Trade Van Driver is pleased to be able to announce the 2021 TVD Award winners.
This is the 9th year of the awards and although we normally present the awards at the CVShow as year gone past and take some photos, the awards being presented and covered in a different way an no less important and well deserved.
Below are the winners winch will also feature in the June issue. In the Summer issue we have arranged to get some images of the winners receiving the awards.
Here goes:
VAN OF THE YEAR
VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPORTER T6.1
Pitched in the most competitive of all the LCV sectors, the Volkswagen Transporter is already a legend. It consistently stays ahead of the pack in terms of reliability and technology and also commands the highest residual values of any van on the roads. The recent upgrade from 6 to 6.1 adds even more spec and makes this vehicle a well-deserved winner of the top trophy at our awards.
BEST LARGE VAN
VOLKSWAGEN CRAFTER
The judges spent much time debating the various merits of the Crafter and its arch-rival the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. In the end the Crafter’s smooth running, excellent cost-effectiveness and sheer class narrowly won the day.
BEST MEDIUM VAN
FORD TRANSIT CUSTOM
After bursting onto the market back in 2014 the Transit Custom took the LCV world by storm and it’s now Britain’s best-selling van. The judges could well see why – it looks great, drives as well as any luxury car and is available in enough guises to suit most traders’ tastes. A surefire winner in fact.
BEST SMALL VAN
CITROEN BERLINGO
Back in the mid 1990s the Berlingo was the first small van to be built from scratch as an LCV, rather than being based on a car – and ever since then this perky model has been a traders’ favourite. Although it also goes on sale bearing other manufacturers’ badges, the judges felt the Berlingo deserved the prize for its fantastic levels of aftercare.
BEST WORKHORSE PICK-UP
ISUZU D-MAX
Will there ever be a vehicle to beat this stalwart contender in the workhorse pick-up sector? The D-MAX has won this TVD gong every year since the awards started and this year the win is even more remarkable as there is a brand new D-Max on the way. It’s a good looker, it’s rugged as any 4×4 on the roads yet the D-Max has a pricing structure that the others just can’t match.
BEST LIFESTYLE PICK-UP
FORD RANGER
The Ranger has been at the forefront of this sector almost since the judges could remember but has always eluded a TVD award so far. The judges felt that this year it was time for the Ranger to take top slot. Macho looks, as much luxury as in any upmarket car yet capable of stunning feats in the dirt, the Ranger makes a worthy winner this year.
BEST LIGHT ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLE
VAUXHALL e-VIVARO
Things in the alternative fuel sector are moving rapidly. More and more electric vans are being offered but the judges felt traders looking to go green could not go far wrong by choosing this vehicle. After all, Vauxhall is a well-trusted name in the UK and is backed up by a superb dealer network if anything does happen to go awry.
BEST HEAVY ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLE
RENAULT TRUCKS MASTER ZE
This area of the market is very much in its infancy but Renault Trucks has invested huge amounts of money to make sure its electric offerings continue to be ahead of the pack. The judges immediately saw this and concluded that the Master ZE was the one they would choose if buying an alternative fuel vehicle in this sector.
BEST BUILDERS’ TRUCK
ISUZU GRAFTER
Builders’ trucks take an enormous amount of punishment in their lives, so anyone buying into this sector needs to know that the vehicle they choose is tough enough for the job. Once again, the judges felt that the Grafter ticked all the boxes here. The Grafter is a truck which will go on for years without a murmur, even in the toughest of climates.
BEST VEHICLE 3.5-7.5 TONNES
IVECO DAILY
The judges spent little time debating this award as they felt that none of the other models in contention came anywhere near to the Daily. Built on a rugged ladder-frame chassis and bursting with Tonka-toy-like strength, the Daily is tough enough for any job at the heavy end of the market.
BEST CONVERSION RANGE
VAUXHALL
Buyers of vehicles which need to be converted for specialised usages want to go to one place and get the job done and know that in the event of any problems, they can get them solved in one place too. Vauxhall offers a huge number of certified conversions which should cover the needs of just about any trader, the judges felt. And the well-established dealer network was up to the aftercare job too.
BEST TRADE VAN RANGE
FORD
Could there be any other result in this sector, the judges asked? Ford has a van for all reasons, a huge dealer network for aftercare and aftersales and the vehicles it offers are some of the most reliable and technologically advanced on offer today.
BEST ACCESSORY PROVIDER
FLEETSHIELD
Whatever traders need doing to customise their vans, Fleetshield is likely to have the answer. Fleetshield offers solutions for racking, storage, lighting, power, livery, health and safety and security and all work is guaranteed to be first class. Such diversity makes Fleetshield a worthy winner of this award.
BEST TECHNICAL INNOVATION
VOLKSWAGEN EMERGENCY CITY BRAKING
Other manufacturers may have such systems on offer but Volkswagen made the brave decision to make this superb safety device standard on all its vans. That, the judges felt, was an important enough decision to deserve this award.
CONGRATULATIONS.
