If you need to haul people, gear, bags, and holiday shopping, nothing beats a van. Their spacious interiors can seat your entire clan plus extended family without sacrificing cargo-carrying capabilities. When not packed with people, vans excel at hauling just about everything else, so you’ll be able to fill it gifts and then some. To celebrate the season when consumerist desires become insatiable, here are a dozen vans that will make your holiday shopping easier. They’ve been ordered based on cargo capacity and—in the case of commercial vans—maximum payload.
Large Vans
For folks who need to haul massive gifts or pile after pile of smaller presents for the entire family, nothing beats a large commercial van. Available in cargo or passenger configurations, they offer plenty of space to haul your shopping and even friends and family who want to tag along, provided you pick one with a passenger variant.
Nissan NV 3500 HD
Maximum Payload: 2,587 to 3,535 pounds
Sharing its bones with the aging Armada SUV and the outgoing Titan, the Nissan NV 3500HD can be had with 317-hp, 5.6-liter V-8 with 285 lb-ft of torque, so you can haul your shopping and haul on the road. Although the passenger version won’t have as much space as the cargo variant, it seats up to 12 passengers and can be configured 324 different ways, so you can maximize people and cargo room if the whole clan wants to splurge at shopping malls.
Ram ProMaster
Maximum Payload: 3,810 to 4,440 pounds
Based on the European-market Fiat Ducato, the Ram ProMaster is one of the quirkiest and polarizing commercial vehicles on the market today. As a cargo van, the ProMaster is a great shopping companion thanks to its cavernous cargo bay, which can make hauling furniture a breeze in case one of your friends or relatives decides they want a couch or a bed for Christmas. If you’ll be driving quite often to get your holiday shopping done, the ProMaster can be had with a frugal 3.0-liter, turbodiesel I-4 that makes 295 lb-ft of torque, which is perfect for those heavy payloads from lands far, far away.
Ford Transit
Maximum Payload: 2,610 to 4,560 pounds
Currently one of the most capacious commercial vans available, the Ford Transit will make quick work of hauling holiday shopping even when it’s configured as a passenger van. There’s no need to leave the family behind—the Transit has plenty of room for everyone, and you can configure the cabin so that it has enough seats for people and plenty of cargo space in case someone decides to go crazy at every store.
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
Maximum Payload: 2,465 to 4,813 pounds
The most capable commercial van available is one with a three-pointed star, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. Regardless of whether you have the cargo or passenger variant, the Sprinter is a cavern on wheels. No gift is too large, and should you happen to have the extended wheelbase, super high roof cargo van, you’ll be able to fit an entire small apartment if someone asks for a fully furnished home for two. For maximum hauling capability, go for the 3.0-liter, turbodiesel V-6, which produces 325 lb-ft of torque and 188 hp.
Compact Vans
Is a full-size commercial van too big and cumbersome? If that’s the case, a compact van will suit your needs better, especially if you live in the city where you have to deal with tight spaces and limited parking. Additionally, compact commercial vans offer a nice balance of generous interior space and superior handling when compared to their larger counterparts, making them a great choice for urban holiday shopping extravaganzas.
Nissan NV200
Maximum Payload: 1,480 pounds
Slotting underneath the massive NV series full-size commercial vehicle, the Nissan NV200 was built with the urban environment in mind. With a turning circle of 36.7 feet, the NV200 will make driving through the city stress-free because it’ll be able to squeeze through tight spaces with ease and turn around without having to make multiple forward and backward maneuvers. Additionally, the spacious cargo area will help you haul your shopping out of the urban jungle with ease.
Ram ProMaster City
Payload: 1,883 pounds
The Ram ProMaster’s little brother, the ProMaster City, is essentially a Fiat Doblo, so it also comes with plenty of Italian charm. Available as a cargo or passenger van called the ProMaster City Wagon, Fiat-Chrysler’s Italian-American compact commercial vehicle is as quirky as its big brother but is more at home in the city thanks to its 42-foot turning radius and small size. Its generous cargo capacity also makes it a great companion for you holiday shopping because it’s got the space to haul all kinds of goods regardless of the size.
Ford Transit Connect
Payload: 1,130 to 1,620 pounds
If there is true compact van on sale today, it’s the Ford Transit Connect, which can be had as a cargo van or a nicely appointed people mover with seating for up to seven. Sharing the same bones as the Focus, the Transit Connect handles well and is easy to maneuver thanks to a 36-foot turning radius (40 feet for the long-wheelbase model). For your holiday shopping needs, the cargo variant has the most cargo space in its long-wheelbase configuration. If the long-wheelbase variant is too big, the standard Transit Connect also offers plenty of flexibility in a smaller package along with an optional 178-hp, 1.6-liter EcoBoost turbo-four in case you want more gusto.
Mercedes-Benz Metris
Maximum Payload: 1,874 to 2,506 pounds
Slotting below the larger Sprinter, the Mercedes-Benz Metris is the smallest commercial vehicle sold with a three-pointed star. Under the hood it has a 2.0-liter turbo-four with 208 hp and 258 lb-ft, which it shares with the CLA250 and GLA250, so it’s got plenty of torque to haul a large payload of holiday gifts of any size. In case you need passenger space, there’s also a passenger variant that can seat eight, but keep in mind that also drops your cargo capacity. Urbanites need not fear the tight confines they live in, because the Metris’ 38.2-foot turning circle will make maneuvering it in the city a breeze.
Minivans
For those looking for a car that can haul with better appointments and passenger comfort, a minivan is the perfect solution. Ideal for those holiday shopping sprees where you’ve got a couple of friends and family members who want to tag along, minivans come with plenty of space and flexibility so that you can configure the cabin with the right blend of cargo and passenger capacity.
Kia Sedona
Don’t call the Kia Sedona a minivan; instead, view at it as a luxurious personal utility vehicle that can haul all of your holiday shopping and your fashionable friends, especially in the range-topping SXL trim. Regardless of whether you have the seven- or eight-passenger configuration, the Sedona offers top-class interior appointments. In a January minivan comparison test, the Sedona was crowned the winner.
Chrysler Town & Country
Despite its age, the Chrysler Town & Country remains a viable vehicle for hauling because it comes with plenty of space and features such as second- and third-row seats that fold down into the floor. If it’s only you in the car and you’ve got a huge shopping list that includes items of different sizes, you can turn the Town & Country into a dedicated cargo hauler to carry everything from toys to Ikea furniture and appliances. Look for a fully redesigned sixth-generation Chrysler Town & Country to greet the public sometime in 2016 and include a hybrid variant.
Honda Odyssey
As one of the most family-friendly vehicles available today, the Honda Odyssey is a great holiday shopping companion. With seating for up to eight, the Odyssey can accommodate the entire family, but if you need it to haul a bunch of shopping, it’s also willing to do that thanks to its spacious cabin that offers plenty of flexibility to carry everything from flat pack furniture to gigantic stuffed animals for the little ones.
Toyota Sienna
For families with the need for all-weather traction to conquer holiday shopping trips, the Toyota Sienna will be perfect, as it’s the only minivan available with AWD. Sporting a flexible, cavernous interior that can be configured to accommodate the ideal mix of passengers and cargo, the Sienna will let you fit everything without leaving anyone behind. If it’s only you shopping for gifts for other people, you can remove the second row and stow the third just in case someone asks for a full set of flat pack furniture for Christmas.
With all of these people and cargo haulers available now, there’s a van for everyone’s taste. Tell us in the comments below which one you’d pick for your holiday shopping sprees. Happy holidays!
The post The 12 Best Vans for Holiday Shopping appeared first on Motor Trend.
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