Toyota Proace review

A choice of four four-cylinder turbodiesel engines are on offer in the Proace, though if that sounds old-school an all-electric version has just joined the family. It’s good for 200 miles of range and for businesses that need to make lots of urban deliveries, it’s a stellar option. 

We’ve been testing the range-topping 178bhp diesel allied to the eight-speed automatic gearbox – you have to upgrade to this most powerful diesel to get the self-shifter. All versions are front-wheel drive.

Sounds like most people won’t bother with the auto then.

That’s a pity, as it means the majority of Proace buyers will likely choose to save a few quid (more like £1,500, in fact) and DIY, but the auto ‘box is a great match for this engine – actually better than many of the downsized petrol applications it’s lumped with elsewhere in the Peugeot-Citroen range. 

It’s calibrated just-so not to freak out and kick down into a panic when you simply want to join a motorway. The 0-62mph time is an amusing 8.5 sec, which is far from slow, but it’s the in-gear punch that makes life easy. 

Is it a pain to manoeuvre?

Because the Proace is half a size smaller than the likes of a VW Transporter or Mercedes Vito, it feels usefully narrow and wieldy. Stability is superb even at motorway speeds when empty of cargo – if you’ve not upgraded your workhorse in a while you’ll likely be stunned at just how civilised life can be in a commercial vehicle these days.

Engine refinement is another strong suit, with wind noise predictably more of a din. 

Nothing that’d make a long day behind the wheel tiring though. You can sense the French comfiness at work here: this is a machine designed with low effort in mind. The steering is one-hand palmable, the ride settled, the performance adequate.