Top SUVs, 4X4s and commercial vans on the market
THERE are some fantastic SUVs, 4X4s and commercial vans on the market these days.
And even the entry-level models are a quantum leap on what was available a few short years ago, with vans arguably as comfortable and well fitted out as their passenger-carrying siblings.
SUVs have made great in-roads in the domestic market in recent years, with crossovers in all shapes and sizes particularly popular.
Volvo took the 2019 Irish Car of the Year award with its stunning XC40, which also won the Compact Crossover of the Year.
The XC40 range provides customers with a full choice of distinctive Momentum, dynamic R-Design and luxurious Inscription models, each offered in even better equipped ‘Pro’ form. The XC40 also achieved the maximum five-star rating when it was subjected to the more rigorous 2018 assessment by the independent vehicle safety organisation Euro NCAP.
Other SUVs which took 2019 accolades in Ireland were:
SEAT Arona - Irish Small Crossover of the Year 2019.
Volvo XC40 - Irish Compact Crossover of the Year 2019.
Skoda Karoq - Irish Medium Crossover of the Year 2019.
Volkswagen Touareg - Irish Large Crossover of the Year 2019.
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter was awarded the title of Irish Van of the Year 2019.
The large, high-spec, high-tech Sprinter is said to bring new levels of intelligent connectivity, superior comfort and – for the first time – a front wheel drive version to the market, backed by a new 3-years warranty now standard across the entire Mercedes-Benz van range.
Available in six body variants, five wheelbase options, three body heights, five weight classes and three drive configurations (front, rear and 4-wheel drive) with a towing capacity up to 3.5 tonnes, Mercedes-Benz claims that customers can model more than 1,700 different units to meet whatever requirement they may have. Engines are a mix of 6-cylinder and 4-cylinder units.
A key feature is its greater load volume - increased up to 17cu. metres with 5.5 tonnes capacity - made possible by lowering the rear floor height to allow owners transport more load-per-movement and provide greater ease-of-access for drivers. Car-like comfort, additional safety elements, and new online fleet management and communications possibilities are amongst its other features.
Meanwhile, Groupe PSA won the International Van of the Year Award (IVOTY) for the fifth occasion as its new van trio, the Peugeot Partner, the Citroën Berlingo and the Opel Combo, was presented with the 2019 trophy at the 67th IAA Commercial Vehicles Exhibition in Hannover, Germany on 19th September.
Voted by a select panel of European Commercial Vehicle editors and expert journalists from 25 countries, the new Peugeot Partner, Citroen Berlingo Van and Opel Combo combination won the competition comprehensively by 127 points to the 92 marks awarded to the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. The latest Ford Transit Connect finished third. Two other models were in contention for the prestigious annual prize – the Renault Master Z.E. and Ford Transit Courier.
The new vans are the fruit of a joint collaboration between PSA’s three brands - Peugeot, Citroen and Opel, boasting high levels of equipment and comfort features and developed on the Groupe’s latest platform, the EMP2, to guarantee the highest quality, efficiency and performance. With more than 20% market share in 2017 (+16% y-o-y), Groupe PSA is the overall leader in light commercial vehicles sales in Europe.
The International Van of the Year 2019 Award marks the third generation of the Peugeot Partner and Citroën Berlingo and the fifth generation of the Opel Combo. Groupe PSA dominates the highly competitive compact van segment, with a European market share of more than 30% in 2017. The Peugeot Partner was the best-selling van in Europe in 2017 with close to 78,000 sales, followed by the Citroën Berlingo with nearly 73,000 sales, while the Opel Astra Van and the Vivaro previously won the International Van of the Year Award in 1999 and 2002 respectively. The Groupe PSA van trio will be sold in some 100 countries, with first orders open in Europe in September, followed by a launch in Ireland in early 2019.