One thing that nags at me in regard to the Transit is all the issues that plagued them in the late 90's.

There is also pedestrian safety factored into the score, and child restraint safety. Tends to get repeat buyers because of it.I noticed in your review you mentioned that the iLoad is only available with lift up rear doors, unless Hyundai has removed it you can get it with barn doors.Do you know why Toyota decided to remove the middle seat out of the Hiace? The aforementioned heated seat, keyless entry system and climate control are optional on the Trafic, but join standard navigation and Bluetooth connectivity.We found the telephony system tricky to interact with in the Trafic, though standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto helps. The engine is mated to a nicely responsive six-speed automatic that shifts smoothly up or down the ratios and generally gets its job done without fuss or fanfare.A glance at the scales reveals a clue to Toyota's powertrain choice, as the Japanese van tips the scales at a sumo-like 2288kg, some 479kg heavier than the svelte Renault Trafic, and 246kg heavier than the next most portly, the Hyundai iLoad.That said, the Toyota doesn't feel over-burdened and the engine and gearbox do a solid job of masking its extra kilos. Our judges felt the HiAce's oddment storage lacked innovation, boasting few of the cubbies and storage bins of its rivals. The load also showed up inconsistencies in the Renault’s steering, which required constant correction at speed and made for a more tiring drive.While there are no double-clutch gearboxes to worry about here, the common-rail diesel technology employed by all four engines hasn’t always been without dramas and serviceability problems. There’s no modern crash-avoidance technology, like automated emergency braking or blind-spot monitoring, and it only scored a four-star ANCAP crash-test rating when it was tested back in 2011.The Kangoo is covered by a three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is shorter than the five-year period offered on Renault’s passenger cars. I have owned two Hiace vans, the current one for the past 4 years from new. There's so much better out there now.That's what annoys me most! For width, there’s a sizeable 291mm gap between the broad Transit (1986mm) and the narrow HiAce (1695mm). Despite its low outputs its fuel use isn’t stellar at 7.7L/100km.The rear-drive Merc’s six-speed manual gearbox was the opposite of the Scudo – its shifts were tight and unforgiving, with short gearing and a clunky clutch pedal.Vans need to be comfortable and easy to drive and park.

What noise there is in the cabin isn't uncouth or unrefined.The driving position feels to be set a bit further back from the screen than some of its rivals, but it's a comfy setup with good seats and a typically sensible Toyota approach to dash layout and design, with everything logically laid out and falling readily to hand.Like the Hyundai, the Volkswagen Transporter is competitive in all key areas against its rivals but is beginning to show its age.The only van here fitted with a dual-clutch transmission, and the only seven-speed on test, the transmission sets the tone for the drive experience as it proved overly fussy, shifting up and down the ratios far more regularly and noticeably than the torque-converter autos.The VW's 2.0-litre turbo-diesel is decently responsive and the transmission features a sports mode which sharpens throttle response and shift speed for when you want to hustle a bit harder to that next job.The engine offers competitive power and torque outputs but fuel consumption at 7.7L/100km is second highest on test, after the relatively thirsty Toyota.The driving position isn't as comfortable as the Renault and Ford, however, with the driver sitting in more of an up-and-over stance at the wheel. How come a tall Hiace is allowed to be sold ?We have three 6 year old transporters in our fleet all 200K+ and still going strong.And still nicer to drive than most the Toyota passenger cars in our fleetThousands (probably hundreds of thousands) of Transits running around the UK (buggar all Hi-Aces), many of them with astronomical mileages and many 10+ years old.The HiAce hasn't been sold anywhere in Europe for years, because cab forward LCV designs are inherently unable to meet Euro crash standards. The tradies require a reliable work horse to get job done and the most reliable work horse in this segment is hiace the sales of both new and second hand market indicate just that. Easily brainwashed and love to follow the crowd.Yeah you are right, but remember the Hiace has been very popular with electrical and plumbing trades, Which means the racking systems are available off the shelf, and swap over easily come update time. Hiace does not even pass any Australian crash tests. Surely it would also be a death trap in a head on.Just realised even the long wheelbase Trafic has a shorter load area than the hiace.That's one of the main reason there so popular the toadies love the long load capacity of the van. Every new car.

There's also no standard reversing camera at this price point.The Volkswagen is, however, available with some of these features as an option. It steers faithfully and is all about refinement. For clarification, they are: Cabin Ergonomics and Safety; Pricing and Running Costs; Cabin Technology and Connectivity; Payload and Towing Provisions; and On-Road and Driveline Performance.The weighted scoring applied 20 points to each category for a possible total of 100 points.For Cabin Ergonomics and Safety the win went to the Staying up the front, but looking at Cabin Technology and Connectivity, and it was the Ford Transit Custom that topped the ladder with 16.5 points.
It’s simply more convincing in the way it despatches bumps and controls body movement. That’s where road manners come into play.There is a clear winner in terms of driving comfort and manoeuvrability, and it is the Ford.

The omission of a phone holder was likewise disappointing.If the HiAce's storage options were disappointing, then the Volkswagen Transporter's were a delight. Opt for the petrol iLoad and you’ve also got to pay for ESC, too.When it comes to official crash test safety ratings, there are two stars (pun intended) that shine brighter than the remainder – the Ford with its five-star Euro NCAP and the Mercedes with its five-star ANCAP rating.