What is the International Van of the Year Award?

The International Van of the Year Award is the most prestigious award in the light commercial vehicle sector. Judged by experts from across the world, it has been running for more than 30 years.

Here's what you need to know about the International Van of the Year (IVOTY), its history and the past winners.

About International Van of the Year (IVOTY)

The International Van of the Year (IVOTY) is the most prestigious annual award recognising excellence in the light commercial vehicle (LCV) sector in Europe and beyond.

It honours the van that makes the most significant advancement in terms of innovation, efficiency, productivity, safety, environmental impact and real-world performance.

Unlike consumer-oriented car awards, IVOTY is organised by a dedicated panel of specialist journalists from commercial vehicle and transport publications across Europe, who receive no funding or commercial gains for their work.

Their collective expertise means the winner isn’t chosen by sales volume or marketing but through experience from professional journalists who understand the van segment, how people use vans in their daily business and the market for vans.

History of the IVOTY award

The International Van of the Year award began in 1992 as a spin-off from the long-running International Truck of the Year award, applying a similar judging structure and constitution to the lighter van sector.

IVOTY was created at a time when the van market was rapidly growing and diversifying beyond basic boxy versions of passenger vans or chassis cabs into more purpose-built panel vans.

The objective of the award was to provide a neutral, expert-led benchmark for manufacturers and fleet buyers alike. Its judging panel drew on their wealth of experience in the road transport media, applying the same rigorous judging to the new award as they had done previously for the heavy truck award.

From the Volkswagen Transporter T4, which won the inaugural award in 1992, to the increasingly varied list of winners today, the award showcases how vans have evolved. Winners often embrace new technologies such as electrification, connected vehicle systems, safety assistance, efficiency improvements and sustainable powertrains and the award has often been ahead of its times in recognising future trends in the sector.

Over the decades, IVOTY has mirrored the changing demands of fleet customers, recognising its winners for their advancements in everything from load carrying capacity and durability, through to zero-emission drivetrains, digital services and safety features.

Who organises and judges the International Van of the Year?

IVOTY is run by International Van Of The Year Co Ltd, a non-profit organisation made up of the most knowledgeable and respected commercial vehicle journalists from many different countries.

Each jury member typically represents a leading trade magazine or media outlet in their market.

Van Reviewer is the official publication representing the UK.

Jury members and countries

The jury membership is intentionally broad and international and currently comprises 26 journalists from different countries, including Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, South Africa, Sweden, Turkey and many others.

As well as voting in the awards, members are expected to:

• Represent their country’s foremost commercial vehicle publication
• Be independent of van manufacturers
• Publish and support IVOTY results editorially in their markets

Election of members

The jury’s membership has evolved over time, and new members are elected to reflect broader market coverage or evolving media landscapes, demonstrating IVOTY’s commitment to inclusivity and expertise.

New candidates are vetted and approved by existing members and voted in, in accordance with the IVOTY constitution.

How is the International Van of the Year Judged?

IVOTY’s judging process is structured to reflect industry trends and model launches for that year.

Manufacturers submit new van models introduced into the European (and adjacent) markets for consideration, presenting them to the jury and allowing them to test drive the vans.

A long-list of eligible candidates is then drawn up by the jury.

The jury then compiles a shortlist, typically of four or more models, which is usually published ahead of voting.

Evaluation criteria

Vans can make the shortlist for a number of reasons including:

• Technological innovation
• Productivity
• Safety features
• Environmental performance
• Ergonomics and design
• Payload and productivity versatility
• Fleet suitability

Jurors conduct hands-on testing, are given technical briefings and are engaged with their local market to gain key insights on the real-world needs and demands of the sector.

Voting and awarding a winner

Once assessments are complete, members vote, and the van with the strongest overall case is named International Van of the Year.

Jury members have a maximum of 12 votes to use with no more than seven able to be awarded to a single van model.

The result is usually announced at a dedicated awards ceremony or a major industry event. Currently the award announcement rotates between the IAA Hannover trade fair and the Solutrans commercial vehicle show in Lyon.

Why International Van of the Year matters

IVOTY is highly respected because it is an industry-led award made up of respected commercial vehicle editors with day-to-day insight into LCV markets.

It also highlights the real technical progress of the industry, with winners often setting benchmarks in their segment for any number of reasons, from emission reduction, payload and productivity or safety and usability.

The award also influences fleet purchase decisions, with operators looking to IVOTY winners as proven performers and trendsetters.

International Van of the Year FAQ

Complete list of International Van of the Year Winners

Here’s a complete table of all International Van of the Year (IVOTY) winners from the first award in 1992 through to 2026.