When choosing the right cargo van for your business, there are a number of considerations to make. For example, does your business cover a sprawling territory that requires a lot of highway driving or do you mainly service city-dwellers? You’ll also need to think about whether you need more space for tools or if hauling passengers is a priority.
Your business has unique needs and you need a vehicle that you can rely on to get the job done. We’re here to help. Here’s a breakdown of the best cargo vans for various small businesses:
- Best Cargo Vans for Landscapers
- Best Cargo Vans for Contractors
- Best Cargo Vans for Cleaning Businesses
- Best Cargo Vans for Delivery Service Companies
Best Cargo Vans for Landscapers
Best Large Van for Landcapers: 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
Ideal for:
- Making a great impression
- Minimal repairs
- Tons of interior space for supplies
With stiff competition among landscaping companies, making an excellent first impression really matters in getting and keeping customers. Pulling up to an estimate in a Mercedes Sprinter van lets them know your service is premium and you’re ready and able to get the job done.
But the Sprinter has more to offer than its good looks. It’s a built-to-last cargo van that can withstand the wear and tear of heavy-duty use. With a massive interior capacity, this van is a workhorse — you can carry pallets of decking, pavers, and soil, plus a crew. With high rooflines and wide back doors, loading tools in and out is a breeze.
Specs & Pricing
MSRP: From $35,720
Payload capacity: 3,765 – 6,735 pounds (depending on version)
Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles
Seating capacity: 2 passengers
Max towing rating: 5000 lbs
Engine: choice of 2.0L I-4 or 3.0L V-6
Best Compact Van for Landscapers – 2020 Ford Transit Connect
Ideal for:
- Fuel efficiency
- Pulling into tight spots
- Maneuverability in city traffic
When it comes to the city-centric businesses, size does matter. This zippy little compact van is perfectly designed for the challenges of servicing properties in high-density urban areas, where – let’s face it – parking can be an issue and loading zones are few and far between.
Plus, this ride is all about fuel efficiency. That will affect your bottom line in two ways: Obviously, your gas bill will go down, but also, pulling into gas stations can really slow down your crew’s progress. With this van in your fleet, you can count on maximizing billable hours.
Specs & Pricing
MSRP: From $24,275
Payload capacity: 1,510 lbs.
Warranty: 3 years/ 36,000 miles
Seating capacity: 2 – 7 (depending on version)
Max towing rating: 2,000 lbs
Engine: 2.0L I-4
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Best Cargo Vans for Contractors
Best Large Van for Contractors – Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana
Ideal for:
- Highway driving
- Major towing capacity
- Multiple drivers
Relic or retro? That is the question. Either way, there’s no denying that this old-school stallion is big on performance. Tens of thousands of contractors nationwide have used this vehicle for decades. Keep in mind, there are no frills here. Just a user-friendly dashboard, and tons of space for your crew, which is great if you have a varied roster of drivers behind the wheel.
It’s also easy to service and low maintenance, which busy contractors will value. Of course, the downside of this gas guzzler is it can be quite costly to run in the city. That said, it does offer decent fuel efficiency on highways. So, if your service area is stretched out over a sprawling territory, this time-honored hauler might just be the one for you.
Specs & Pricing
MSRP: From $34,900
Payload capacity: 3,578 – 4,312 lbs
Warranty: 3 years/ 36,000 miles
Seating capacity: 12
Max towing rating: 9,600 – 10,000 lbs
Engine: choice of 4.3-L V6 to 6.0-L Vortec V8
LEARN MORE: Vehicle maintenance checklist for small businesses
Best Compact Van for Contractors – 2020 RAM ProMaster City
Ideal for:
- Smaller jobs
- Parking in tight spots
- Ample cargo space
Widely considered the best bang for your buck when it comes to compact vans, the ProMaster City is great on gas and surprisingly spacious. It’s versatile too; you can customize it to meet all your storage and seating needs. Plus, it’s easy to navigate through city streets, so trips to and from hardware stores, rental shops, etc. won’t slow down your team needlessly.
There are also a lot of driver-assist features including a Parkview Backup Camera, which will come in handy for drivers pulling into tight spots in densely populated areas. No standing room here, but it’s still ergonomically designed for continuous loading and unloading of tools for smaller, condo-size reno jobs.
Specs & Pricing
MSRP: From $24,480
Payload capacity: 2,000 lbs
Basic Warranty: 3 years /36,000 miles
Seating capacity: 5
Max towing rating: 1,890 lbs
Engine options: 2.4L 4cyl 9A
LEARN MORE: Vehicle maintenance checklist for small businesses
Best Cargo Vans for Cleaning Businesses
Best Large Van for Cleaning Businesses – Nissan NV
Ideal for:
- Dry roads
- Amazing warranty
- Substance over style
Interestingly, the Nissan NV is only available in rear-wheel drive, making it not-so-great on wet, slippery roads. Ergo, it’s best suited for businesses based in dryer, warmer regions. What it lacks in traction, it makes up for in other areas: It’s incredibly fuel-efficient and has a great warranty.
Design-wise, it’s fairly basic — professional, but not showy. That is to say, it won’t be winning any beauty contests any time soon. But, it gets the job done. And when you’ve got back-to-back appointments booked, you need a vehicle that gets your crew and all their gear there on time.
Specs & Pricing
MSRP: From $30,140
Payload capacity: 2,620 – 2,769 lbs
Warranty: 5 years or 100,000 miles
Seating capacity: 2
Max towing rating: 6,900 – 9,400 lbs
Engine: choice of 4.0L 6cyl or 5.6-litre V8
Best Compact Van for Cleaning Businesses – 2019 Mercedes-Benz Metris
Ideal for:
- Upscale markets
- Comfortable commuting
- Low maintenance
For cleaning businesses that service higher-end homes, the Metris is a smart option. It says you’re a professional, trusted company that should be taken seriously. But this compact cargo van doesn’t just promote you as a premium provider, it also boasts a lot of performance pep, with swift acceleration and agile steering – great for safely navigating the curvy roads of gated communities.
Added bonus: The seating is extremely comfortable, so after a hard day’s work, your crew can sit back and enjoy a smooth ride home. After all, it’s the small touches that make for greater employee retention.
Specs & Pricing
MSRP: From $26,570
Payload capacity: 2,370 – 2,425
Warranty: 36 months or 36,000 miles
Seating capacity: 2
Max towing rating: 5000 lbs
Engine: 2.0L I-4
Best Cargo Vans for Delivery Service Companies
Best Large Van for Delivery Service Companies – 2019 RAM ProMaster
Ideal for:
- Easy customization
- Navigating wet roads
- Bigger deliveries
Do you have a lot of speciality products that require very specific bin systems? Then this uplift-friendly van is a solid choice. It’s highly customizable and it offers all the same height and cargo space as the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, only at a much lower price.
Bonus: Ram offers a ton of paint options, so if you want to make your delivery fleet instantly recognizable with a distinct color, take advantage of this marketing opportunity.
It also boasts front-wheel-drive, so it’s nice and stable. This makes it a better option for year-round businesses in regions where roads can get wet and slippery during winter. Plus, there’s no shortage of torque and power with this vehicle.
Specs & Pricing
MSRP: From $30, 895
Payload capacity: 4,680 lbs
Basic warranty: 3-year/36,000-mile
Seating capacity: 2
Max towing rating: 5,100 lbs
Engine: 3.6-L V-6
Compact Van – 2019 Nissan NV200
Ideal for:
- Starter business
- Continuous loading & unloading
- User friendly GPS
With low initial pricing, this is a great entry-level cargo van for a start-up that’s more concerned with getting the delivery side of its business off the ground than trying to make a statement with its fleet. Made for maneuvering in the city, this great little cruiser handles corners like a dream.
It’s not made for towing and it has limited payload capacity, but it does have low floors, so your drivers can access their deliveries easily. And the smoother their unloading process is, the faster they’re back on the road.
Specs & Pricing
MSRP: From $23,085
Payload capacity: 1,480 lbs
Warranty: five years/100,000 miles
Seating capacity: 2
Max towing rating: N/A
Engine: 2.0L I-4
Looking After Your New Cargo Van
No matter which vehicle you end up purchasing, it’s important to manage your investment. If you want to grow your business and run it as efficiently as possible, you need a way to make sure your van is being well taken care of, to increase driver accountability, and to decrease costs.
Force Fleet Tracking is a GPS vehicle tracking system, designed for small businesses wanting to look after their fleet vehicles and have visibility into driver activity. The technology uses in-vehicle hardware to track the vehicle whereabouts and monitor driver behavior like speeding, rapid accelerations, harsh braking, and idling. Drivers are given a safety RoadScore for each trip and an average score for their overall performance. With this information, you can be assured that your new van is in good hands — even if they’re not yours.
Force also helps you keep tabs under the hood. Get alerts if your new van has engine issues and if there are any recalls from the manufacturer. Plus, vehicle health alerts allow you to take preventative action and avoid your fleet vehicles becoming unsafe and unnecessarily costly.
Force Fleet Tracking gives you peace of mind and helps you keep an eye on your investment. Start a free trial today and find out what Force can do for you and your fleet.
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