The best vans, according to hackers
3 vans were recommended on Hacker News between November 2025 and November 2026. We rank them by how many separate people recommend each one, and 2 earn the Hacker Approved badge.
Top picks
The two most recommended vans with the badge. Each figure is one person. RecommendsCriticizes One comment
Practical for trade and hauling work
Large, practical full-size van that people choose for trade work, hauling and storage. Critics point to its height in high winds and recurring maintenance gotchas on 07+ models.
Popular with builders and businesses
Recommended for its load space, payload and pulling power, and as a common builder's van; the main caveat is that its size makes it harder to drive and park.
All 3 vans, ranked
Select a column heading to sort. Approval share is recommenders out of everyone who gave an opinion; the tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs. Months counts the months, out of 13, in which someone recommended it.
| Rank | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes-Benz Sprinter | 14 | 2 | 88% | 5 | — | Approved |
| 2 | Ford Transit | 11 | 5 | 69% | 6 | — | Approved |
| 3 | Ford Transit Connect | 6 | 1 | 86% | 4 | — | — |
How we rank
Rank is the number of separate people who recommend a product in a Hacker News comment over the past year. Someone who praises the same van in five threads counts once.
The badge goes to vans that at least 10 people recommend, with recommenders outnumbering critics at least 2 to 1, recommended in at least 4 of the 13 months.
Rankings are never for sale. We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never changes the order.