Which van should you convert? Every base van, decided by the numbers
· 32 min read
For a couple who can sleep across the van, the answer is a Fiat Ducato (or its Boxer, Relay/Jumper and ProMaster twins) in L2H2 or L3H2: the widest interior of any panel van, the lightest kerb weight in its class, standing height, and a body under 6 m. If you cannot sleep across — over about 1.80 m, or two tall sleepers — that advantage disappears and the Transit, Crafter and front-drive Sprinter compete on roof, drive and payload. If you need car-park height, you are choosing among sit-down vans. That is the guide in one paragraph. The rest is the working: every base van in the planner — 27 vehicles, 159 variants — measured against the five numbers that decide a layout, with a computed table per body and the used-market traps that turn a good choice into a bad one.
A note on where the numbers come from. Every table below is generated from the van database that drives the VanPlot editor — manufacturer exterior figures with per-platform offsets calibrated against published cargo dimensions — not copied from brochures or forum posts, and the verdicts use the same thresholds as the standing-height and sleep-across tables. I have not built a van yet; this is the sheet I made to choose mine, and I am publishing it because nothing like it existed when I needed it.
1. The answer in five numbers
Forums answer “which van?” with engines, reliability and resale. All of that matters on the day something breaks. On the day you draw the layout — and every day you live in it — five numbers on the spec sheet decide what is possible, and none of them is on the test drive. Each one below links to the post that tabulates it for every variant; this guide puts them together per body.
| Number | What it decides | The line | Who clears it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width between the walls | Whether the bed goes across the van — ~1.4 m of length instead of ~1.9 m, half a metre of living space back | Your height + 5 cm between finished walls; walls take ~6 cm | Ducato family only (1.87 m bare): a 1.75 m sleeper with room, 1.80 with notched panels. Crafter 1.83 and Daily 1.80 with flares. Sprinter/Transit/Master 1.76–1.79: longitudinal. |
| Interior height | Whether you stand — and where in the van | Your height + 10 cm raw; floor and ceiling take ~7 cm | Every large-van H2 (1.90–1.94 m) at 1.75, marginal at 1.85; H3 (2.10–2.20 m) clears 1.95. Crafter H2 (1.73) and every mid-size H1 (1.38–1.44) do not. |
| Cargo length | How many zones fit behind the cab | ~3.0 m = bed + galley; ~3.5 m = fixed bed + galley + wet room; ~4.1 m+ = four berths | L2 bodies 3.0–3.3 m, L3 3.5–3.7 (Sprinter L3 4.3), L4 4.1–4.7, Daily L5 5.1. Mid-size 2.5–3.1. |
| Payload left after the build | Whether you stay under 3.5 t on a licence B, or uprate | Rated payload − 600 kg build − EN 1646-2 reserve for two (139–172 kg); 400 kg+ is comfortable, under 200 is the uprating zone | Ducato L2H2 731, L3H2 650; Transit L2H3 FWD 610; Master L2H2 640; Crafter L3H3 FWD 500; Sprinter L2H2 FWD 551. Long rear-drive bodies 48–290. Compacts 152 or below zero. |
| Exterior height, length, plate | What the body costs to run, for life | 2.00 m (toll class), 6.00 / 7.00 m (ferry and pitch bands), 3,500 kg (regime) | Only mid-size low roofs are under 2 m. Ducato L3 (5.998), Transit L3 (5.98), Crafter L3 (5.99), Sprinter L2 (5.93) stay under 6 m. |
The short answer that falls out of the table: for a couple who can sleep across, a Ducato-family L2H2 or L3H2 wins on four of five numbers and ties the fifth — which is why the Sevel body is under most European self-builds. If you cannot sleep across (over ~1.80 m, or two tall sleepers), the width advantage disappears and the Transit, Crafter and Sprinter come back into the decision on height, drive and payload. If you need to park in a city garage or pay car-class tolls, you are choosing among sit-down vans, and the question becomes which one you can live in seated.
How to read the dossier tables
Every body below gets a table generated from the same van database that drives the planner — manufacturer exterior figures with a per-platform offset calibrated against published cargo dimensions, so the numbers are the planner’s numbers, not a copy of a brochure. Left after build is rated payload minus 600 kg (the planner’s Weekender layout with a full insulated shell weighs 585) minus the two-person reserve. Stand is the verdict for a 1.75 and a 1.85 m person after 7 cm of floor and ceiling (✓ 3 cm clear, ~ within 3 cm, ✗ no). Across is the transverse-bed verdict for a 1.70 and a 1.80 m sleeper after 6 cm of wall (✓ 5 cm spare, ~ within 5, ✗ no). Toll is the French motorway class (1 under 2.00 m, 2 above); Length is the ferry band. Kerb weights are base figures — a real van with options and a full tank is 50–150 kg heavier, which is why weighing before buying is not optional.
2. Decide by who you are
The five numbers are the same for everyone; the weights you put on them are not. These are the six briefs that cover most self-builds, each resolved to two or three named variants from the tables below — read the dossier before you buy, but start here.
Couple, weekends and holidays, tight budget
You want a van that parks where a car parks, converts a dinette to a bed, and never meets the payload limit. Ducato-family L2H2 (5.41 m outside, 3.12 m of floor, 1.93 m headroom, 731 kg left after the build) is the body this brief was written for; the Transit L2H2 FWD (5.53 m, 655 kg) and Master L2H2 (5.55 m, 640 kg, cheapest used) are the alternatives. All three stand a 1.75 m person. The layouts-for-two guide’s “Convertible Weekender” works from 3.0 m.
Couple, full-time, fixed bed and a wet room
This is the brief the Ducato L3H2 defines: 3.71 m of floor takes a transverse fixed bed over a garage, a 1.2 m galley and a toilet cabinet, in a 5.998 m body with 650 kg to spare. Take the L3H3 (2.17 m raw) if either of you is over 1.85 m; it costs 35 kg. If you sleep longitudinally anyway, the Transit L3H3 FWD (5.98 m, 2.14 m tall, 551 kg) and Crafter L3H3 FWD (5.99 m, 1.96 m tall, 500 kg) are its equals on everything except width, and the Crafter’s 1.83 m takes flares gracefully. The Sprinter L2H2 FWD (5.93 m, 551 kg) is the Sprinter that competes here — its 3.27 m floor is 44 cm shorter than the Ducato L3, which is one zone.
Tall — over 1.85 m — and living in it
H2 is not for you; every large-van H2 is 1.90–1.94 m raw, which is 1.83–1.87 finished. The H3 bodies under 6 m are the Ducato L3H3 (2.17 m, 615 kg) and Transit L2H3 / L3H3 (2.14 m, 610 / 551 kg); the Master L2H3 / L3H3 FWD (2.13 m, 599 / 512 kg) is the value option; the Crafter L4H4 FWD (2.17 m, 360 kg) if you need 4.3 m of floor. The Sprinter’s H3 only exists on the long rear-drive bodies (L3H3: 6.97 m, 295 kg left), which is a poor trade for height alone.
Family of four
Four berths and four seats raise the EN 1646-2 reserve by about 170 kg on top of the two-person figure, and a family build is heavier, not lighter. The bodies with 4 m+ of floor and payload left are short: Ducato L4H2 / L4H3 (6.36 m, 4.07 m of floor, 506 / 471 kg at the two-person reserve), Crafter L4H3 FWD (6.84 m, 4.30 m, 388 kg) and Transit L4H3 RWD (6.70 m, 4.22 m, 345 kg). The vans people buy for this brief — Sprinter L4 (251 kg), Master L4 (182–224), Daily L4/L5 (48–172) — are an uprate on the day of purchase; the family layouts guide works inside the first three.
Remote work
A desk that survives a video call wants ~1.1 m of width and a seat facing a window, and two laptops plus a router all day want roughly twice the usual battery — which wants roof. That pushes toward the taller, longer bodies with flat roofs: Ducato L3H3 (6 × 100 W panels on the flat roof), Crafter L4H4 FWD, Transit L3H3 FWD. The roof-capacity table ranks every body by usable panel area.
Car park, car tolls, city parking
Under 2.00 m tall means French class 1 tolls, most underground car parks and every height barrier — and it means sitting down inside. The candidates are the mid-size low roofs: Expert / ProAce XL (5.31 m, 1.94 m tall, 522 kg left, the lightest), Trafic L2H1 (5.40 m, 1.97 m, 555 kg), Vito L2 (5.14 m, 1.91 m, 384 kg, rear-drive), Transporter L2H1 (5.30 m, 1.99 m, 383 kg). A pop-top gives you standing height when parked and keeps the barrier height when driving; the small-van layouts guide is written for this class.
Snow, tracks, all-wheel drive
In the planner’s database the all-wheel-drive rows are the Transit’s: Transit L3H3 AWD (5.98 m, 383 kg left) and L2H3 AWD (440 kg). AWD costs about 170 kg of payload against the same FWD body; rear-drive costs 60–90. Sprinter 4×4 and Crafter 4MOTION exist and weigh similarly; the Ducato family has no factory option (converters only). If the tracks are occasional, a front-drive Ducato with the heavy items forward and winter tyres is the cheaper answer — the weight-distribution post explains why a rear-heavy FWD van loses traction and how to load it.
3. Large vans
The 2.0 m-wide bodies you can stand in. Six families; between them they carry almost every European self-build. Each dossier gives the verdict first, then the table for every variant in the planner.
Fiat Ducato (= Boxer, Relay, ProMaster)
The default, and the numbers explain why. Widest between the walls of any panel van (1.87 m — the only body that sleeps a 1.75 m person across without touching the walls), lightest large van at every length (L3H2 2,095 kg kerb, 310 less than the equivalent Sprinter), and an L3 that is 5.998 m long — 3.71 m of floor inside a sub-6 m ferry band. H2 gives 1.93 m raw; H3 2.17 m, which clears a 1.95 m person. Front-wheel drive only, which is where its weight advantage comes from.
What it is not: refined. The cab is a workplace, the ride unladen is stiff, and a front-drive van with two e-bikes and a full tank behind the rear axle will spin a wheel on wet grass — heavy items go forward. Factory all-wheel drive does not exist. Resale trails the Sprinter. The same body is sold as Peugeot Boxer, Citroën Relay (Jumper outside the UK), RAM ProMaster, and since 2021 as the Opel/Vauxhall Movano; the twins guide has the years. Used: door seals and arches, and the floor under any fitted ply where water sits; on older gearboxes, ask about fifth gear. The Ducato lengths guide maps what fits in each L.
| Variant | Interior L × W × H | Kerb | Payload | Left after build | Stand 1.75 / 1.85 | Across 1.70 / 1.80 | Toll | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L1H1 FWD | 2.67 × 1.87 × 1.66 m | 1,940 | 1,560 | 815 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✓ / ~ | 2 | <6 m |
| L2H1 FWD | 3.12 × 1.87 × 1.66 m | 1,980 | 1,520 | 771 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✓ / ~ | 2 | <6 m |
| L2H2 FWD | 3.12 × 1.87 × 1.93 m | 2,020 | 1,480 | 731 kg | ✓ / ~ | ✓ / ~ | 2 | <6 m |
| L3H2 FWD | 3.71 × 1.87 × 1.93 m | 2,095 | 1,405 | 650 kg | ✓ / ~ | ✓ / ~ | 2 | <6 m |
| L3H3 FWD | 3.71 × 1.87 × 2.17 m | 2,130 | 1,370 | 615 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ✓ / ~ | 2 | <6 m |
| L4H2 FWD | 4.07 × 1.87 × 1.93 m | 2,235 | 1,265 | 506 kg | ✓ / ~ | ✓ / ~ | 2 | 6–7 m |
| L4H3 FWD | 4.07 × 1.87 × 2.17 m | 2,270 | 1,230 | 471 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ✓ / ~ | 2 | 6–7 m |
Every variant with door apertures, wheel-arch geometry and the live payload readout is on the Fiat Ducato page — Boxer, Relay and ProMaster pages list the same body under the other badges.
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
The best van to drive and the hardest to plan around. 1.79 m between the walls means a longitudinal bed for anyone over about 1.65 m — or flares — and that one number costs half a metre of floor against a Ducato of the same outside length. The length letters do not line up either: a Sprinter L2 (5.93 m, 3.27 m of floor) is a Ducato L3’s size with 44 cm less floor; a Sprinter L3 is 6.97 m. Rear-wheel drive from L3 up, and it is heavy: an L3H2 keeps 330 kg after a 600 kg build where a Ducato L3H2 keeps 650.
Where it wins: the front-drive L2H2 (551 kg left, 5.93 m, stands 1.75 m) is a genuine sub-6 m couple’s van; factory 4×4 and AWD exist; the cab, seats and driving position are a class above; the dealer network is everywhere; it holds value. H2 is 1.91–1.94 m raw, H3 2.13 — but H3 only comes on the long rear-drive bodies. Sold as Freightliner in North America; no European twin since the Crafter split in 2017. Used: the pre-2018 NCV3 rusts at the arches, door edges and spring seats — look hard at anything with a winter-road history; the W907 (2018 on) is what the table describes.
| Variant | Interior L × W × H | Kerb | Payload | Left after build | Stand 1.75 / 1.85 | Across 1.70 / 1.80 | Toll | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L1H1 FWD | 2.61 × 1.79 × 1.66 m | 2,105 | 1,395 | 647 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L2H1 FWD | 3.27 × 1.79 × 1.65 m | 2,155 | 1,345 | 591 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L2H1 RWD | 3.27 × 1.79 × 1.65 m | 2,215 | 1,285 | 531 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L2H2 FWD | 3.27 × 1.79 × 1.94 m | 2,195 | 1,305 | 551 kg | ✓ / ~ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L2H2 RWD | 3.27 × 1.79 × 1.93 m | 2,255 | 1,245 | 491 kg | ✓ / ~ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L3H2 RWD | 4.31 × 1.79 × 1.92 m | 2,405 | 1,095 | 330 kg | ✓ / ~ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | 6–7 m |
| L3H3 RWD | 4.31 × 1.79 × 2.13 m | 2,440 | 1,060 | 295 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | 6–7 m |
| L4H2 RWD | 4.71 × 1.79 × 1.91 m | 2,445 | 1,055 | 286 kg | ✓ / ~ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | >7 m |
| L4H3 RWD | 4.71 × 1.79 × 2.13 m | 2,480 | 1,020 | 251 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | >7 m |
Every variant with door apertures, wheel-arch geometry and the live payload readout is on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter page.
Ford Transit
The most headroom per metre of length, and the only body with FWD, RWD and AWD in the same shell. 1.78 m between the walls puts it in the longitudinal-bed group with the Sprinter, but the roof is the story: H3 is 2.14 m raw on a 5.53 m L2 — the shortest van in the planner that clears a 1.95 m person — and 5.98 m on the L3, still under the 6 m band. The L2H3 FWD keeps 610 kg after the build; the L3H3 FWD 551.
The trade: the driveline is paid for in payload — the same L3H2 is 2,149 kg FWD, 2,237 RWD, 2,317 AWD, so an AWD L3H3 keeps 383 kg where the FWD keeps 551. The L4 (6.70 m, RWD only in the database) is the family option at 345 kg. Ex-fleet supply is the largest of any van in Europe and the US dealer network the widest; parts are cheap. Used: arches, rear-door edges and sills; ex-fleet motorway miles are usually the better buy over a tradesman’s short-trip van. No twin badge.
| Variant | Interior L × W × H | Kerb | Payload | Left after build | Stand 1.75 / 1.85 | Across 1.70 / 1.80 | Toll | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L2H2 FWD | 3.04 × 1.78 × 1.90 m | 2,095 | 1,405 | 655 kg | ✓ / ~ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L2H2 RWD | 3.04 × 1.78 × 1.90 m | 2,185 | 1,315 | 565 kg | ✓ / ~ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L2H2 AWD | 3.04 × 1.78 × 1.90 m | 2,265 | 1,235 | 485 kg | ✓ / ~ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L2H3 FWD | 3.04 × 1.78 × 2.14 m | 2,140 | 1,360 | 610 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L2H3 RWD | 3.04 × 1.78 × 2.14 m | 2,230 | 1,270 | 520 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L2H3 AWD | 3.04 × 1.78 × 2.14 m | 2,310 | 1,190 | 440 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L3H2 FWD | 3.49 × 1.78 × 1.90 m | 2,149 | 1,351 | 596 kg | ✓ / ~ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L3H2 RWD | 3.49 × 1.78 × 1.90 m | 2,237 | 1,263 | 508 kg | ✓ / ~ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L3H2 AWD | 3.49 × 1.78 × 1.90 m | 2,317 | 1,183 | 428 kg | ✓ / ~ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L3H3 FWD | 3.49 × 1.78 × 2.14 m | 2,194 | 1,306 | 551 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L3H3 RWD | 3.49 × 1.78 × 2.14 m | 2,282 | 1,218 | 463 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L3H3 AWD | 3.49 × 1.78 × 2.14 m | 2,362 | 1,138 | 383 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L4H3 RWD | 4.22 × 1.78 × 2.13 m | 2,393 | 1,107 | 345 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | 6–7 m |
Every variant with door apertures, wheel-arch geometry and the live payload readout is on the Ford Transit page.
Volkswagen Crafter (= TGE)
Two vans in one badge: the H2 is a trap, the H3 is the best ordinary high roof there is. Volkswagen’s “H2” is 1.73 m raw — 20 cm lower than everyone else’s H2 and a sit-down van for adults. The H3 is 1.96 m, which clears 1.85 m with room where the other H2s are marginal; H4 is 2.17. Width is 1.83 m, second only to the Ducato and the body that takes 12 cm of wall flares into a comfortable transverse bed for a 1.80 m sleeper.
What it costs: weight and money. An L3H3 FWD is 2,245 kg, 150 more than a Ducato L3H2, and keeps 500 kg after the build; the long rear-drive L5s keep 215–243. Lengths run L3 5.99 / L4 6.84 / L5 7.39 m, so the L3 stays under 6 m. FWD, RWD and 4MOTION from the factory (the database carries FWD and RWD). The MAN TGE is the same van from the same Polish line with a different grille and dealer; the pre-2017 Crafter is a Sprinter, with the Sprinter’s rust. Used: the current body is young on the market and generally sound; check the plate — many are 3.5 t derated from heavier ratings.
| Variant | Interior L × W × H | Kerb | Payload | Left after build | Stand 1.75 / 1.85 | Across 1.70 / 1.80 | Toll | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L3H2 FWD | 3.45 × 1.83 × 1.73 m | 2,176 | 1,324 | 569 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✓ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L3H2 RWD | 3.45 × 1.83 × 1.73 m | 2,236 | 1,264 | 509 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✓ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L3H3 FWD | 3.45 × 1.83 × 1.96 m | 2,245 | 1,255 | 500 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ✓ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L3H3 RWD | 3.45 × 1.83 × 1.96 m | 2,305 | 1,195 | 440 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ✓ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L4H3 FWD | 4.30 × 1.83 × 1.96 m | 2,349 | 1,151 | 388 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ✓ / ✗ | 2 | 6–7 m |
| L4H3 RWD | 4.30 × 1.83 × 1.96 m | 2,417 | 1,083 | 320 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ✓ / ✗ | 2 | 6–7 m |
| L4H4 FWD | 4.30 × 1.83 × 2.17 m | 2,377 | 1,123 | 360 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ✓ / ✗ | 2 | 6–7 m |
| L4H4 RWD | 4.30 × 1.83 × 2.17 m | 2,445 | 1,055 | 292 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ✓ / ✗ | 2 | 6–7 m |
| L5H3 FWD | 4.86 × 1.83 × 1.96 m | 2,416 | 1,084 | 315 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ✓ / ✗ | 2 | >7 m |
| L5H3 RWD | 4.86 × 1.83 × 1.96 m | 2,488 | 1,012 | 243 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ✓ / ✗ | 2 | >7 m |
| L5H4 FWD | 4.86 × 1.83 × 2.17 m | 2,444 | 1,056 | 287 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ✓ / ✗ | 2 | >7 m |
| L5H4 RWD | 4.86 × 1.83 × 2.17 m | 2,516 | 984 | 215 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ✓ / ✗ | 2 | >7 m |
Every variant with door apertures, wheel-arch geometry and the live payload readout is on the Volkswagen Crafter page — TGE page lists the same body under the other badge.
Renault Master (= Movano, NV400)
The value large van, with the tallest interior in the database and the narrowest walls. 1.76 m between the walls — longitudinal beds, no exceptions without flares. But the rear-drive H3 is 2.20 m raw (L3) and the front-drive H3 2.13, and the front-drive body is light: an L2H2 keeps 640 kg after the build, an L3H3 512. Used prices are the lowest of the large vans, which is the honest reason to shortlist it.
Watch the drive: the FWD and RWD Masters are different vans in the numbers — RWD adds 260 kg (L3H2: 2,191 vs 2,453 kg), so an L3H2 RWD keeps 290 kg where the FWD keeps 552, and the RWD roofline is higher (H2 1.93 vs 1.87 m). Lengths run L2 5.55 / L3 6.20 / L4 6.85 m; only the L1 and L2 stay under 6 m. Twins: Opel/Vauxhall Movano to 2021 (a Ducato after), Nissan NV400 and Interstar. Used: underbody and axle mounts; the low prices attract vans with deferred maintenance — insist on history.
| Variant | Interior L × W × H | Kerb | Payload | Left after build | Stand 1.75 / 1.85 | Across 1.70 / 1.80 | Toll | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L1H1 FWD | 2.58 × 1.76 × 1.69 m | 2,038 | 1,462 | 717 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L1H2 FWD | 2.58 × 1.76 × 1.89 m | 2,066 | 1,434 | 689 kg | ✓ / ✗ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L2H2 FWD | 3.08 × 1.76 × 1.88 m | 2,110 | 1,390 | 640 kg | ✓ / ✗ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L2H3 FWD | 3.08 × 1.76 × 2.13 m | 2,151 | 1,349 | 599 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L3H2 FWD | 3.73 × 1.76 × 1.87 m | 2,191 | 1,309 | 552 kg | ✓ / ✗ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | 6–7 m |
| L3H3 FWD | 3.73 × 1.76 × 2.13 m | 2,231 | 1,269 | 512 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | 6–7 m |
| L3H2 RWD | 3.73 × 1.76 × 1.93 m | 2,453 | 1,047 | 290 kg | ✓ / ~ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | 6–7 m |
| L3H3 RWD | 3.73 × 1.76 × 2.20 m | 2,495 | 1,005 | 248 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | 6–7 m |
| L4H2 RWD | 4.38 × 1.76 × 1.94 m | 2,513 | 987 | 224 kg | ✓ / ~ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | 6–7 m |
| L4H3 RWD | 4.38 × 1.76 × 2.19 m | 2,555 | 945 | 182 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | 6–7 m |
Every variant with door apertures, wheel-arch geometry and the live payload readout is on the Renault Master page — Movano and NV400 pages list the same body under the other badges.
Iveco Daily
A small truck with a van body — which is exactly its strength and its problem. Ladder frame, rear-wheel drive, the longest cargo floor in the planner (L5: 5.12 m) and the second-widest walls (1.80 m, a 1.70 m sleeper across with notched panels). H2 is 1.90 m, H3 2.10. Heavier-plated versions exist up to 7 t; the table is the 3.5 t plate everyone buys on a car licence.
And on that plate the long ones do not work: the frame and axles that make it tow and last also make it the heaviest van per metre — L4H3 keeps 127 kg after a 600 kg build, L5H3 keeps 48. The Daily that makes sense at 3.5 t is the L2H2 (5.72 m, 548 kg left) or L3H2 (6.18 m, 383); anything longer is either an uprate or a light build. No twin badge. Used: rust is less of an issue than on the Sprinter, but servicing is truck-shop servicing, priced accordingly.
| Variant | Interior L × W × H | Kerb | Payload | Left after build | Stand 1.75 / 1.85 | Across 1.70 / 1.80 | Toll | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L1H1 RWD | 2.64 × 1.80 × 1.55 m | 2,070 | 1,430 | 683 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L2H1 RWD | 3.16 × 1.80 × 1.55 m | 2,160 | 1,340 | 588 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L2H2 RWD | 3.16 × 1.80 × 1.90 m | 2,200 | 1,300 | 548 kg | ✓ / ~ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L3H2 RWD | 3.62 × 1.80 × 1.90 m | 2,360 | 1,140 | 383 kg | ✓ / ~ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | 6–7 m |
| L3H3 RWD | 3.62 × 1.80 × 2.10 m | 2,405 | 1,095 | 338 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | 6–7 m |
| L4H2 RWD | 4.72 × 1.80 × 1.90 m | 2,560 | 940 | 172 kg | ✓ / ~ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | >7 m |
| L4H3 RWD | 4.72 × 1.80 × 2.10 m | 2,605 | 895 | 127 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | >7 m |
| L5H2 RWD | 5.12 × 1.80 × 1.90 m | 2,635 | 865 | 93 kg | ✓ / ~ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | >7 m |
| L5H3 RWD | 5.12 × 1.80 × 2.10 m | 2,680 | 820 | 48 kg | ✓ / ✓ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | >7 m |
Every variant with door apertures, wheel-arch geometry and the live payload readout is on the Iveco Daily page.
4. Mid-size vans
The 1.9 m-wide class. Two things are true of all of them: every low roof is under 2.00 m tall (car tolls, car parks, no standing), and no body is wide enough to sleep an adult across — 1.63–1.78 m between the walls. Two high roofs stand as tall as a Transit H2; the rest are sit-down vans with a pop-top option. Payload is generous relative to their size because the plates are 3,050–3,100 kg and the vans are light.
Renault Trafic (= Vivaro, NV300, Talento)
The mid-size van with a real high roof. The H2 is 1.91 m raw — the same headroom as a Ford Transit H2 in a body 2.50 m tall outside — which makes an L2H2 Trafic (5.40 m, 2.94 m of floor, 426 kg left) the smallest standing camper in the planner. The H1 (1.97 m outside) is a class-1 toll van with 555 kg left and a 1.38 m ceiling. Width 1.66 m: longitudinal bed. Twins: Vauxhall/Opel Vivaro 2014–2019 (a Peugeot Expert after), Nissan NV300 and Primastar, Fiat Talento 2016–2020. Used: the high-roof examples are rare and priced accordingly.
| Variant | Interior L × W × H | Kerb | Payload | Left after build | Stand 1.75 / 1.85 | Across 1.70 / 1.80 | Toll | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L1H1 FWD | 2.54 × 1.66 × 1.38 m | 1,736 | 1,334 | 589 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✗ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
| L1H2 FWD | 2.54 × 1.66 × 1.91 m | 1,835 | 1,235 | 490 kg | ✓ / ~ | ✗ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L2H1 FWD | 2.94 × 1.66 × 1.38 m | 1,766 | 1,304 | 555 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✗ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
| L2H2 FWD | 2.94 × 1.66 × 1.91 m | 1,895 | 1,175 | 426 kg | ✓ / ~ | ✗ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
Every variant with door apertures, wheel-arch geometry and the live payload readout is on the Renault Trafic page — Vivaro, NV300 and Talento pages list the same body under the other badges.
Peugeot Expert (= ProAce, Scudo)
The lightest, lowest, most payload-rich sit-down van — and a sit-down van, full stop. 1.90–1.94 m tall outside in every length (class 1 tolls, every car park), 1.40–1.44 m inside; the XL keeps 522 kg after a build on a 3,100 kg plate, the best of the mid-sizes. 1.63 m between the walls is the narrowest of the class. No high roof exists. Sold as Toyota ProAce, Fiat Scudo (2022 on), Citroën Dispatch/Jumpy and, from 2019, Opel/Vauxhall Vivaro. This is the pop-top van: seated inside, standing under canvas when parked.
| Variant | Interior L × W × H | Kerb | Payload | Left after build | Stand 1.75 / 1.85 | Across 1.70 / 1.80 | Toll | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS FWD | 2.16 × 1.63 × 1.41 m | 1,744 | 1,356 | 615 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✗ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
| M FWD | 2.51 × 1.63 × 1.40 m | 1,780 | 1,320 | 575 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✗ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
| XL FWD | 2.86 × 1.63 × 1.44 m | 1,830 | 1,270 | 522 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✗ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
Every variant with door apertures, wheel-arch geometry and the live payload readout is on the Peugeot Expert page — ProAce and Scudo pages list the same body under the other badges.
Mercedes-Benz Vito (= Metris)
Rear-wheel drive, 1.91 m tall, and the heaviest of the low roofs. The Vito (Metris in North America) is the mid-size van with a car’s driving position and a 3,050 kg plate that leaves 351–426 kg after a build — enough for a bed, a galley box and a battery, not for a wet room. 1.38 m inside, 1.67 m between the walls, three lengths from 4.90 to 5.37 m outside. No high roof. Used: the rear-drive layout is the reason to buy it; check the load floor for fleet damage.
| Variant | Interior L × W × H | Kerb | Payload | Left after build | Stand 1.75 / 1.85 | Across 1.70 / 1.80 | Toll | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L1H1 RWD | 2.59 × 1.67 × 1.38 m | 1,880 | 1,170 | 426 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✗ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
| L2H1 RWD | 2.83 × 1.67 × 1.38 m | 1,920 | 1,130 | 384 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✗ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
| L3H1 RWD | 3.06 × 1.67 × 1.38 m | 1,950 | 1,100 | 351 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✗ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
Every variant with door apertures, wheel-arch geometry and the live payload readout is on the Mercedes-Benz Vito page — Metris page lists the same body under the other badge.
Volkswagen Transporter
The default small camper in Europe, and the numbers are why it is a compromise. The H1 is 1.99 m outside — 1 cm under the toll and car-park line, and a roof fan puts it over — with 1.42 m inside. The H2 (2.48 m outside) is 1.90 m raw and stands a 1.75 m person, but keeps only 327 kg after a build on the 3,080 kg plate. 1.70 m between the walls. The T6.1 in the table is Volkswagen’s own body; the T7 (2024 on) is a Ford Transit Custom. Used prices carry a badge premium out of proportion to the interior; the pop-top market is the largest of any van.
| Variant | Interior L × W × H | Kerb | Payload | Left after build | Stand 1.75 / 1.85 | Across 1.70 / 1.80 | Toll | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L1H1 FWD | 2.45 × 1.70 × 1.42 m | 1,884 | 1,196 | 452 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✗ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
| L2H1 FWD | 2.85 × 1.70 × 1.42 m | 1,949 | 1,131 | 383 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✗ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
| L2H2 FWD | 2.85 × 1.70 × 1.90 m | 2,005 | 1,075 | 327 kg | ✓ / ~ | ✗ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
Every variant with door apertures, wheel-arch geometry and the live payload readout is on the Volkswagen Transporter page.
Ford Transit Custom
Wider than the others, and its “high roof” is not one. 1.78 m between the walls (a 1.70 m sleeper across with notched panels — the only mid-size where that is close), 2.56–2.92 m of floor, 1.98 m tall outside in H1 form. The H2 is 1.70 m raw: a sit-down van at 2.27 m outside, which pays class-2 tolls for no headroom. Payload left is 296–392 kg on a 3,100 kg plate. From 2024 the same body is also the VW Transporter T7. Used: the large ex-fleet pool makes it the cheapest way into this class.
| Variant | Interior L × W × H | Kerb | Payload | Left after build | Stand 1.75 / 1.85 | Across 1.70 / 1.80 | Toll | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L1H1 FWD | 2.56 × 1.77 × 1.41 m | 1,963 | 1,137 | 392 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ~ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
| L1H2 FWD | 2.56 × 1.77 × 1.70 m | 2,000 | 1,100 | 355 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
| L2H1 FWD | 2.92 × 1.77 × 1.41 m | 2,019 | 1,081 | 333 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ~ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
| L2H2 FWD | 2.92 × 1.77 × 1.70 m | 2,056 | 1,044 | 296 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
Every variant with door apertures, wheel-arch geometry and the live payload readout is on the Ford Transit Custom page.
Toyota HiAce
The import. Rear-drive, famously durable, 1.77 m between the walls, and heavy for its size: 2,300–2,475 kg kerb, so the LWB keeps 452 kg after a build and the SLWB 271. The LWB is 1.99 m outside with 1.34 m inside; the SLWB 2.28 m outside, 1.63 inside — neither stands. Outside Australia, Japan and a few markets it is a grey import with the parts logistics that implies. The small-van layouts guide covers what fits in this class.
| Variant | Interior L × W × H | Kerb | Payload | Left after build | Stand 1.75 / 1.85 | Across 1.70 / 1.80 | Toll | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LWB RWD | 2.53 × 1.77 × 1.34 m | 2,300 | 1,200 | 452 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ~ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
| SLWB RWD | 3.18 × 1.77 × 1.63 m | 2,475 | 1,025 | 271 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ~ / ✗ | 2 | <6 m |
Every variant with door apertures, wheel-arch geometry and the live payload readout is on the Toyota HiAce page.
5. Compact vans
Car-derived vans: 1.53–1.61 m between the walls, 1.24–1.28 m inside, plates of 2,250–2,400 kg. The numbers say the same thing three times: a bed and a box, a battery and a cooker on a slide, and nothing else — a 600 kg build does not fit on these plates at all. They are in the planner because people convert them, and because they are the only vans that are car-sized in every sense: tolls, parking, fuel, insurance.
Ford Transit Connect
The plate is the whole story: 2,340 kg gross, 719–748 kg rated payload, and after a 600 kg build and the two-person reserve there is 9 kg left in the L1 and −24 in the L2. Read that as: the build must be under 300 kg. 1.79–2.19 m of floor, 1.27 m inside. The body in the table is Ford’s own (to 2022); the current Transit Connect is a VW Caddy.
| Variant | Interior L × W × H | Kerb | Payload | Left after build | Stand 1.75 / 1.85 | Across 1.70 / 1.80 | Toll | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L1H1 FWD | 1.79 × 1.53 × 1.27 m | 1,592 | 748 | 9 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✗ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
| L2H1 FWD | 2.19 × 1.53 × 1.27 m | 1,621 | 719 | -24 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✗ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
Every variant with door apertures, wheel-arch geometry and the live payload readout is on the Ford Transit Connect page.
Volkswagen Caddy Cargo
The lightest plate in the planner and the one Volkswagen sells as a camper itself. 2,250 kg gross, 659–704 kg payload — negative headroom on a 600 kg build by 36–85 kg, which is why the factory Caddy California is a bed, a slide-out cooker and not much else. 1.80–2.15 m of floor, 1.61 m between the walls (the widest compact), 1.86 m tall outside.
| Variant | Interior L × W × H | Kerb | Payload | Left after build | Stand 1.75 / 1.85 | Across 1.70 / 1.80 | Toll | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SWB FWD | 1.80 × 1.61 × 1.27 m | 1,546 | 704 | -36 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✗ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
| Maxi FWD | 2.15 × 1.61 × 1.28 m | 1,591 | 659 | -85 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✗ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
Every variant with door apertures, wheel-arch geometry and the live payload readout is on the Volkswagen Caddy Cargo page.
Citroën Berlingo Van
The most payload of the three, which is still not much. 2,400 kg gross leaves 152 kg after a 600 kg build in the M and 72 in the XL; realistic micro-camper builds of 250–350 kg fit with room. 1.82–2.17 m of floor, 1.53 m between the walls, 1.80 m tall — the lowest van in the planner, under every barrier. The same body is the Peugeot Partner/Rifter, Opel Combo, Toyota ProAce City and (2022 on) Fiat Doblò.
| Variant | Interior L × W × H | Kerb | Payload | Left after build | Stand 1.75 / 1.85 | Across 1.70 / 1.80 | Toll | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M FWD | 1.82 × 1.53 × 1.24 m | 1,509 | 891 | 152 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✗ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
| XL FWD | 2.17 × 1.53 × 1.26 m | 1,585 | 815 | 72 kg | ✗ / ✗ | ✗ / ✗ | 1 | <6 m |
Every variant with door apertures, wheel-arch geometry and the live payload readout is on the Citroën Berlingo Van page.
6. Buying used: the year traps and the plate
Most self-builds start with a used van, often ex-fleet. Two things go wrong at this stage that no amount of layout planning fixes afterwards: buying a badge that changed bodies, and trusting the kerb weight in the paperwork.
The badge is not the body
Rebadging deals expire mid-life, so the year decides which van a name refers to. If you are shopping by name, check this table before trusting a listing:
| Name | Before | After | What changes inside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opel / Vauxhall Movano | to 2021: Renault Master | 2021 on: Fiat Ducato | 1.76 → 1.87 m between the walls — the transverse bed appears |
| Opel / Vauxhall Vivaro | 2014–2019: Renault Trafic | 2019 on: Peugeot Expert | High roof (1.91 m) disappears; 1.66 → 1.63 m wide; under 2 m tall |
| VW Crafter | to 2016: Mercedes Sprinter | 2017 on: VW’s own body (= MAN TGE) | 1.79 → 1.83 m wide; H2 drops to 1.73 m; H3 1.96 |
| Mercedes Sprinter | to 2018: NCV3 | 2018 on: W907 (the table) | Front-drive L1/L2 arrive; rust reputation belongs to the old one |
| Fiat Talento → Scudo | 2016–2020: Trafic | 2022 on: Expert | Different bodies; the Scudo is a sit-down van |
| Nissan NV400 / NV300 | — | Interstar (2022) / Primastar (2021) | Names only; still Master and Trafic bodies |
| Ford Transit Connect | to 2022: Ford’s own | 2022 on: VW Caddy | Plate 2,340 → 2,250 kg |
| VW Transporter | to 2024: T6.1 | T7: Ford Transit Custom | 1.70 → 1.78 m wide; high roof becomes a 1.70 m “H2” |
Read the plate, then weigh it anyway
The plate in the door jamb (or the V5C / Zulassungsbescheinigung fields F.1 and F.2) gives the gross mass and the two axle limits. The kerb weight in the paperwork is a base figure — no options, a driver at 75 kg, a 90 % tank — and real vans are 50–150 kg heavier. Every “left after build” number in this guide starts from the planner’s base kerb figures, so before you buy a van whose number is under 400 kg, drive it over a public weighbridge: it costs €10–25 and it is the only payload figure that is yours. The payload guide walks through the plate line by line, and the payload calculator turns the weighbridge ticket into a build budget.
Ex-fleet beats tradesman
A courier van with 150,000 motorway kilometres and a stamped book is usually in better shape than a builder’s van with 80,000 short cold trips and a wrecked load bay. Mileage is a weaker signal than use profile and history. Per body: Ducato arches, door seals and under-ply floors; Sprinter (pre-2018) arches, door edges, spring seats; Transit arches, rear-door edges, sills; Crafter/TGE the plate rating; Master/Movano underbody and axle mounts, and a full history; Daily nothing unusual beyond truck-priced servicing. And on every one of them: a van with paperwork and 20,000 km more beats the bargain without.
7. The six regrets, in the order people make them
“Mistakes to avoid” posts list insulation and electrics. Those are fixable. The regrets below are baked into the vehicle on the day you buy it, which is why they belong in this guide and not in a build guide.
- Bought the length before the width. A Sprinter L3 for a transverse bed: 6.97 m of van, and the bed still goes down one side because the walls are 1.79 m apart. The width decision comes first; the sleep-across table is the check.
- Bought a Crafter H2 to stand up in. 1.73 m raw. Every other H2 is 1.90 m or more; Volkswagen’s standing roof starts at H3.
- Bought a long rear-drive van for a family. Sprinter L4, Master L4, Daily L4/L5: 48–251 kg left at the two-person reserve, before four berths and four seats add 170 more. The uprate and the C1 licence were part of the purchase price and nobody said so.
- Bought a mid-size “high roof” to stand up in. Transit Custom H2 is 1.70 m; only the Trafic H2 and Transporter H2 actually stand, at 1.90–1.91.
- Planned the van around the rear axle. Garage, water, bikes and a second battery all behind the axle on a front-drive body — legal on the gross weight, over on the rear axle, and light on the wheels that steer. The weight-distribution post is the fix, and it is cheap at the planning stage.
- Treated uprating as a plan. Going to 3,850 or 4,250 kg solves the plate and creates the licence, the toll class, the speed limits and the ferry category. The cheaper solution was a lighter, shorter, front-drive body — which is what the tables above keep pointing at.
The common thread: each is a number that was on the spec sheet. The planner shows all five for every variant before you buy — pick the body, place the bed and the tanks, and read the weight, the standing height and the axle split off the screen instead of off the weighbridge.
8. FAQ
What is the best van to convert into a camper?
For a couple who can sleep across the van, a Fiat Ducato / Peugeot Boxer / Citroën Relay (Jumper) / RAM ProMaster L2H2 or L3H2: the widest interior of any panel van (1.87 m between the walls), the lightest kerb weight in its class (L3H2 2,095 kg, about 650 kg of payload left after a 600 kg build), 1.93 m of headroom, and an L3 that is 5.998 m long — under the 6 m ferry band. If you need to sleep lengthways anyway, the Ford Transit (tallest roof per metre, FWD/RWD/AWD), VW Crafter (1.96 m H3) and front-drive Sprinter L2 compete on the other numbers.
Which van has the most interior space for a camper conversion?
By floor length, the Iveco Daily L5 (5.12 m) and Crafter L5 (4.86 m); by width, the Ducato family (1.87 m between the walls); by height, the Renault Master RWD H3 (2.20 m), then Ducato H3 and Crafter H4 (2.17 m). The most usable space per metre of vehicle is the Ducato L3H3: 3.71 × 1.87 × 2.17 m inside a 5.998 m body.
Which vans can you stand up in?
Any large van with an H2 roof or taller if you are under about 1.80 m: Ducato, Sprinter, Transit, Master and Daily H2 are 1.90–1.94 m raw, about 1.85 m after floor and ceiling. H3 roofs (2.10–2.20 m) clear a 1.95 m person. The VW Crafter H2 (1.73 m) does not — its standing roof is the H3 at 1.96 m. Among mid-size vans only the Trafic/Vivaro H2 (1.91 m) and Transporter H2 (1.90 m) stand; the Transit Custom H2 (1.70 m) and every low roof do not.
Which van can you sleep across?
Without modifying the walls, only the Ducato family: 1.87 m between the bare walls, about 1.81 m finished, which fits a 1.75 m sleeper and a 1.80 m one with the panels notched at head and feet. The Crafter (1.83 m) and Daily (1.80 m) get there with wall flares of about 12 cm; Sprinter (1.79), Transit (1.78) and Master (1.76) need flares for anyone over about 1.65–1.70 m. No mid-size van sleeps an adult across.
Which van stays under 3.5 tonnes after a conversion?
Any short or medium front-wheel-drive large van, with room to spare: after a 600 kg build and the EN 1646-2 reserve for two, a Ducato L2H2 keeps about 730 kg, a Ducato L3H2 650, a Master L2H2 640, a Transit L2H3 FWD 610, a Sprinter L2H2 FWD 550. The long rear-drive bodies — Sprinter L4, Crafter L5, Master L4, Daily L4 and L5 — keep 50–290 kg and are an uprate for a family build. No compact van (Caddy, Berlingo, Transit Connect) carries a 600 kg build on its plate.
Is a Sprinter or a Ducato better for a camper conversion?
The Ducato on the layout numbers: 8 cm wider between the walls (transverse bed possible), 310 kg lighter at the same length (L3H2: 2,095 vs 2,405 kg), cheaper to buy and to fix. The Sprinter on the driving numbers: a better cab, rear-wheel drive, factory 4×4, stronger resale. The Sprinter that competes with a Ducato L3 is the front-drive L2H2 (5.93 m, 551 kg of payload left), not the L3.
What is the best small van for a camper conversion?
If you must stand: the Renault Trafic / Vivaro (to 2019) / NV300 H2 — 1.91 m of headroom in a 5.40 m body, 426 kg of payload left. If you must stay under 2 m for tolls and car parks: the Peugeot Expert / Toyota ProAce XL (1.94 m tall, 522 kg left, the lightest) or Trafic L2H1 (1.97 m, 555 kg). The VW Transporter H1 is 1.99 m — one roof fan over the line — and keeps only 383 kg.
Does rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive cost payload?
Yes, on the same body. Rear-wheel drive adds 60–90 kg of kerb mass (Transit L3H2: 2,149 kg FWD, 2,237 RWD; Sprinter L2H2: 2,195 vs 2,255), a Master RWD adds about 260 kg because it is a different rear axle, and all-wheel drive adds about 170 kg (Transit L3H2 AWD: 2,317 kg). The plate stays at 3,500 kg, so the driveline is paid for entirely in payload.
Which vans are the same vehicle under different badges?
Ducato = Boxer = Relay/Jumper = ProMaster (and Movano from 2021). Master = Movano to 2021 = NV400/Interstar. Crafter = MAN TGE (and the Crafter was a Sprinter until 2016). Trafic = Vivaro to 2019 = NV300/Primastar = Talento. Expert = ProAce = Scudo = Dispatch/Jumpy = Vivaro from 2019. Vito = Metris. The Sprinter, Transit, Daily, Transporter (to 2024) and Transit Custom have no European twin.
Should I buy the van first or plan the layout first?
Plan first, to the body, not the badge. Decide whether you sleep across (width), whether you stand (height), how many zones you need (length) and how much payload the build leaves, then shop every badge that shares the body you chose — a layout designed for a Ducato fits a Boxer to the millimetre. The planner holds all 159 variants with their real interiors, so you can place the bed and the tanks in three candidate bodies in an afternoon before spending anything.
