £16,183 to buy outright. This is more than £10,000 cheaper than Ford Transit, which will set drivers back £27,106 in initial costs.
For apprentices on a budget, the Vauxhall Combo may be the first choice, but drivers may also consider the Citroen Berlingo and Ford Transit Connect. Each of these vans cost around 10% of the average UK apprenticeship salary to run each year.
The vans that cost the most to run and that make up the highest percentage of an apprenticeship salary are the Vauxhall Movano (14%), Mercedes Sprinter (13%) and Volkswagen Crafter (12%).
