New HYUNDAI ILOAD VAN review at a glance:
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Advantages: Well-equipped vehicle, very good level of refinement, practical and comfortable on road, punchy diesel engine and smooth gearbox, extended warranty

Disadvantages: Very limited range, lack of storage, some inconvenient details
New HYUNDAI ILOAD Review:
The Hyundai iLoad is a great-value medium-sized van.

With a high level of refinement, a comfortable cabin and a smooth yet punchy diesel engine, it is little surprise that there is a passenger car version in the shape of the i800 people carrier.

Unlike many other vans, it comes fully trimmed in either carpet or plastic, to avoid any exposed metal.

The upside of this is the smart, comfortable feel it gives. The downside is that it can be difficult to keep clean.

There is hardly any engine or road noise, making the iLoad ideal for long distances, not to say about the comfortable and supportive seats that make the journey even better.

The layout of the switches and instruments too is clear and easy to get in but the neat-looking stereo does not have RDS, necessitating constant retuning on the move. Storage could be better too.

There’s no denying that iLoad is well-equipped.

Electric windows and mirrors come as standard, as do air-conditioning, driver and passenger airbags, and a high-quality MP3-compatible stereo radio/CD player – and it boasts decent speaker and an input socket that allows for an iPod to be plugged in. There is a standard central locking but it is surprisingly it’s not on a remote.

There are two useful glove boxes and the back of the middle seat flips down to reveal two cup holders and a small working area that can be used when you need to complete paperwork. Besides, chunky heating, ventilation and air-condition controls make life easier for the driver.

Three seats come as standard, but the middle perch is narrow and of dubious practical value.

The occupant is secured by a lap strap and suffers from a lack of legroom. The set-up might be sufficient for a five-minute local trip, but certainly not for a long distance run.

Good to see that the driver’s seat is height-adjustable, as is the steering column. As a consequence there should be no trouble finding a comfortable driving position.

Marketed in Britain with one wheelbase and one roof height, the rear-wheel drive iLoad is powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder 16-valve common rail CRDi diesel engine married to a five-speed manual gearbox.

Top power of 114hp kicks in at 3,800rpm with a maximum torque of 343Nm. The gearbox is precise, light and smooth in traffic.

The Crew Van gets a second row of seats plus a 2.5m3 cargo area at the back separated from the passenger saloon by a glazed bulkhead. This van offers a top payload of 1,059kg, a load length of 1,585mm and grosses 3,230kg.

The above details apply to the Comfort specification of iLoad, which Hyundai expects to be by some margin the best-selling version in the UK. Shorn of air con, electric mirrors and the passenger air bag, the more basic Classic is also being marketed.

The iLoad is also up for grabs as a six-seater Crew Van. Both are available to special order with a lead time of around three months.

Hyundai offers an extended warranty on this new van. Indeed, all models are protected by a five year/100,000 mile warranty plus RAC breakdown cover, including recovery and home assistance, for the first year of ownership.

It is therefore a shame that the range is limited with only a single wheelbase, roof height and engine available. But for small and medium businesses that run a handful of vehicles, it is a very good deal.