There is plenty of choice among brands and models of vans for those looking to buy versatile transport, whether for business or recreation.

At the smaller end of the segment are the passenger-car based vans, including Volkswagen Caddy, Holden Combo and Citroen Berlingo. All use a passenger vehicle chassis and feature car-like cabins.

Larger options include the Hyundai iLoad, Toyota HiAce and Mercedes-Benz Vito vans. There’s also van segment stalwart, the Ford Transit which is nearing 40 years of production.

Currently drivetrain choice includes petrol and diesel engines, and manual or automatic transmission. Economy is usually the focus with diesel-engined models claiming best figures.

Van safety has also come further into focus however there are some in the segment that only score one-star crash test rating. Many have been awarded three (out of a possible five) stars but Mercedes-Benz offers five-star rated models.

The segment’s current best-sellers include relative newcomer, the Hyundai iLoad, followed by the Toyota HiAce and VW twins, Caddy and Transporter. Prices start at $16,990 for the Suzuki APV and can top $60K for vans like the Mercedes-Benz offerings.