When you’re looking for a new van or truck for business use it’s not just the make, model and trim level you need to choose. You also need to know how you’re going to pay for it and to find a great, cheap deal. Here we've compiled the best deals on new vans and pick-ups on sale right now to help you and your business get ahead.
Of course manufacturers offer vans for sale outright, but if cash-flow demands you’d be better off investing the upfront cost of your company vehicle elsewhere in the business, there are plenty of options. Hire purchase (also known as lease purchase), contract hire and finance lease deals can all be tempting options.
With a typically small deposit or first installment, business users can get the truck or van of their choice on the road for a surprisingly small monthly cost. With many deals offering the flexibility to include maintenance and servicing for your period of ownership, it’s a great way to maximize cash flow and minimise hassle.
It might sound complicated but we’ve done the legwork for you and uncovered a range of eye-catching deals on a range of new vans and trucks on sale today. These are all manufacturer advertised rates, but we reckon it’s always worthwhile trying to chip a little more off to clinch the deal – so treat these numbers as the starting point for your negotiations!
Prices and figures quoted are excluding VAT (except where stated), because it will typically be reclaimable for business users.
Best van and pick-up deals 2016
Mitsubishi L200
The recently renewed Mitsubishi L200 has been king of the tough 4x4 pick-up truck segment for years, although the even-newer Nissan Navara is definitely capable of giving the L200 a run for its money.
Still, the new L200 is an able workhorse with its new and efficient 2.4Di D engine, and in popular Titan spec can be yours in Double Cab mode for just under £200 per month via Mitsubishi’s own contract hire deal – as long as you’ve got twelve months payment to put down up front.
Contract hire
Cash price: £20,749
Initial payment: £2,388
35 monthly installments: £199
• Best pick-up trucks to buy now
Nissan NP300 Navara Tekna
The new Nissan Navara is the smoothest drive around in the 4x4 pick-up segment, thanks to a fancy multi-link rear suspension that still retains all the off-road capability owners have come to expect.
It’s not quite SUV-smooth to drive on the road, but it’s close, and that quality means the Navara appeals strongly to business users who want the tough style and practicality of a pick-up as an everyday vehicle. Chances are if you want to use a pick-up every day, you’ll be wanting all the toys – which is where the heavily-specced Navara Tekna automatic joins the party. Touchscreen infotainment, leather upholstery and electric everything can be yours for £293 per month with Nissan’s contract hire deal.
Contract Hire
Cash price £25,429
Initial payment: £1,758
24 monthly payments: £293
Volkswagen Amarok
The appeal of the Volkswagen Amarok isn’t just down to the reputation of the badge on its nose, as the vehicle also provides one of the most car-like drives in the segment.
It may only have a 2.0-litre engine, but the Amarok doesn’t lack for power or efficiency, and the well-appointed cabin gives it lots of user-chooser appeal.
The 2.0 TDi Trendline is a popular spec, thanks to its cruise control, six-speaker stereo, climate control, leather steering wheel, and 17-inch alloys. It’s not the cheapest pick-up on the block, but VW can put you behind the wheel for £239 a month on their in-house contract hire deal.
Contract Hire
Cash price: £26,278
Initial payment: £1,434
36 monthly payments: £239
Isuzu D-Max Fury
Most 4x4 pick-up manufacturers do a stand-out trim for owners who like some show with their go, but the Isuzu D-Max Fury is definitely not for shrinking violets.
It’s a special edition inspired by an Isuzu D-Max off-road rally truck, and features Magma Red paint with Cosmic Black highlights, and for an extra £1,325 you can have an eye-catching red and black leather interior.
You get all the regular D-Max features too, like a 3.5 tonne towing capacity and five year warranty. It’s attractively priced too at £19,999 if you’re paying cash, but you can get a two-year contract hire deal at £194 per month.
Contract hire
Cash price: £19,999
Initial payment: £1,162
23 monthly payments: £194
Ford Transit
With a multitude of different models – incredibly Ford lists 450 variants – from panel vans to minibuses, a trio of fuel-efficient and torquey diesel engines, and improved driving dynamics, the latest Ford Transit is an impressive proposition.
Load volumes are up by 10 per cent for panel vans, and the driver’s environment is excellent too.
It all means the Transit is right at the top of our best panel van top 10, but if that’s not enough to make you want one Ford has some tempting low interest rate offers, like this 0.9% APR and £2,700 manufacturer contribution on a four year balloon payment deal for the Transit 350 Trend L3 H2 2.2 TDCi 125PS RWD model.
Finance purchase with balloon payment
Cash price (with £2,250 saving): £31,895 (Inc VAT)
Customer deposit: £7,507
48 monthly payments: £399
Final payment £5,742
Volkswagen Transporter
The new Volkswagen Transporter features an upgraded engine range, plus significant in-cab enhancements to make sure it retains its place in the sales charts.
As well as the company’s renowned build quality, the latest model offers Euro 6 diesel engine options (which will be standard by the end of the year as per regulations), and a raft of new safety kit such as Active Cruise Control, Lane Change Assist and Post-Collision Braking. With Caravelle and Shuttle minibus options, and optional four-wheel-drive the Transporter still plays to its enduring strengths – a fact which helped it clinch the 2016 International Van of the Year Award 2016. You can drive away in a T26 SWB 2.0 TDI Startline 84PS for £219 per month with a Volkswagen finance purchase, including a £500 VW contribution to your down payment.
Finance purchase with balloon payment
Cash price: £22,276
Volkswagen contribution: £500
Customer first payment: £583
36 monthly payments: £219
Final payment: £9,717
Vauxhall Vivaro
Vauxhall’s popular sister van to the Renault Trafic is built in Luton, but there are plenty of practical reasons to buy it even if you’re not going to vote for Brexit.
Behind the new looks the Vauxhall Vivaro's carrying capacity has been enhanced across the range, it’s very comfortable on those long-haul motorway trips, and there’s an excellent line-up of turbodiesel engines that offer terrific economy and efficiency.
Best of the bunch is the 118bhp (120PS) 1.6 CDTi BiTurbo which, with ecoFLEX stop-start, can return up to 47.9mpg on the official government combined test cycle.
If you want to buy one, Vauxhall’s 4x4x4x4 deal should appeal, with 4 years’ zero per cent APR credit, 4 years’ free servicing, 4 years’ warranty and 4 years’ breakdown cover thrown in. But leasing looks attractive too, at just £198 per month for the Vivaro L1 H1 Sportive 27000 1.6 CDTi ecoFLEX.
Contract hire
Cash price: £19,353
Initial payment: £2,376
23 monthly payments: £198
Mercedes Sprinter
For customer facing businesses in particular, the prestige of a Mercedes badge on the grille of your van can make a subtle but appreciable difference to your public image.
But in spite of its popularity and impeccable credentials, the Sprinter is coming to the end of its life and we’re expecting a new version to be unveiled towards the end of 2016. Which is good news if you want to buy a Sprinter now, as you can drive away in a 213 CDi SWB for £249 a month on Merc’s Agility balloon-payment lease deal – thanks to a hefty £3,400 deposit contribution from the manufacturer.
Finance purchase with balloon payment
Cash price: £26,091
Customer deposit: £6,951
Mercedes deposit contribution: £3,400
48 monthly payments: £249
Optional final payment: £6,500
Citroen Berlingo
The Citroen Berlingo feels as though it’s been around for donkey’s years, but a refresh in 2015 gave it a worthwhile new lease of life.
Sure, there are newer competitors around that are more pleasant to drive, but you can’t argue with prices for the panel van that start at just £10,226. Euro 6 BlueHDI engines are also offered on the Berlingo spec sheet, giving up to 68.9mpg and 109g/km of CO2, along with a six-speed clutchless gearbox, and a 7-inch colour touchscreen option.
Granted, you won't get all that on the Berlingo Panel Van HDI manual L1 in Enterprise spec, but at least you do get parking sensors. And for £134 per month on a Citroen contract hire deal, it’s almost as cheap as chips.
Contract hire
Cash price: £12,665
Initial payment: £804
36 monthly payments: £134
Nissan e-NV200
If you’ve got a fixed local delivery round that guarantees freedom from so-called range anxiety, it could cost you less than you think to run an eco-friendly electric van.
The Nissan e-NV200 is the largest currently on sale, and with its 106 mile range and 4.2 cubic metre load space that will take a couple of Europallets it’s potentially a highly practical option too.
Nissan is currently offering £2,500 off the retail price to lease purchase customers, and 4 years zero per cent APR on the e-NV200. So if you’ve got somewhere to plug it in, you could be making those deliveries with a clean social conscience from just £211 per month with the Acenta 109 PS model.
Finance purchase
Cash price: £21,127
Nissan deposit contribution: £2,500
Customer deposit: £4,275
48 monthly payments: £211
Now check out our round-up of the best car deals on today's market...