- Ford Transit Custom most popular van on UK roads
- Larger Ford Transit in second place
- Data based on models currently in use
- 5,175,598 vans and pick-ups currently in use across the UK
- Over the last 10 years, three out of every five pick-ups sold have been a Ford Ranger.
- Diesel models vastly outnumber EVs
The Ford Transit Custom is the most common van on UK roads, according to new vehicle parc data showing the models currently in use across the country.
The figures cover all of the vehicles on the road, rather than new registrations, giving a wider view of what businesses, tradespeople, and operators are actually running day to day.
At the top of the list is the Ford Transit Custom, with 554,581 vehicles currently in use. It is followed by the larger Ford Transit, with 495,971 vehicles, meaning Ford occupies the top two places and has more than one million examples of its two main van models on UK roads.
In total, there are 5,175,598 vans and pick-ups currently in use across the UK. The top 10 models account for 2,853,302 vehicles, meaning just 10 model lines represent around 55% of the entire UK van and pick-up parc.
The Volkswagen Transporter takes third place, with 379,185 vehicles, ahead of the Vauxhall Vivaro on 280,298 and the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter on 258,596.
Ford Ranger dominates pick-up market
Ford’s strength is underlined further by the Transit Connect, which sits sixth with 187,745 vehicles, and the Ford Ranger, which is seventh with 183,357.
That makes the Ranger the only pick-up to appear in the UK’s top 10 most common LCVs.
It also highlights the scale of Ford’s dominance, with the Transit Custom, Transit, Transit Connect and Ranger together accounting for 1,421,654 vehicles — around 27% of all vans and pick-ups on UK roads.
The rest of the top 10 is made up of the Citroen Berlingo, with 176,582 vehicles, the Renault Trafic with 165,658, and the Peugeot Partner with 165,329.
For the Ranger, its position reflects years of strong sales in the UK pick-up market — over the last 10 years, three out of every five pick-ups sold have been a Ranger. However, it also shows how much smaller the pick-up sector remains compared with vans.
Even the UK’s most common pick-up is outnumbered by the Transit Custom by more than three to one.
Pos Model Total Share 1 Ford Transit Custom 554,581 10.7% 2 Ford Transit 495,971 9.6% 3 Volkswagen Transporter 379,185 7.3% 4 Vauxhall Vivaro 280,298 5.4% 5 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 258,595 5.0% 6 Ford Transit Connect 187,745 3.6% 7 Ford Ranger 183,357 3.5% 8 Citroen Berlingo 176,582 3.4% 9 Renault Trafic 165,658 3.2% 10 Peugeot Partner 165,329 3.2%Diesel still dominates UK van fleet
The data also shows the scale of the challenge facing the van sector as it moves towards electrification.
Diesel still accounts for 94.5% of all vans and pick-ups on UK roads, equivalent to almost 4.9 million vehicles. Petrol models make up 2.9%, while battery-electric vehicles account for just 2.2% of the parc.
In real terms, there are around 113,300 electric vans and pick-ups in use across the UK, compared with approximately 4,891,500 diesel vehicles.
.jpg)
Plug-in hybrids account for only 0.3% of the parc, while conventional hybrids represent just 0.1%, showing how little impact hybrid technology has had in the commercial vehicle market compared with passenger cars.
The figures help explain why the transition to electric vans is proving slower than some new registration numbers might suggest. While sales of new vehicles are increasingly shaped by the ZEV mandate, government grants and fleet decarbonisation targets, parc data shows what is actually being used on the road.
With millions of diesel vans still in operation, and many businesses keeping commercial vehicles for long periods, the shift to zero-emission vans and pickups will take years to filter through the UK’s working vehicle fleet.
Enjoyed this? Read our latest news
- Ineos launches the ultimate Grenadier
- Chery targets UK van market with new Delivan brand
- Chinese van maker Foton is coming to the UK
- Renault launches Trafic Graphite Edition as UK-only special
- Isuzu launches new D-Max diesel and EV pick-ups
Where To Next?
What is van leasing? Read our van leasing explainer.
For all the latest reviews, advice and new van deals, sign up to our newsletter.
Looking for a great van leasing deal? Check out our incredible range of van special offers.
Read our latest van reviews and find the right model for you.
Want to know more about van leasing? Take a look at our comprehensive van leasing guides.
Interested in everything motoring? Why not catch up on all the latest van leasing news.
