We compare three popular panel vans in the form of the Ford Transit Custom, the Opel Vivaro Cargo and the Toyota Quantum to determine which model has the lowest running costs.
Panel vans might not be the most exciting automotive niche, but they are incredibly versatile and are used by businesses the world over. Running costs are incredibly important to business owners, so today we will determine which one is cheaper to run between the Ford Transit Custom, the Opel Vivaro Cargo and Toyota Quantum.
The figures
6-speed manual |
Comparing the trio
Purchase price
The models we have chosen for this comparison are competitors from a pricing and body-style perspective. Monthly instalments are calculated throughout 72 months with a 10% deposit and no balloon or residual. The interest rate is set at 11%.
Ford Transit Custom panel van 2.2TDCi 92kW LWB Ambiente
With the instalment parameters in place, the Ford will work out at R9 302 per month over 72 months.
Opel Vivaro Cargo 2.0TD panel van LWB
With the instalment parameters in place, the Opel will work out at R10 123 per month over 72 months.
Toyota Quantum 2.8 LWB panel van
With the instalment parameters in place, the Toyota will work out at R10 162 per month over 72 months.
Fuel consumption
On paper, the Ford has the lowest claimed fuel consumption followed closely by the Opel. The real-world figures produced by the Transit and Vivaro should be very similar as they weigh the same and produce similar power and torque figures. The Toyota has the largest engine here, and is the heaviest by nearly 400kg, meaning that it is the heaviest on fuel.
Service plans
The Ford is the only model here where a service plan is optional, while the Opel gets a 3-year/60 000km service plan while the Toyota gets the best plan with 9-services/90 000km.
Verdict
Having looked at the data, in the first five years of ownership, we would be confident that the Opel Vivaro Cargo will have the lowest running costs of the three products being compared as the Transit Custom will cost prospective owners in terms of servicing while the Toyota will be more costly at the pumps.
Sean NurseWith a lifelong passion for cars, bikes, and motorsport, Sean knew that attaining a degree in journalism would allow him to pursue his passion, which was to be a motoring journalist. After graduating in 2012, Sean was awarded a bursary from the SAGMJ which allowed him to work for a variety of motoring publications. This was a dream come true for Sean, and after a year of gaining vital industry experience, he was hired as a motoring journalist at a local newspaper and worked his way up to editor. In 2020, Sean joined the AutoTrader team and counts himself lucky to wake up and genuinely love what he does for a living.View News & Reviews
Keyword: Ford Transit Custom vs Opel Vivaro Cargo vs Toyota Quantum: Which one has the lowest running costs?