If you want a new car but would rather not spend much, Dacia is a great place to start your search.

This budget brand builds some of Britain’s cheapest new cars, including the Sandero hatchback. And don’t think cheap automatically means corners have been cut, because the Sandero has been commended at the annual What Car? Car of the Year awards on numerous occasions.

Other Dacia models include the&nbsp;higher-riding Sandero Stepway, seven-seat Jogger, and rugged Duster SUV. And while these cost slightly more than the Sandero, they’re still priced aggressively enough that they’re really only competing directly with used cars.

Dacia manages this by borrowing mechanicals and technology from its owner, Renault, to minimise development costs.

DACIA

Duster Commercial

Commercial vehicle SUVs usually sit in one of two camps. They’re either luxurious versions of passenger car siblings, or bare-bones workhorses stripped of any flourishes to make them practical and robust. The Dacia Duster Commercial&nbsp;sits between the two.

You see, like the rest of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/dacia">Dacia</a> range, it trades on its value for money as well as a certain back-to-basics appeal that suits a working vehicle.

The Duster Commercial is based on the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/dacia/duster/estate/review/n67">Dacia Duster</a> family SUV, but has been specially converted to give it a loadspace suitable for a working life. That means the rear seats have been removed and replaced with a flat floor and mesh bulkhead. There’s also a full-length load cover and blacked-out rear windows to improve security.&nbsp;

The engine range consists of the one-litre TCe 90 petrol, the 1.3-litre TCe 150 petrol and the 1.5-litre Blue dCi&nbsp;diesel. There’s no BiFuel LPG version as there is in the car range.

You get two-wheel drive as standard, but four-wheel drive is available as an option if you choose the&nbsp;diesel engine, and you can have an automatic or manual gearbox. In terms of trim levels, there are just two – Essential and&nbsp;Expression – and they mirror the equipment levels available with the passenger Duster.

SUV conversions to commercial vehicles were once all the rage, but they're&nbsp;relatively rare these days. This Duster van’s nearest rival is the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/jimny/van/review/n23250">Suzuki Jimny LCV</a>&nbsp;while&nbsp;other commercial SUVs available include the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/land-cruiser/4x4/review/n23714">Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial</a>, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/defender/4x4/review/n23209">Land Rover Defender Hardtop</a> and the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/discovery/4x4/review/n17342">Land Rover Discovery</a> Commercial. Those last three are bigger and much more expensive, though.

Over the next few pages of this review, we'll tell you more about the Dacia Duster Commercial, including how we rate it in all the important areas.

And remember, next time you buy a new&nbsp;vehicle, make sure you search for the lowest prices using our free What Car? <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">New Car Deals</a> pages.&nbsp;

Read more: <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/how-we-test-vans-at-what-car/n26797">How we test vans</a>

Commercial SUV is good to drive, affordable and has plenty of carrying capacity

Dacia Duster Commercial

These vehicles are often considered as the first run on the commercial vehicle ladder. They're typically smaller than the smallest actual vans, but have been modified to maximise the cargo space inside – something usually achieved by losing the rear row of seats.

Car-based van

The Land Rover Defender Hard Top is the commercial ‘van’ version of the latest Defender luxury SUV, reviving&nbsp;a&nbsp;name dating back to 1950, when a removable roof was first offered&nbsp;for the soft-top Series 1.&nbsp;

Now, you might think resurrecting the Hard Top designation&nbsp;is a bit&nbsp;odd given that the modern Defender has a fixed roof, but it’s a symbolic move.&nbsp;The original was as popular with farmers as it was with fashion-conscious buyers, and the British brand&nbsp;hopes to repeat that trick by offering one with purely utilitarian roots.&nbsp;

Like the regular <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/defender/4x4/review/n21198">Land Rover Defender</a>, the Hard Top is available as either a three-door ‘90’ or a five-door ‘110’ and ditches the rear seats so you get a larger cargo space.&nbsp;Both body styles have&nbsp;a reinforced bulkhead separating the interior from the storage area, multiple lashing points in the rear, lockable underfloor storage and heavy duty hose-down rubber mats.&nbsp;

From the outside, the Hard Top&nbsp;looks very similar to the passenger model&nbsp;– the only real giveaway is that the rearmost side windows have been replaced with solid panels. The 110 retains its rear doors, but the glass in them has been heavily tinted and reinforced with an internal layer of hard plastic.

Under the skin, the Hard Top&nbsp;retains the regular Defender’s four-wheel drive system, which makes&nbsp;it very capable off-road, although air suspension is an option that is only available on the 110. The 90 is limited to one engine and one trim level choice, while 110 buyers can pick from three engines and three additional trim levels.&nbsp;

The Defender Hard Top's closest rivals are&nbsp;the Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial&nbsp;and off-road capable pick-ups such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/ranger/4x4/review/n17250">Ford Ranger</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/navara/pick-up/review/n17169">Nissan Navara</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/hilux/pick-up/review/n17270">Toyota Hilux</a>. Over the next few pages, this review will tell you how it stacks up against them, plus&nbsp;what it’s like on the road, how classy it is inside and whether it's costly to run.&nbsp;

If you do decide to buy a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/land-rover">Land Rover</a> – or any make or model of vehicle that suits your needs – remember that you could save thousands of pounds by checking out the best prices using the free <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car? New Car Buying service</a>.

Read more: <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/how-we-test-vans-at-what-car/n26797">How we test vans</a>

Land Rover is synonymous with SUVs, and especially with the Defender – the rugged runabout that has seen service in war zones across the world, but also as part of the Queen’s personal garage.

If off-road prowess is one of Land Rover’s core values, though, the other is luxury. Indeed, the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Velar are among the best luxury SUVs you can buy.

The Discovery, meanwhile, is a practical rival for the Audi Q7 and BMW X5, while the stylish Evoque (which is available as a three-door convertible as well as a traditional SUV) goes head to head with Audi’s Q3 and BMW’s X1.

In the coming years, we’ll see a new road-biased ‘Road Rover’ as well as an all-new Defender.

LAND ROVER

DEFENDER

Blends incredible off-road capability and practicality with on-road comfort and refinement better than any other commercial vehicle

Land Rover Defender Hard Top

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/zoe/hatchback/review/n152">Renault Zoe</a> Van has several things going for it, chiefly that it’s cheap to run and can take you further than any other electric powered van.

Despite those positives, this Zoe isn't&nbsp;really a van as you know it. Like the rival&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta-van/van/review/n22198">Ford Fiesta Van</a>, this small hatchback is a rear-seats-out conversion from the passenger car, with a mesh bulkhead and flat floor.

That makes it a very small car-based van, with a load volume of just 0.51m3 and a maximum payload of just 387kg – by comparison, the Ford Fiesta Van has just under 1m3 and a 530kg payload allowance.

Power comes from an electric motor producing 107bhp, while the battery is a 52kWh pack that&nbsp;is capable of taking you up to 245 miles on a single charge. The option of specifying it with a fast charging system of up to 50kW also means that an 80% charge can be added in just 70 minutes. Alternatively the Zoe Van is fitted with a so-called Chameleon charger, which can adapt 3kW to 22kW supplies.

Other, larger rivals for the Zoe van include the Fiat Fiorino and the now discontinued but much-missed <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/corsa/van/used-review/n21705">Vauxhall Corsavan</a>.

Read more: <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/how-we-test-vans-at-what-car/n26797">How we test vans</a>

Hatchbacks, SUVs, hybrids, electric cars: Renault makes them all, in a variety of shapes and sizes, meaning&nbsp;it has a line-up designed to tempt pretty much everyone.

From the roadside, the standout feature of all its cars is design, with them instantly recognisable as members of the Renault family, without being so similar that they fall&nbsp;into the Russian doll trap. However, in terms of ability they're a mixed bag,&nbsp;ranging&nbsp;from very good to no better than average.

Models that fall into the former camp include the Clio small hatchback and Megane E-Tech electric car, while the smaller Zoe electric car is also impressive in most respects; it's just a pity Renault omits key safety kit.

On the other hand, the Captur, Arkana and Austral SUVs are all outclassed by several rivals.

Renault has some exciting new models planned, including a new Scenic (this time it will be an electric SUV instead of a conventionally powered MPV) and two cars that reimagine classic Renaults: the 4 and 5.

RENAULT

Zoe Van

The Renault Zoe Van is far from being your typical commercial vehicle, but if you need to move a small load then it can do it very cheaply and comfortably.

Renault Zoe Van

It's wise to wear boots with steel toe caps on building sites for added protection and practicality – and you could argue that the Toyota Corolla Commercial van is a steel toe capped equivalent of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/estate-cars/n16998">estate car</a> it's based on.

You see, the Corolla Commercial is a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/corolla/estate/review/n19141">Toyota Corolla Touring Sports</a> that's had the rear seats removed to make way for a&nbsp;flat&nbsp;rubberised loading bed. Its car origins should make it more comfortable to use every day than other vans, but&nbsp;where does that place it against rivals?

Well, currently the Corolla Commercial's closest rivals are passenger estate cars, such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus/estate/review/n8">Ford Focus Estate</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/estate/review/n40">Skoda Octavia Estate</a>. You might also be looking at <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-best-small-vans-2023/n20723">small vans</a>&nbsp;based on cars, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/dacia/duster-commercial/van/review/n25152">Dacia Duster Commercial</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/caddy/van/review/n18482">VW Caddy Cargo</a>.

What also distances it from rivals is that <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/make/toyota">Toyota</a>&nbsp;has given it a 'self-charging'&nbsp;hybrid engine set-up like the one in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/corolla/hatchback/review/n18901">Toyota Corolla</a>. Most vans have a conventional or mild-hybrid petrol or diesel engine, although there are also increasing numbers of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-electric-vans/n21136">electric vans</a> coming on to the market now.

On paper, then, the Toyota Corolla Commercial looks like a unique offering. But does it go far enough to tempt buyers away from an estate car, or one of the more comfortable vans on the market? That's what we'll tell you over in this review.

We've put it&nbsp;through its paces and rated&nbsp;it in all the important areas, including practicality, performance and comfort. We’ll tell you how it scored, and also have a look at how it stacks up against the rivals you might be considering.

Read more: <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/how-we-test-vans-at-what-car/n26797">How we test vans</a>

Estate

Toyota is a company undergoing a quiet revolution, as it works hard to replace its sensible but somewhat bland reputation with one for being a bit more daring, in areas such as the styling of its cars and its enthusiastic leadership of cutting-edge technology, such as hybrid systems.

That process seems to be working for buyers, with the hugely popular and striking-looking C-HR SUV in particular attracting a great deal of interest. The latest version of the hybrid Prius is also rated highly by What Car?; it’s the first Prius to go on sale that our testers have felt can truly compete all round with existing petrol or diesel rivals.

However, it’s worth noting that this period of transition is also a work in progress, and that many of the firm’s cars are still rated as being no more than average among class rivals by our testers.

TOYOTA

COROLLA

This van based on the Corolla Touring Sports estate is cheap to run and more comfortable to drive than van-based rivals, but can't match them for cargo-lugging practicality

Toyota Corolla Commercial

The&nbsp;Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial&nbsp;is the sort of vehicle you might use to make a delivery if the address is ‘Third red tent from the left, Everest Base Camp, Nepal’. That’s because the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/land-cruiser/4x4/review/n17251">Toyota Land Cruiser</a> it’s based on is widely believed to be the most rugged yet&nbsp;reliable SUV&nbsp;available.

To turn the regular Land Cruiser into the Commercial version, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/make/toyota">Toyota</a> has ditched the rear seats in favour of cargo space, and blacked out all the rear windows to keep everything in there safe from prying eyes. The load area is lined with rubber matting that you can hose down, and now features lashing points so you can keep everything where it should as you ascend that mountain pass.

Further good news comes in the form of decent amounts of equipment, even in the basic Utility spec. For example, you get keyless entry and start, air-conditioning, cruise control, a DAB radio and heated electrically adjustable door mirrors. The Active model adds a touchscreen multimedia system with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a> smartphone mirroring, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors.

The Commercial gets the regular Land Cruiser’s four-wheel-drive system, which is what gives the car its legendary off-road ability, but is not available with&nbsp;air suspension. That's a shame, because it’s an optional extra on the biggest rival, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/defender/4x4/review/n23209">Land Rover Defender Hard Top</a>. The other rivals are pick-ups such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/ranger/4x4/review/n17250">Ford Ranger</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/isuzu/d-max/pick-up/review/n17221">Isuzu D-Max</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/hilux/pick-up/review/n17270">Toyota Hilux</a>&nbsp;– which are all pretty hand off road, but will need a&nbsp;roll-top cover to keep everything in the load bed secure.

In this review, we'll tell you how the Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial compares with the best commercial SUVs and pick-ups in terms of performance, day-to-day usability and load-lugging ability. We can help you to work out whether or not it should be on your company's shopping list, too.

Read more: <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/how-we-test-vans-at-what-car/n26797">How we test vans</a>

LAND CRUISER

The 'van' version of the Land Cruiser SUV is an impressive commercial vehicle and a good alternative to a traditional pick-up truck

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