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Luton Van FAQs – Everything You Need To Know About Box Vans

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We’ve been asked all sorts of things over the years, so here’s our Luton Van FAQs page covering some of our most frequently asked questions.

Can I Drive A Luton Van On A Standard Car Licence?

Yes, a standard driving licence with category b entitlement means you’re legally permitted to drive a 3.5 tonne Luton box van in the UK.

Category b entitlement and how it applies to you depends on when you passed your driving test, however.

We actually did a great article on this very topic. If you feel like reading some quality internet, it can be found here: Driving A Luton On A Car Licence

At What Age Can I Drive A Luton Van?

You may drive a Luton van if you’re over 17 years old and have passed a driving test.

In the UK, you’re legally allowed to sit your driving test at 17. Once you’re legally allowed to drive on UK roads, you’re permitted to operate any vehicle up to a GVW of 3,500kg (3.5 tonnes).

What Is The Empty (Unladen) Weight Of A Luton Van?

The empty weight of a Luton van is between 2,250kg & 2,288kg and differs from manufacturer to manufacturer.

The unladen weight of your particular van can be worked out by taking the GVW (3,500kg) – payload (maximum weight the vehicle is designed to carry) = empty (unladen) weight.

Here are some examples…

  • Volkswagen Crafter Luton: GVW 3,500kg – payload 1,000kg = 2,500 unladen weight.
  • Ford Transit Luton: GVW 3,500kg – payload 1,016 = unladen weight 2,484kg.
  • Iveco Daily Luton: GVW 3,500kg – payload 1,120 = unladen weight 2,380kg.

We try to be as accurate as possible on our Luton Van FAQs page. It’s worth noting however that these figures will differ if a tail lift or other aftermarket components are fitted to the vehicle. To calculate the unladen weight of the actual vehicle you’re driving, the only sure-fire way is to visit a weighbridge.

You might also be interested in our other in-depth article on overall van weight.

We also did a great article specific to Luton van Kerb Weight, Payload and GVW. Feel free to check it out here: Weight Specifications For Luton Van

How Much Weight (Payload) Can A Luton Van Carry?

Luton vans can carry between 1,000kg and 1,212kg depending on make and model.

When fully loaded, regardless of make or model, they must not exceed a GVW of 3,500kg (3.5 tonnes) and the unladen weight of the vehicle will directly dictate payload capacity.

The lighter the van, the more it can carry.

This differs from manufacturer to manufacturer and model to model. Here are some examples.

  • Mercedes Sprinter Luton: Payload 1,000kg
  • Citroen Relay Luton: Payload 1,170kg
  • Renault Master Luton: Payload 1,212kg

Our Luton Van FAQs contain information based on factory standard vans. Your vans VIN plate will display exactly how much your particular vehicle can carry and should always be your first point of reference.

How Much Can You Fit (Load Volume) In A Luton Van?

Most off the shelf Luton vans are similar in load capacity at around 19 cubic metres. It’s a fine balance by the manufacturers between more space vs less weight.

Removals vans from the Luton range tend to have custom-built boxes that offer more space, but less available payload.

Here are some examples.

  • Ford Transit Load Capacity: 20m^3
  • Mercedes Sprinter Load Capacity: 18.5m^3
  • Renault Master Load Capacity: 22m^3

Is A Luton Van Big Enough To Move House?

Yes, a Luton Van is more than big enough to move house.

A van of this size will move a modest 2 bedroom home in a single run. Assuming the van is packed properly, utilising all available space and you don’t exceed the maximum weight the van is designed to carry, you can easily move home with a Luton van.

For larger moves, you’ll require either a second van or, most likely, a double run.

Is A Luton Van 7.5 tonne?

No, a Luton van is a 3,500kg or 3.5-tonne vehicle that can be driven on a standard car licence with category b entitlement and is classed as a PLG (Private/Light Goods) vehicle.

Dimension Of A Luton Van

The overall dimensions of a Luton Van are fairly typical of the type of van it is. Regardless of make and model, the length, width, and height from one to the next will differ only by slight margins.

See below the height, width, length, both external and internal, dimensions of the most popular Luton vans on the road today.

How Long Is A Luton Van?

The length of a Luton van is typically around 6 metres and dimensions will differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. It will also differ from a vehicle fitted with a standard box to a vehicle fitted with a custom-built aftermarket box such as those built for the removals industry.

The only sure-fire way to tell how long a Luton van is is to take a tape measure to it from end to end however here are some examples of factory standard models.

External Length

  • Ford Transit (Luton): 6.70 metres
  • Renault Master (Luton): 6.76 metres
  • Iveco Daily (Luton): 6.67 metres

Internal Load Length

  • Ford Transit (Luton): 3.93 metres
  • Renault Master (Luton): 4.11 metres
  • Iveco Daily (Luton): 4.11 metres

How Wide Is A Luton Van

The width dimensions of a Luton van will range from 2.10 metres to 2.25 metres. Although all are of similar dimensions, they will differ from model to model.

Here are some examples.

External Width

  • Ford Transit (Luton): 2.25 metres
  • Renault Master (Luton): 2.21 metres
  • Iveco Daily (Luton): 2.10 metres

Internal Load Width

  • Ford Transit (Luton): 1.95 metres
  • Renault Master (Luton): 1.95 metres
  • Iveco Daily (Luton): 1.95 metres

What Height Is A Luton Van

The height dimensions of a Luton van will range from 3.25 metres to 3.35 metres. Although all are of similar dimensions, they will differ from model to model.

Here are some examples.

External Height

  • Ford Transit (Luton): 3.30 metres
  • Renault Master (Luton): 3.28 metres
  • Iveco Daily (Luton): 3.28 metres

Internal Load Height

  • Ford Transit (Luton): 2.18 metres
  • Renault Master (Luton): 2.12 metres
  • Iveco Daily (Luton): 2.12 metres

Which Luton Van Is Best?

Which Luton van is best is entirely dependent on what you’re using it for.

Light Delivery Work

If you’re delivering to shops or running a simple man and van business, the bulletproof reliability of a Ford Transit would be best. With a respectable payload of 1,016kg and a generous 20m^3 loading capacity, you can’t go wrong with this van.

Home & Business Removals

If you’re in the removals business then it’s all about payload and capacity. With a whopping payload of 1,250kg and load capacity of a staggering 22m^3, the Renault Master would be a van you couldn’t live without.

All vans have their pros and cons though. All are as reliable as each other and perform pretty much the same function. Think about why you need a box van then decide which is best for you.

Which Luton Van Has The Most Loading Volume?

Without question, the Renault Master Luton has the most loading space off the factory floor at a whopping 22^3 metres. Not only that, but it boasts the highest payload limit of any van in the Luton range at 1,250kg.

What Is The MPG (Fuel Consumption) Of A Luton Van?

The MPG (fuel consumption) of a modern Luton van will range from 28mpg-40mpg depending on make and model, at least on paper. In real-world terms though, a fully loaded Luton van driving into a headwind will struggle to see between 14mpg-25mpg regardless of what the manufacturer states.

Here are some examples of manufacturer figures.

  • Ford Transit Luton: 28 MPG
  • Volkswagen Crafter: 33.6 MPG
  • Mercedes Sprinter Luton: 39.8 MPG

Again, take these figures with a pinch of salt. We try to keep our Luton Van FAQs as accurate as possible but all we know with absolute certainty here is that we can fill one of our Transit Box Vans (80 Litres) in Falkirk and reach Birmingham before the fuel light pops on.

Falkirk to Birmingham 301 miles.

Can You Convert A Luton Van Into A Camper?

Yes, you can convert a Luton van into a camper. The question is, why would you want to?

For the cost of buying a Luton van in good condition, you could probably just buy an already kitted out camper van. That’s even before you’ve begun spending money on your project.

That said, some people do want to take on a camper conversion project like this and a Luton van would make an ideal base for a stealth sleeper. The interior dimensions are all parallel and so perfect for fitting insulation and lining and the space is incredible.

Top Tip: Payload capacity is between 1,000kg (Mercedes Sprinter) and 1,250kg (Renault Master) on a Luton van. You should always keep the maximum allowed vehicle weight in mind when deciding on which van is best suited to conversion.

Why Is A Luton Van Called A Luton?

The first Luton van was built by Bedford Vehicles, in Luton, England. The end.

Is A Luton Van An HGV?

No, a vehicle classed as HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) refers to vehicles over 3,500KG (3.5 tonnes).

A Luton van is classed as a PLG (Private/Light Goods) vehicle, can be driven on a normal car licence and can have a GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) of no more than 3,500kg.

Note: Our Luton Van FAQs content is accurate and true at the time of writing (01/11/2020). Always check the DVLA website for the most up to date information regarding driving licence entitlements here: www.gov.uk/driving-licence-categories

How Much Does A Luton Van Cost To To Buy?

Luton vans are expensive big birds and the cost of buying one ranges from £28,889-£39,449 for new models and £1,500-£15,000 for used second-hand deals.

Cost Of Buying New

As stated, the cost of buying a new Luton van ranges from around £28,889 to £39,449 depending on any factory added optional extras you choose.

To be honest, though, I don’t think there’s any good reason to buy a brand new Luton van when you can get a quality used vehicle with 150k trouble free miles left on the clock for less than a third of the cost.

Cost Of Buying Used Second Hand

Again, second-hand deals can be had from £1,500 (not really recommended though) to around £15,000 for a top-quality used van. For a good idea of what you will pay for a pre-loved Luton van, have a look at the AutoTrader website: Used Luton Vans On AutoTrader

What Category Is A Luton Van?

A Luton van is a Category B vehicle.

A 3.5 tonne Luton box van is a PLG (Private/Light Goods) vehicle that you can legally drive with a normal car licence with category b entitlement.

How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Luton Van?

The hire of a Luton van will cost between £25 for a short 2-hour hire from a cheap local company to £140 for a four-hour hire from one of the national hire companies.

All will require a deposit.

A van hire company is a company like any other. They set their own prices, rates, optional extras and minimum hire times. The only way to know for sure how much Luton van hire will cost you locally is to phone a local provider and ask.

What Is The Minimum Age To Hire A Luton Van?

To hire a Luton van, in most cases you’ll need to be at least 25 years old.

You are legally entitled to drive a Luton van from the age of 17. However, to hire a Luton van, most hire companies require you to be at least 25 years old.

This isn’t a condition of the hire company themselves, but a condition of their insurance provider who is less than generous when it comes to who they are prepared to cover.

Some hire companies are covered by insurers who are a little more open to younger drivers but not many. The only way to know for sure is to phone your local van hire companies and ask.

Our FAQs On Our Luton Vans

We tried to make our Luton Van FAQs page as comprehensive as possible. We’ll more than likely add to it if we get a question we’ve never been asked before and yes, sometimes we do get the oddest of queries coming through from time to time.

If you have any questions that our Luton Van FAQs page doesn’t answer, feel free to ask in the comments below and we’ll do our best.

Anyway, thanks for reading and have a great day whoever you are and whatever you’re doing, we hope you’ve learned something new today about box vans. You know what they say, every day is a school day 🙂

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5 thoughts on “Luton Van FAQs – Everything You Need To Know About Box Vans”

    1. Falkirk Van Hire
      Reply

      Hi Jake, there really is none from a mechanical point of view.

      The only differences are, from a practical standpoint:

      • 4 wheels are heavier than 2, which might rob you of some of your otherwise available load weight.
      • 4 wheels can comfortably bear more weight than 2.
      • If you get a puncture in one of the 4 rear wheels you can, at least, limp to the nearest Kwik Fit.
      • Vans do actually handle better when more tyre is touching the tar.

      The pros of having 4 rear wheels on your Luton van far outweight the cons which is why we would never have Mercedes or VW in our fleet 😉

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