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Your van did the job when you started. Now the work is bigger than your van. You’re doing two trips where one used to do. The obvious fix is a bigger van. But which kind? So we’ve put three vans side by side: the biggest Citroën Relay panel van, the Renault Master Luton low loader and the Nissan Interstar low loader. The first question for each one is whether your bulky loads will fit. Then we look at what matters around it: how high you lift, how much more you fit and how much weight you can carry.
The short answer:
the Relay gives you 4,070mm of floor and 1,422mm between the arches, enough for a standard door to lie flat. The Renault Master low loader gives you a little more length (4,110mm) and height (2,185mm). On both low loaders the width between the wheel boxes depends on the body fitted. It's all about cubic capacity - the Interstar and Master low loaders are 19m3 - we can get larger if required. But floor size alone doesn't decide it. The right van comes down to three other things.
How high you lift
Every load must get up to the van floor before it goes in. A low loader is built on a chassis that sits nearer the ground. The Relay's floor is 535mm off the ground, the low loaders' floors sit lower. Most low loaders have a step, which are less than 30cm off the ground, allowing easy access. It matters most when you’re loading all day. If you’re loading bulky items over and over, a lower floor saves you that lift every time.
How much more you can fit
Floor size only tells you about the floor. It doesn’t tell you about the space above it. On a low loader the box also reaches forward over the cab, which gives you extra room for long or bulky items. If your loads are big but light, that extra room is worth looking at.
How much weight you’re allowed to carry
That’s your payload. Every van has a legal maximum weight when fully loaded (its GVW). All three here are 3,500kg. The van’s own weight comes off that before you load anything. A box body adds to that weight.
On the published specs, the Relay carries 1,260kg, the Master low loader *1,100kg and the Interstar low loader *1,100kg (*±5% variance weighed without driver and fuel). They're closer than you might expect. We'll let you know when you speak to us, so we can help you decide on the right body. Go over your payload and you’re driving an overloaded van, which is against the law.
Why test with doors and sofas?
Because between them they test the whole load space. A door tests the floor: length and width. A sofa adds height. A van can look big enough and still not take them. A standard UK internal door is 1,981mm tall and 762mm wide. Sofas vary. Measure yours: length, depth and height.
Check any van in two minutes
You don’t need to stand next to a van to know if your loads will fit. You need a few numbers from the spec and a bit of subtraction.
- Take the load length and subtract the length of your longest item. Anything above zero is floor left behind it.
- Take the width between the wheel arches and subtract your item’s width (a sofa’s depth). Anything above zero means it sits flat on the floor.
- Take the load height and subtract your item’s height. Anything above zero means it fits under the roof.
- Check the rear door opening. Your item must get in, not just fit once it's inside.
- Add up the weight of a full load and check it against the payload.
Where the numbers come from
Every figure here comes from the published spec. Click any van’s name to check the figures for yourself. Figures checked on 2 Nov 2026.
The low loaders work a little differently. Their box body is a conversion:
Conversion: any modification made after the van leaves the factory, such as a Luton, low loader, tipper or dropside. That means the load space figures for the low loaders come from the company that builds the body, not from the van manufacturer.
Words worth knowing
Load length: the usable floor length inside the back. This is the number that answers whether your load fits.
Payload: how much you can carry once the van itself is accounted for.
Gross vehicle weight: the maximum the van is legally allowed to weigh when fully loaded. Often shortened to GVW.
Low loader: a box body on a chassis built to sit low. The floor is nearer the ground. That means less lifting on every load.
Luton: a box body that reaches forward over the cab roof for extra space.
1. Citroën Relay L4 H3 Enterprise 140PS: the biggest Relay panel van
L4 H3 means the longest body and the tallest roof in the Relay range. If you’re in a mid-size panel van now, this is the natural next size up. You stay in a panel van. You just get more of it.
How bulky goods fit: a standard door lies flat on the floor. The 4,070mm load length leaves 2,089mm behind it. The 1,422mm between the arches leaves 660mm across.
The numbers: 17m³ of load space, 1,260kg of payload, 2,172mm of load height and a 535mm floor height off the ground.
The catch: it only takes one stack. Two doors side by side need 1,524mm and the gap between the arches is 1,422mm.
It’s the right van if: you need more space, not a different kind of van.
Check out the Citroën Relay.
2. Renault Master 150PS Luton low loader: the step up
This is a different kind of van. A low loader is a cab with a box body built on a low chassis. Straight box sides mean fewer awkward corners than a panel van’s curved ones.
How bulky goods fit: the published spec gives 4,110mm of load length, 1,870mm of load width and 2,185mm of load height: a little longer and taller than the Relay. The gap between the wheel boxes is the figure to check. We'll let you know when you speak to us, so we can help you decide on the right body.
What the numbers say: a payload of 1,100kg on the published spec. It's a 3.5t van and can tow a braked trailer of up to 2,500kg. Check both figures for the finished van.
The catch: it’s a big van to live with. It’s 6,960mm long and 2,820mm tall. Check your yard, your drive and any height barriers before you order.
It’s the right van if: your van’s full long before it’s heavy. Or you’re loading and unloading all day and your back has started to notice.
Check out the Renault Master.
3. Nissan Interstar 150PS low loader: the other step up
The Interstar is built on the same base as the Renault Master. So why compare both? Because the body fitted, the spec and the price can differ and those decide which one suits your work.
How bulky goods fit: the load space depends how the body is built after the van leaves the factory. Before you order, we’ll get the body spec and check your bulky goods can fit.
What the numbers say: a payload of 1,100kg on the published spec. It’s a 3.5t van and can tow a braked trailer of up to 2,500kg. Our conversion experts can help you decide on the right body.
The catch: like any low loader, the low floor can mean wheel boxes inside the body. Those narrow the floor. Check the gap between them before you rely on it for bulky items.
It’s the right van if: you want a low floor and the Interstar's price or spec suits you better than the Master’s.
Check out the Nissan Interstar.
Which one is for you?
Honestly, there’s no loser here. The Relay is the biggest step you can take and still drive a Relay. The low loaders are the step after that.
Stay with a panel van like the Relay if:
- Your loads fit inside 17m³ with room to spare.
- You want more room in a van that drives and parks like the one you've got.
Step up to a low loader if:
- Your van fills up before it gets heavy.
- You lift kit in and out all day. A lower floor saves you lifting on every load.
- You carry long or bulky items that need the space over the cab.
Master or Interstar?
They share a base, so the choice comes down to the body fitted, the payload of the finished van and the price. Both are available on finance or to buy outright. Tell us what you carry and we'll put them side by side for you.
Check this before you go bigger. A bigger van doesn’t always carry more weight. Look at the payload figure for the exact van you’re buying. If you regularly carry heavy loads, that number matters more than the volume. Want to compare more vans? See our load space guide for low loader and Luton vans on offer.
H2: Frequently asked questions
What is a low loader van?
It’s a van with a box body on a chassis that sits low. The floor is nearer the ground than on a standard box van. That makes heavy or awkward kit easier to load.
Will a sofa fit in a van?
Measure the sofa’s length, depth and height. Check them against the van’s load length, the width between the wheel arches and the load height. Each van figure needs to be bigger. Check on the spec before you buy.
Luton low loader or panel van: which should I choose?
Start with what fills your van up first. If you run out of space before weight, look at a Luton low loader. If you run out of weight first, a larger panel van may suit you better.
Will a door fit in a van?
A standard internal door (1,981 × 762mm) lies flat in every medium and large panel van in our load space guide. To carry two side by side, you need more than 1,524mm between the wheel arches.
Luton low loader or panel van: which should I choose?
Start with what fills your van up first. If you run out of space before weight, look at a Luton low loader. If you run out of weight first, a larger panel van may suit you better.
Does a bigger van mean I can carry more weight?
Not always. Every van has a legal maximum weight and the van’s own weight counts towards it. A box body adds weight. Check the payload for the exact van you’re buying.
Not sure which way to go?
Tell us what you carry and how often. We’ll tell you which van does the job, what it costs and when you can have it. Call us on 0177 453 1631.
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