Angling Times has paired up with Parkers – the definitive resource for car buying advice in the UK – to recognise the Best Small Van as part of the Parkers Vans and Pickups Awards 2026.
The Ford Transit Courier emerged as the winner, with the small van one of three Fords to collect a prestigious award. Parkers revealed the winners today (10 November) with five category winners and one overall champion picking up well deserved accolades.
The Transit Courier’s win is all the more impressive as it also picked up the title in 2025, so it has managed to remain at the top of a competitive class that features rivals from all the major van manufacturers. It deserves its win as it offers a good amount of space in the loading area and has a comfortable and practical cabin and drives fantastically. It’s aided in that final regard by the fact that it is based on the brilliant platform that also sits underneath several of Ford’s passenger car range.
Parkers Vans and Pickups Editor Tom Webster said: ‘The Ford Transit Courier is a small van that doesn’t feel diminutive yet still remains accessible to those who might not be used to driving a commercial vehicle. The visibility and driving experience mean that you can leap into one without feeling intimidated as you might in a much larger vehicle. Despite this you can still carry loads more than the equivalent-sized car, which makes it the perfect companion for anglers that carry a wide range of equipment.
The winning van has been put through its paces by a number of the Parkers team, in various different forms, with the diesel and electric models both assessed.
Tom added: ‘There is only the one size of Transit Courier, which keeps things simple, but there are some clever add ons to help make the most of the space. The optional load-through hatch underneath the passenger seat lets you take long, thin items measuring up to 2.6m in length. Perfect for longer rods and poles for example.’
The Parkers Van and Pickups Awards 2026 are designed to guide the demanding needs of Britain’s commercial vehicle buyers. The winners are chosen by an expert team, with thousands of miles’ of experience of testing all the latest vans and pickup trucks, factoring in the requirements of the site’s users, who have accounted for 27.8 million sessions and 112 million page views in the last 12 months (GA, November 2025).
More details about the awards can be found on the Parkers website.
