The Toyota Proace is a medium-sized van that comes with the added benefit of being cheap to run, easy to drive but still packs in plenty of payload capacity.
You’ll find that used examples share an affinity with other similar vans in this sector, not least of which the Peugeot Expert and Citroen Dispatch as part of a co-collaboration. However, buy a used example of the Toyota Proace and you get the added benefit of a longer warranty than the others.
Depending on your needs you can buy a Toyota Proace in one of three different sizes, while crew van and people carrier variants add the benefit of being able to seat up to nine passengers.
If you need it for work the Toyota Proace bristles with a healthy specification, being able to handle up to 1.4 tonnes of cargo, depending on the version you’re checking out. It can tow too, with up to 2.5 tonnes proving useful for anyone with a trailer or kiosk to lug around. Even electric variants of the Proace can carry up to 1.2 tonnes if you get the larger 50kWh battery edition.
Competition is extensive though, with the likes of the Citroen Dispatch, Peugeot Expert and Vauxhall Vivaro all being cut from similar cloth. Elsewhere, there’s the best-selling Ford Transit Custom and the Volkswagen Transporter as strong options, while the slightly less appealing Renault Trafic and Fiat Talento are probably going to be more affordable.
Buying a used Toyota Proace makes a lot of sense if you like the idea of a very capable van that drives more like a saloon, along with providing many of the same home comforts.
The Proace benefits from a decent warranty and comes with the expected Toyota reliability, but it’s also a very versatile bit of kit too. You can find used examples in three different sizes, which makes it ideally suited to a wealth of different uses. There’s also a crew van or people carrier option to consider if people are the thing you’re moving – up to nine passengers in the latter example.
Load carrying is also the main forte of the Toyota Proace, with a design that’s easy to get cargo in and out of and a payload capacity of up to 1.4 tonnes in some examples. Towing can be done up to 2.5 tonnes too, so it’s nothing if not versatile.
You get the added benefit of decent performance and fuel economy too, with petrol and diesel variants well respected for their frugal miles per gallon potential. However, there’s also the addition of electric variants to the Toyota Proace range, which might be a better bet if you’re working on short haul jobs or need a van that’s going to be no hassle around town.
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The decent level of standard kit on the Proace means you don’t have to go too high up the range to get a well-equipped van. The fact that you get twin airbags on the basic model is proof of this, and for many this version will do the job just fine.
The lack of air conditioning is a shame, but Toyota does a good option that offers this and the Smart Cargo system that lets you load long items through into the front of the cab. At a few hundred pounds it is cheaper than upgrading to the mid-level trim if you don’t want all the other kit. That it does include more seat adjustment, though, so if you plan on doing long miles and are prone to a bad back then it is worth considering.
The 1.5-litre is a decent engine, but the 2.0-litre 120PS engine is the one that gets the big payload, which will be the reason for choosing the Proace for many. This version can carry up to 1400kg so is the one to go for. That said, if you'll work mostly in a city centre low emissions zone, one of the electric models is the obvious choice.
At launch there was a 115hp 1.6-litre diesel, which has since been replaced with the 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre variants outlined below:
Toyota keeps the trim level specification relatively straightforward for the Proace by using the same Active, Icon and Design grades seen in other vehicles in the portfolio. What that means is a no-nonsense kit list that features all of the everyday necessities, such as DAB radio, Bluetooth, a full steel bulkhead for durable work use, cruise control and seating for three across the front bench.
The Toyota Proace’s dimensions are:
The Toyota Proace’s payload is:
The Toyota Proace will cost you £180 annually for vehicle excise duty.
Insurance for the Toyota Proace ranges from group 37E rising to 46E. This is higher than the Peugeot and Citroen models, despite them being very similar. The highest group that an Expert sits in, for example, is 39E.
Lookout also for the potential to face higher costs for vans with a higher payload, which can tend to push up premiums even more, especially if you’re using it for commercial work.
Read our full Toyota Proace review