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Fleet Van of the Year awards stress green credentials
publication date: Oct 3, 2009
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author/source: Robin Roberts
Ford was named "Van Manufacturer of the Year" for the second successive year at the Fleet Van Awards.
This major award was based on a recent survey conducted by Fleet Van on more than 169,000 vans.
Ford's new Fiesta Van, launched in March this year, collected the City
Van category award for 2009. Low running costs make this new entry into
the car-derived market a sound business proposition.
Frugal fuel
economy of up to 67.3mpg, insurance groups of 1E and 2E and a choice of
engines and trim levels make it a class-leading package.
Citroën also did well with Berlingo winning two of the top honours.
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For the second year in succession, the Citroën Berlingo was voted
outright Van of the Year and Small Van of the Year. The judging panel, which included major fleet operators and independent
van experts, singled out the Berlingo for these top honours against
very strong competition.
The Citroën Berlingo (left) was the judges' choice
as Van of the Year thanks to its versatility, breadth of range,
advanced design and many features unmatched by its rivals.
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In gaining the Fleet Van Awards Small Van of the Year title, the
Citroën Berlingo defeated some very strong, well established product.
Since its success last year, the Berlingo has strengthened its position
as best small van thanks to new models, including the five-seat Crew
Van and a unique, enhanced-traction XTR+ model.
For the second year running, the Volkswagen Transporter has been voted
‘Best Medium Van' in the Fleet Van Awards with the judges saying ‘it
excels on quality, durability, reputation and image and has real driver
appeal'.
The award is all the more impressive because the Transporter not only
beat all its popular rivals, but is also only weeks away from being
succeeded by the new generation Transporter which arrives in UK
showrooms in January 2010. This new van promises more refinement and a
new range of Euro V engines as well as a new appearance.
Renault is celebrating its third fleet title van award of the year
after New Kangoo Van won ‘Green Van of the Year - Conventional Fuels '
at the Fleet Van Awards.
Renault eco² vehicles, like the New Kangoo Van dCi 85, must emit less
than 140g/km of CO2, be manufactured in a plant that has been certified
ISO 14001, and be 95% recoverable at the end of their lifecycle and
ensure 5% of the plastics used are from recycled sources.
Added to this, in dCi 85 form, the Kangoo Van offers an impressive 54.3
mpg on the combined cycle. From this month, this same engine will
distance itself even further from rivals in the three-metre cubed
compact van sector with an even healthier, class-leading 57.6 mpg and
130 grams per kilometre of CO2 emissions.
The continuing drive by Fiat Professional - the commercial vehicle arm
of Fiat Group Automobiles SpA - to produce top quality, high value
vans, has been given a huge boost in the Awards. The company has just
been presented with the top prize for ‘Most Improved Van Manufacturer
of the Year' . | | | | |
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