As the holder of Highly Commended status in the medium van category of the What Van? Awards and a former winner of the prize, expectations were high when the Proace took up a long-term position on the magazine’s fleet.
Our version was powered by a 180hp 2.0-litre Euro6 diesel engine – the most powerful engine in the line-up – that was mated to a six-speed auto gearbox. The engine offered an official 0-62mph time of 10 seconds, and delivered plenty of go on the motorway. The steering, meanwhile, was light, and could have done with being a little more responsive on twisty countryside roads. The Proace, however, is easy to manoeuvre at low speeds, and therefore agile enough to be guided into town centre parking spaces reasonably comfortably.
Inside you’ll find a cabin that’s practical due to both the hard-wearing, easy-to-clean black plastic and the amount of storage on offer, which includes a space underneath the middle seat big enough for a laptop. The driver’s seat is comfortable for long journeys, and the passenger and middle seats are fine for kids, but less so for adults – particularly my retired parents, who I had to collect from the airport – as the protruding moulding, where the automatic transmission sits as part of the dash, juts into the cabin and steals legroom from the middle passenger.
The most eye-catching item in the cabin is the head-up display, which whirs up from the dash when the van is powered up and looks like a Perspex slide. It displays speed and satnav directions and helps to keep the driver’s vision on the road ahead. Also eye-catching, however, was the sudden disappearance of the USB port that’s located next to the 12V supply and below the central locking button, and which vanished into a black hole behind the dash the first time I went to use it and applied the merest pressure. That meant a trip to the Steven Eagell Toyota dealership in Bucks, who were very friendly, fixed the issue (the port had probably not been clipped in properly on the production line) in around an hour, washed the van, and did it all for free.
I also noticed that the buttons on the touchscreen could be a bit ‘slippy’ – i.e. difficult to press – when changing preset radio stations in traffic, which meant a passenger completing the task for me, or if I was alone using the steering wheel or voiced-activated controls instead.
Our Toyota was equipped with the Smart Cargo system that enables narrow items that are too long for the load bay to be transported. It was used when I collected a second-hand wardrobe, that had been disassembled, on behalf of a friend. Most parts slid easily into the back, while the runners for the doors slotted through a panel located behind the passenger seat in the bulkhead. The passenger seat swivels up too so the load can fit in the cabin footwell. The system extends the overall load length from 2.5m to 3.7m, and volume from 5.3m3 to 5.8m3. The last time the load space was used, though, was when I had to take a dead dishwasher to the tip.
I’ve had friends take a casual interest in the van, paying particular interest to its looks. Part of that interest is due, I reckon, to the distinctive Ember Orange colour. Having lived with the Proace for six months, I like the look and feel, and my final thoughts match my first impressions: I’m impressed by the seeming effortlessness with which this LCV goes about its business.
End-of-term report
Reputation = 4/5
Loses a mark only because we don’t currently consider it to be the leading LCV in its sector.
Cabin = 3/5
Solid performance. All the bases are covered and the comfort is good, but the USB port disappeared early on.
Service = 5/5
Okay, it was only a small job, but we received free, efficient service with a smile, nevertheless.
Load bay = 5/5
The load bay is without doubt a flexible space that’s simple to access.
Driving = 3/5
The Proace is a very easy-going vehicle out on the road.
Looks = 3/5
The Toyota has been attracting some admiring glances.
Overall score : 77%
Toyota Proace Design Medium 2.0 Auto
Mileage 4,649
Official combined consumption 49.6mpg
Our average consumption 37.9mpg
Price (ex VAT) £29,036
Price range (ex VAT) £19,128-£31,078
Warranty 5yrs/100,000mls
Service intervals 1yr/10,000mls
Load length 2,512/3,674mm*
Load width (min/max) 1,258/1,628mm
Load bay height 1,397mm
Gross payload 1,400kg
Load volume 5.3m3/5.8m3*
Engine size/power 1,997cc/180hp
Gearbox 6-spd auto
CO2 151g/km
* Including Smart Cargo system
5th Report
Our particular version of the Toyota Proace is powered by a 180hp 2.0-litre Euro6 diesel engine – the most powerful engine in the line-up – that’s mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox.
They make a great pairing – for both motorway work, where the engine provides more than enough power to be at home in the outside lane on days when the roads are busy but free-flowing, and in more stop-start scenarios due to a smooth-changing ’box.
If you want, it’s possible to switch to manual operation of the gearbox and use the steering wheel-mounted paddle controls to change up and down.
The steering, meanwhile, is light and breezy, although it could do with being a little more responsive when moving through countryside bends.
However, the Proace is easy to manoeuvre at low speeds, and is therefore agile enough to negotiate town centre parking spaces fairly comfortably.
The model only comes in one roof height, which is low enough to get under the height-restriction barriers found in some parking locations.
In-cab noise levels are kept well under control, and the ride is decent with a load in the back.
The Proace feels refined at cruising speeds and, all round, is a pleasant, relaxing and comfortable vehicle to drive. Those are family car-like qualities that can be attributed to the platform – used for the Peugeot 308, for example – the van is built on.
Finally, the likes of a gear dial rather than stick that’s simplicity itself to operate, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot mirror tech, and parking sensors at the front and back (and which also alerted me to an overgrown bush to the side on a recent occasion) all contribute to making life for the Proace driver as undemanding as possible.
Report Card: Driving = 5/5
Very easy-going out on the road.
Toyota Proace Design Medium 2.0 Auto
Mileage 3,999
Official combined consumption 49.6mpg
Our average consumption 37.3mpg
Price (ex VAT) £29,036
Price range (ex VAT) £19,128-£31,078
Warranty 3yrs/60,000mls
Service intervals 1yr/10,000mls
Load length 2,512/3,674mm*
Load width (min/max) 1,258/1,628mm
Load bay height 1,397mm
Gross payload 1,400kg
Load volume 5.3m3/5.8m3*
Engine size/power 1,997cc/180hp
Gearbox 6-spd auto
CO2 151g/km
* Including Smart Cargo system
4th Report
Our Proace features the excellent Smart Cargo system that allows long, narrow items that are too big for the load bay to be transported.
And it works.
It was put to the test when a friend wanted me to collect a second-hand bedroom cupboard that had been disassembled.
The panels slid easily into the back, but the runners for the doors, for instance, were too long.
That’s where the hatch behind the passenger seat, in the bottom of the bulkhead, comes into play.
First, you clamber into the load bed and twist a yellow catch to release the panel; that will tip back onto the load bed floor, or can easily be removed completely.
Then you go into the cabin, and pull on a blue tag at the base of the passenger seat, which releases it upwards, revealing the gap through to the load bay.
The system extends overall length from 2.5m to 3.7m, and volume from 5.3m3 to 5.8m3.
On top of that, the Proace comes with sliding doors on both sides of the vehicle, as well as rear double doors that open to 180° very easily.
Report Card: Load bay = 5/5
The load bay in the Proace is without doubt a flexible space that’s simple to access.
Toyota Proace Design Medium 2.0 Auto
Mileage 2,941
Official combined consumption 49.6mpg
Our average consumption 37.7mpg
Price (ex VAT) £29,036
Price range (ex VAT) £19,128-£31,078
Warranty 3yrs/60,000mls
Service intervals 1yr/10,000mls
Load length 2,512/3,674mm*
Load width (min/max) 1,258/1,628mm
Load bay height 1,397mm
Gross payload 1,400kg
Load volume 5.3m3/5.8m3*
Engine size/power 1,997cc/180hp
Gearbox 6-spd auto
CO2 151g/km
* Including Smart Cargo system
3rd Report
Not a good start for Toyota build quality, although the Proace is, of course, a rebadged version of the Peugeot Expert and Citroen Dispatch due to the manufacturer’s production agreement with PSA, and at the time I hoped it wasn’t set to be a sign of things to come.
Washed, repaired and ready to go
As the USB connection had fallen too far down and the slot that had been its home was too small for me to squeeze my fingers through, it meant I had to call a dealership to get the issue fixed.
Naturally, I started with Toyota’s light commercial vehicle dealers, of which there are around 50 Business Centres specialising in LCVs.
However, there wasn’t one within 25 miles of where I lived, and I was hoping to pop into somewhere a little more convenient.
Therefore I turned my attention to car dealerships, and the Steven Eagell business in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, was very obliging, offering over the phone to not only take a look, but to book in the Proace for a one-hour investigation.
All fixed
If they could fix it in that time, they would, and if they couldn’t we agreed I would drive away again and bring the van back again another time for a longer inspection.
Once a small glitch with their booking system was overcome, I was given an appointment. The customer service on arrival and throughout was very friendly, and I was given a seat plus offers of complimentary coffee to keep me going while I waited.
After an hour or so, I was presented with a vehicle that had been washed and a USB port that had been fixed. I was also given an explanation that the likely cause of the problem had been that the USB connection hadn’t been clipped on properly when the van was making its way down the factory assembly line.
The only thing I wasn’t given, however, was a bill, because Steven Eagell carried out the repair free of charge. And for that they get a big pat on the back.
In other news, the Proace’s average fuel economy for every fill-up so far has been very consistent, with no tank lower than 37.3mpg and no tank higher than 38.1mpg, although it’s still relatively early days. While this remains some way short of the official combined cycle consumption of 49.6mpg it is a respectable figure for a medium van in real conditions.
Report Card: Service = 5/5
Okay, it was only a small job, but we received free, efficient service with a smile, nevertheless.
Toyota Proace Design Medium 2.0 Auto
Mileage 2,852
Official combined consumption 49.6mpg
Our average consumption 37.7mpg
Price (ex VAT) £29,036
Price range (ex VAT) £19,128-£31,078
Warranty 3yrs/60,000mls
Service intervals 1yr/10,000mls
Load length 2,512/3,674mm*
Load width (min/max) 1,258/1,628mm
Load bay height 1,397mm
Gross payload 1,400kg
Load volume 5.3m3/5.8m3*
Engine size/power 1,997cc/180hp
Gearbox 6-spd auto
CO2 151g/km
* Including Smart Cargo system
2nd Report
Step inside the cabin environment of the Proace and, with the exception of the seats, you’re greeted by a sea of hard, black, practical plastic.
Practical not only because it’s hard-wearing and simple to keep clean, but also because there are several places to store stuff.
These include a lidded bin in the top of the dash and a glovebox in front of the passenger seat.
There are a couple of shallow, open slots here and there too – in the centre of the dash and below the window in the doors – plus the obligatory deeper bins in the bottom of the doors.
A couple of locations for drinks bottles exist too, placed at either end of the dash, but as my son found on a journey to play football they don’t take larger-diameter examples.
Storage extends to a space underneath the middle seat that’s big enough to take a laptop.
There is no overhead shelf, but the back of the middle seat can be flipped down to create a writing surface.
We mentioned the seats at the beginning and they must be comfortable – I say ‘must be’ because I didn’t notice any discomfort during a near two-hour slog around the M25 for a meeting, and that’s a good sign, right?
They feature height-adjustable headrests and lumbar support, but the armrest that’s stashed away upright between the driver and middle seats when not in use is a bit puny and is perhaps best described as an ‘elbow rest’.
Winter comfort has been aided by an aircon system that heats up fairly smartly and DAB audio on miserable overcast drives (I’d forgotten just how good the BBC’s 6 Music is.)
The most (literally) eye-catching item is the head-up display that whirs up from the dash in the driver’s line of vision and looks like a Perspex slide. It helps keep the driver’s eyes on the road and displays, for example, speed and satnav directions.
The image that appears on it can also be adjusted for height as well as brightness. What can’t be changed though, as far as I can tell, is the tone for incoming calls – it sounds like background music at a garden party for pixies, although a stressed delivery driver might find it soothing.
The volume can be adjusted, and that’s achieved via the touch screen in the middle of the dash.
Finally, we did encounter a more serious issue, and that’s the disappearance of the USB port that was located next to the 12V supply and below the central locking button.
But that’s a story for a future report.
Report Card: Cabin = 3/5
Solid performance. All the bases are covered and the comfort is good, but the USB port disappeared early on.
Toyota Proace Design Medium 2.0 Auto
Mileage 2,354
Official combined consumption 49.6mpg
Our average consumption 37.3mpg
Price (ex VAT) £29,036
Price range (ex VAT) £19,128-£31,078
Warranty 3yrs/60,000mls
Service intervals 1yr/10,000mls
Load length 2,512/3,674mm*
Load width (min/max) 1,258/1,628mm
Load bay height 1,397mm
Gross payload 1,400kg
Load volume 5.3m3/5.8m3*
Engine size/power 1,997cc/180hp
Gearbox 6-spd auto
CO2 151g/km
* Including Smart Cargo system
(See below for previous report)
1st Report
The much-garlanded Toyota Proace has taken up residence with our long-term fleet.
The current holder of the Highly Commended status in the medium van category, second only to the Ford Transit Connect, the Proace has previously been considered by us to be the best medium van in the 2018 Awards, and the best LCV of all a year before that.
Sharing both a platform and those awards with its Citroen Dispatch and Peugeot Expert counterparts, the Proace will form part of the What Van? long-term team until the middle of the summer.
Our test vehicle is of medium length – compact and long versions are also available – and features the only roof height that Toyota has to offer.
Power comes courtesy of a 180hp 2.0-litre Euro6 diesel engine – the most powerful one in the line-up – with a top speed of 105mph and a 0-62mph time of 10 seconds. The engine is mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox.
Standard equipment on the top Design specification, meanwhile, includes stop-start, electric windows, digital radio, head-up display, satellite navigation, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry, 17in alloy wheels, and three front seats. The only option selected is the Ember Orange metallic paint, which adds £545 to the retail price.
My early thoughts on the vehicle include being impressed by the seeming effortlessness with which it goes about its business – everything from how the Proace drives to the layout of the dashboard comes across as being designed to make modern light commercial life as uncomplicated as possible.
However, doing simplicity well is difficult. We will see over the next six months whether this award-winning Toyota van can maintain what is a promising start.
Report Card: Reputation = 4/5
Loses a mark only because we don’t currently consider it to be the leading LCV in its sector.
Toyota Proace Design Medium 2.0 Auto
Mileage 1,701
Official combined consumption 49.6mpg
Our average consumption n/a
Price (ex VAT) £29,036
Price range (ex VAT) £19,128-£31,078
Warranty 3yrs/60,000mls
Service intervals 1yr/10,000mls
Load length 2,512/3,674mm*
Load width (min/max) 1,258/1,628mm
Load bay height 1,397mm
Gross payload 1,400kg
Load volume 5.3m3/5.8m3*
Engine size/power 1,997cc/180hp
Gearbox 6-spd auto
CO2 151g/km
*Including Smart Cargo system
