Top commercial vehicles for lease

For many businesses, commercial vehicles are critical for completing daily duties. In recent years, we’ve noticed a growing demand for leasing commercial vehicles for a fixed monthly cost rather than buying outright. Plus, with various methods of funding available such as finance lease and business contract hire (BCH), we can find the ideal solution to meet your requirements.

In particular, medium-sized vans prove very popular, alongside pickup trucks. However, as manufacturers introduce more models and also facelift older models, you want to ensure you're choosing the right commercial vehicle to meet your needs. Sound familiar? Well, read on to find out our picks for the best commercial vehicles for lease.

What is a commercial vehicle?

The term ‘commercial vehicle’ refers to a vehicle which is mainly used to transport products or materials rather than passengers. Typically, commercial vehicles are capable of carrying at least one tonne of cargo, making them ideal for business use. Alongside this, they are recognised for their robust and versatile designs. There are various types of commercial vehicles, such as vans (including car-derived vans), lorries, tractors and pickup trucks.

Ford Transit Custom

First introduced in 2012, this mid-sized van has fast become the best-selling van in the UK. The Transit Custom is famously known for being versatile, reliable and easy to drive. All new models of the Ford Transit Custom are front-wheel drive and meet the latest Euro 6 emissions standards.

Furthermore, the Ford Transit Custom has three bodystyle options with their own loadspace and seating configurations available. However, this Ford van has class leading loadspace with up to max. 8.3 cubic meters. This is much bigger than the max. 6.6 cubic meter load volume of the Citroen Dispatch. Also, Ford has ensured maximum protection with a super-strong bodyshell largely made using ultra-high strength steels. Other excellent features include an integrated roof rack, a cleverly designed sliding door and sockets.

In addition, this Ford commercial vehicle has a range of advanced driver assistance technologies, such as active park assist, lane-keeping assist just to mention a few. It’s clear that safety has been well thought through with the Transit Custom and this is reflected in its Gold award from independent vehicle safety authority, Euro NCAP.

For more information on this Ford van or to get a quote from GB Vehicle Leasing, check out our Ford Transit Custom lease deals.

Ford Ranger

Alternatively, are you looking at pickup trucks instead? The Ford Ranger has been around for decades, winning many awards in the pickup category. This robust Ford pickup truck is Europe’s best-selling pickup, offering excellent performance, versatility and reliability. In fact, this Ford offers everything you'd expect and want from modern-day pickups!

With a sturdy chassis construction, this versatile pickup is well suited to hard work and allows for a smooth, comfortable ride. All Ford Ranger models can tow a braked trailer of up to a very impressive 3,500kg. As for the payload, this varies depending on the cab type you opt for – regular, super or double cab. The Ford Ranger regular cab has no rear seats and features an extended 1252kg payload capacity, ideal for transporting goods and materials. Whereas both the superb cab and double cab versions have extra seating to carry more passengers but have reduced payload spaces.

As an alternative to the Toyota Hilux, this Ford pickup is ideal for carrying heavy loads or towing a big trailer. Also, the Ford Ranger offers plenty of driver assist and safety features. Key features include trailer sway control, hill-descent control, hill-start assist and stability-enhancing.

Vauxhall Vivaro

As Vauxhall's best-selling van, the Vauxhall Vivaro is easy to drive and offers economical running costs. In particular, the Vivaro panel van L1H1 offers up to 44.8mpg. First launched in 2001 and originally known as the Opel Vivaro, it has had various revamps to make it the highly recognised commercial vehicle it is today.

The Vauxhall Vivaro offers both generous payload up to 1400kg, as well as a load volume of 6.6 cubic meters. With the optional FlexCargo load-through bulkhead (panel van only), this allows an extended load length of 4 meters in L2 vans. Also, you can choose between two lengths – either L1 or L2. The latter has a bigger load area, making it the preferred option.

Looking to switch to an electric van? The Vauxhall Vivaro-e has two battery options, 50 kWh and 75 kWh. In terms of range, the 50 kWh can achieve up to 143 miles (WLTP) between charges, whereas the 75 kWh can achieve up to 205 miles. Furthermore, the Vivaro-e has a class-leading payload of up to 1226kg (50 kWh battery versions). Road ready, this van has an enhanced protective cabin design and ensures your goods are protected during transportation on all journeys.

If this sounds like your ideal van, take a look at our Vauxhall Vivaro lease deals.

Citroen Relay

Do you require a large van instead? Well, the Citroen Relay van offers large carrying capacity and excellent versatility, making it a popular solution for businesses. As an alternative to the Mercedes Sprinter, this commercial vehicle features My Citroen Assist and My Citroen Drive services so you can stay connected on your journeys.

Like the smaller Citroen Dispatch, this Citroen is available as either a diesel or electric van. The Citroen Relay has three Blue HDi diesel versions available and you can choose between the 120hp, 140hp and 165hp power options. Alternatively, as an electric van, the Citroen e-Relay is available in three lengths. Depending on the battery option you choose, it offers up to 154 miles of electric range. The Citroen e-Relay is almost identical to the Peugeot e-Boxer apart from badging and a few tweaks.

Some people may say the Citroen Relay van is a little outdated and lacks long-distance comfort compared to rivals. However, this Citroen van focuses more on being a cost-effective and practical commercial vehicle. We think it performs well due to its great engines and fuel economy.

View Our current Citroen Relay lease deals.

Ford Transit

Another worthy commercial vehicle for lease is the fantastic Ford Transit. With an extensive history in the van market, this Ford van offers excellent payload capacity, a good driving experience and versatility. In fact, the Ford Transit has a 2250kg max gross payload (Exc. Passengers). This increases to 2,457kg max. if you opt for the new 5-tonne gross vehicle mass version. With a range of body lengths and heights to choose from, this could be the ideal Ford lease van for all your business needs.

Over the years, the Ford Transit has been refined to offer better technology such as the Ford EcoGuide system which aims to help make your driving more efficient. Other key features include pre-collision assist, selectable drive mode, driver seatbelt reminder and deadlocks.

How about the Ford E-Transit van? In recent years, Ford introduced this all-electric version of their best-selling van, and it rivals the Peugeot e-Expert. Thanks to a 68 kWh battery, the Ford E-Transit delivers an electric range of up to 196 miles (WLTP). Plus, there are two height and three length variations to choose from. Like the rear-wheel-drive diesel version of the Transit, this electric van has just over 15 cubic metres (max.) of loadspace.

For more information on this large van, take a look at our Ford Transit lease deals.

Toyota Proace City

Many drivers looking for a small van will see the Proace City as a practical vehicle for both work and personal use. Despite its compact exterior, this Toyota van offers class-leading load length and generous loading volume. Plus, it has a towing capacity of up to 1.2 tonnes. Inside the Proace City, it has supportive seats to ensure you have a comfortable journey, and the Smart Cargo System can create a handy work area.

The Toyota Proace City also appeals to those looking for low running costs. There are three diesel engine options to choose from. In particular, the 1.5 Diesel 100hp has a fuel efficiency rating of 47.8 – 51.3mpg, as well as 144 – 156g/km CO2 emissions. This small van has been built for the urban environment and twin side loading doors help make accessibility easier.

If you’d prefer an electric van, the Proace City Electric is a short panel van. With a 100kW electric motor and 50 kWh battery, it can manage a range of up to 161 miles (WLTP). Also, it has a 800 kg payload and 750 kg towing capacity.

View Our current Toyota Proace City lease deals.

Citroen Dispatch

The Citroen Dispatch is a mid-sized van offering class-leading comfort and a tech-filled cabin. As an alternative to the Renault Trafic, this Citroen van is available as either a diesel or an electric van. Plus, there’s a choice of three body lengths and two wheelbases. The Citroen Dispatch was first introduced to the van market in 1996. Since then, it has been refined to look smarter than ever before! 

Currently, a Citroen Dispatch lease offers a choice of five diesel engines with BlueHDi technology. Alternatively, the Citroen e-Dispatch electric van is available with either a 50kWh battery offering up to 196 miles or a 75kWh battery offering up to 143 miles of electric range. Plus, all models come with a 100kW electric motor offering 136bhp and a torque of 260 Nm. Charging this electric van is simple as there's various methods available. In particular, 100kW public charging can recharge the 50kWh version from 10-80% in 30 minutes or 45 minutes for the 75kWh version. 

If this sounds like your ideal commercial vehicle, view our Citroen Dispatch lease deals.

Peugeot Expert

Last but not least, we've picked the Peugeot Expert as a best commercial vehicle for lease.The Peugeot Expert is positioned in the mid-sized van market alongside the Ford Transit Custom. This Peugeot van is sized between the smaller Peugeot Partner and the large Peugeot Boxer.

The Peugeot Expert has become known for being an excellent van to drive thanks to its efficient engines and comfortable interior. In fact, the Peugeot Expert Diesel offers a fuel economy rating of 35.3-45.7mpg. Plus, for optimum space, the Peugeot Expert Long version has a load volume of up to 6.6 cubic meters and up to 4 meters load length.

Looking to switch to an electric van? The Peugeot e-Expert is a fully electric van and can manage up to 205 miles on one full charge (WLTP). This is a greater electric range compared to the Mercedes eVito. As well, this Peugeot is easy to recharge and offers a smooth drive.

For more information on this mid-sized van, take a look at our Peugeot Expert lease deals.

Contact GB Vehicle Leasing

So, are you ready to discover your ideal new commercial vehicle? Of course, this is just a small selection of available commercial vehicles for lease. Here at GB Vehicle Leasing, we offer a huge range of fantastic lease deals on all body-types including large, medium and small vans, as well as pickup trucks too. Get in touch with us today for more information about vans and pickup trucks or request a bespoke quote.

GB Vehicle Leasing are always happy to help and with over 650 genuine customer reviews, you can be sure your commercial vehicle is supplied by a company you can trust. We also have competitive maintenance contracts and servicing packages available.

We are finding more and more people are using their commercial vehicle not only for business purposes, but also for personal use too. This is due to the modern extras and technologies which are standard with most manufacturers these days in comparison to commercial vehicles from previous years.