Two of Europcar’s new model Volkswagen Crafter vans.

Europcar has added 170 new model Volkswagen Crafter vans to its UK rental fleet. The new vehicles will be available at Europcar locations from this month.

The firm has used Volkswagen vans before but the new Crafter is an important model for the German manufacturers, as it’s an all-new in-house design, rather than a re-badged Mercedes-Benz Sprinter like previous models.

The new model features a raft of safety features including City Emergency Braking and Front Assist, both designed to minimise or avoid frontal collisions in traffic. Parking sensors are also a useful addition for drivers who may not be used to driving a van.

Commenting on the new vans, Stuart Russell, Specialist Vehicles Director at Europcar UK Group, said:

“The Volkswagen Crafter is a welcome addition to the Europcar commercial fleet. The new model is one of the most practical, economical and safest vans currently on the market and was designed from the ground up to appeal to businesses across various industries.”

Europcar’s new Crafters are powered by the 140 PS version of Volkswagen’s 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine, which the firm says has been specially designed for commercial vehicles, not simply transposed from its car range.