A small van is the cheapest way into a fridge van: cheaper to buy, cheaper to run and far easier to park on a city round. The Vauxhall Combo and the Ford Transit Connect are two of the most common choices. Here’s how they compare once they’re converted to carry chilled or frozen goods.
The two vans in brief
| Ford Transit Connect | Vauxhall Combo | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Small | Small |
| Lengths | L1 and L2 | L1 and L2 |
| Fuel | Diesel, or petrol plug-in hybrid | Diesel, or fully electric (Combo Electric) |
| Fridge vans on our stock (October 2026) | 2024 L2 Limited: chiller £22,995 +VAT, freezer £23,995 +VAT | None today; we can source and convert one |
What the conversion changes
Whichever van you choose, the conversion changes the numbers in the brochure. We line a chiller with 50mm of insulation and a freezer with 75mm, so the load space ends up a little smaller than the bare van’s, and the lining and the fridge unit add weight that comes off the payload.
So compare converted vans, not brochure figures. If you have a minimum load you have to carry, tell us what it is and we’ll check it against the actual van after conversion.
Running costs and ULEZ
- Diesel: both are available with modern diesel engines that meet the Euro 6 standard London’s ULEZ asks for. Check the exact van on the TfL vehicle checker.
- Plug-in hybrid (Transit Connect): runs on electric power for shorter trips, with a petrol engine for longer ones.
- Fully electric (Combo Electric): no tailpipe emissions and no ULEZ charge. Remember the fridge needs power too, so the range on a working fridge van will be less than the bare van’s figure.
Which should you choose?
Choose the Transit Connect if you want a fridge or freezer van from our stock, or if a plug-in hybrid suits a mix of town and longer runs.
Choose the Combo if you want a small van that’s fully electric, for town rounds where charging at base each night is easy.
It’s also worth looking at the Mercedes-Benz Citan: we have new, cancelled-order Citan chillers and freezers with delivery miles.
See every Ford Transit Connect fridge van and Mercedes Citan fridge van we have, all our small fridge vans, or read small refrigerated vans: the complete business guide. Not sure which suits your round? Call us on 01444 245555.
