Medium van leasing

The load, the doorway and the parking space

A van can have enough load volume and still fail the practical test. A rigid cabinet may not pass through its side door; racking can narrow an otherwise usable floor; a raised tailgate may be awkward in a loading bay. Measure the load in the orientation in which you move it and keep space for straps and safe access.

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If the van is mostly carrying a few tool cases, compare small vans. If the job is regularly limited by height or bulky equipment, look at large panel vans before adding more external storage. For every body type and size, start from our van leasing overview.

Medium van models to put on your shortlist

These links open model families, which may contain several body and fuel types. Use them to identify possibilities; the written quotation should name the version that meets your brief.

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Volkswagen’s Transporter technical information illustrates why version checks matter: it identifies a specific van for the published data and explains that options and accessories affect payload. Check the specification supplied with your quotation.

Make a simple working-load brief

You do not need to know a manufacturer’s trim names to start. A useful brief lists what stays in the van, what changes between jobs, and what the busiest working day looks like. If you already have a van, explain what works and what you would change.

• List your regular tools, racking, lining, ladders and any towing equipment.
• Record the largest item’s length, width and height, plus its weight and the heaviest combined load.
• State how many people travel and which doors you use when loading.
• Give annual mileage, the longest regular route, parking restrictions and your required handover date.

Where weight is close to the vehicle’s limits, confirm the loaded vehicle and axle weights rather than relying on an estimate. Leave room for the real equipment specification to change the shortlist.

Diesel, electric or plug-in hybrid?

Compare how the van will work, not just the fuel label. For an electric version, identify where it will charge while parked and whether the route allows a reliable top-up if needed. For a plug-in hybrid, include both charging and fuel in the plan. A vehicle that is rarely plugged in needs a different cost assessment from one charged daily.

Keep the same term, mileage, equipment and intended use across quotations. Include energy or fuel, maintenance, insurance and any charging installation when comparing the overall commitment. Our electric van guide helps you prepare the route and charging questions.

Make the quotation match the working vehicle

Business contract hire covers use of the agreed vehicle for a set term and mileage. Compare written quotations on the same basis, including the exact version and any equipment fitted.

• At the start: check the initial rental, subsequent rentals and payment schedule, VAT, the £295 plus VAT administration fee, and any additional charges.
• During the agreement: confirm the treatment of delivery and road tax, warranty start date, servicing, tyres, maintenance and insurance. Do not assume optional packages are included.
• When the contract ends: contract hire normally means returning the vehicle, without an option to own it. Ask for the mileage charge, return-condition standard, equipment-removal requirements and any collection or end-of-contract charges. Early termination can carry a charge.

The vehicle specification and the finance decision are separate checks. Applications are assessed against the chosen funder’s criteria; a listed vehicle or quotation is not an approval.

Medium vans compared on published figures

These dated manufacturer figures are reference comparisons, not confirmed specifications for every vehicle currently listed. Match the model year, body, powertrain, battery, trim, wheels and fitted equipment to the actual IVF derivative before relying on a figure. Range and charging results depend on test conditions, temperature, load and charging equipment; do not combine maxima from different versions.

The figures below are the manufacturers’ own published UK specifications, checked on 6 September 2026 and listed with their sources at the end of this section. Figures vary by version, equipment and model year, and some manufacturers publish different numbers on different pages, which is noted where it applies. Confirm the exact vehicle on the written quotation before relying on any of them.

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Check the plated weight and the driver

Add racking, lining, the team and fuel on the stated weight basis before deciding what payload remains. Check usable load length and the height of every access point.

GOV.UK guidance for Great Britain allows a standard car licence to cover vans up to 3,500kg and zero-emission electric or hydrogen vans up to 4,250kg. Check the individual driver’s entitlement, restrictions and any trailer. Northern Ireland and overseas use need the applicable local rules. See the driving-a-van guidance.

Driver entitlement is separate from operator licensing. Goods vehicles over 3,500kg gross plated weight normally require a goods vehicle operator-licence assessment, subject to exemptions. Trailer combinations and international work can have different thresholds. Confirm the requirements for the vehicle and journeys before committing. Check operator licensing.

Tax, VAT and road tax: check the actual vehicle

Tax and operating guidance checked 28 September 2026. Confirm the actual vehicle classification and your circumstances with a qualified accountant; a commercial label does not decide every tax. Later annual charges can change.

For 2026/27, the company van benefit is £4,170 where the van benefit charge applies; employer-provided private fuel can add a £798 taxable benefit. These are taxable benefit values, not the tax bill. Qualifying restricted private use can be exempt, and zero-emission vans have a nil van benefit charge. Later van benefit amounts must be checked for each tax year; the company car percentage path is a different system. Read the HMRC van benefit figures.

VAT recovery depends on VAT registration, taxable business use, private use and the applicable vehicle rules. Keep the VAT basis consistent across quotations and ask your accountant to confirm recovery. The tax definition of a van can differ from the vehicle’s road-traffic category, especially with crew seating or a heavier conversion.

If the actual derivative is treated as a company car, its CO2, electric range where relevant and P11D value determine the benefit. The zero-emission car percentages are 4%, 5%, 7% and 9% for 2026/27 to 2029/30 respectively; they are not the rates for a qualifying company van. Check the full company car tax path for a passenger or differently classified alternative.

For 2026/27, the standard light-goods VED class TC39, for vehicles registered from 1 March 2001 with revenue weight up to 3,500kg, has a £360 single annual payment, including zero-emission vehicles. Other classes and exemptions differ. Confirm the registered class and how road tax and future increases are handled in the quotation. Check the GOV.UK vehicle-tax table.

The Expensive Car Supplement is a car-tax rule, not an addition to the standard light-goods rate above. Where car VED rules apply, the thresholds are list price over £40,000 for non-zero-emission cars and over £50,000 for zero-emission cars, with registration-date conditions; the current supplement is £440 for five years from the second taxation. Confirm the exact tax class. A pickup being a car for benefit in kind does not by itself change its VED treatment.

The government plans electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) from April 2028 for electric and plug-in hybrid cars. Vans, buses, coaches and HGVs are outside its announced scope at introduction. Check the registered category for a passenger derivative or conversion, and recheck the final arrangements before the lease crosses that date. Read the government’s eVED scope.

Questions before you choose

Describe the job. Build a useful shortlist.

Tell us what stays on board, the awkward load and where the van needs to fit. We can work through the specification and prepare written options for you.