Be it intentionally or not, it seems I have become TarmacLife’s official van reviewer. While Matt’s out there with the new Golf R and Dave is enjoying the Mazda CX-80, I’m spending my week behind the wheel of the LDV Deliver 7. It’s honest work that someone’s gotta do, right? This time, that means a week of chasing down friends needing to move their latest Marketplace purchase while I try out that van life!
The Deliver 7 keeps things simple with a clean, fuss-free design. There are no unnecessary lines or gimmicks, making it a blank canvas for business signage and a shape that should age gracefully. Additionally, it should be easier (and cheaper) to repair any battle scars from all that hard work. One of the best design details is the front grille, which features a subtle shipping box motif — a thoughtful touch that reinforces the van’s purpose.
Get inside and the seating position is exactly what you’d expect from a van, and that’s a good thing, not all vehicles need to have a low, car-like feel. Getting in and out is effortless, something couriers and multi-stop drivers will certainly appreciate. There’s no telescoping on the steering wheel, limiting the ability to fine-tune the driving position, but the seat bottom has good rake adjustment so I managed with my longer legs.
There’s no centre console, which means you can walk directly into the cargo area without exiting the vehicle (unless a partition is installed, of course). To keep comfort covered, LDV has provided armrests on the inside of both seats, which are as soft as the door panels and easy to adjust.
Storage is a mixed bag. There are cupholders on each corner and a round cubby in the centre. The door bins are generous and well-designed, but overhead and dashboard storage are notably absent. Given that many vans rely on those spaces for additional practicality, it’s a surprising omission that would amplify the versatility of the van.
On the practical side, the Deliver 7’s cargo space is impressive. My test model had a single sliding door on the passenger side and, at the rear, the barn-style doors open wide, providing excellent access and a low load floor. Tie-down points are plentiful and very sturdy, making it easier to secure loads. The 6.3m² of cargo space (7.2 in LWB form) ensures plenty of room for various hauling needs, with a payload capacity of 1295kg (1230kg for LWB). There’s also a 2,000kg braked towing capacity, adding extra versatility for this workhorse.
In terms of in-cabin tech, the Deliver 7 boasts LDV’s best-looking infotainment system yet. The software is visually appealing, with modern graphics and a refined layout that makes sense and is easy to navigate. However, all that beauty demands more processing power, and the CPU struggled to keep up sometimes, leading to occasional lag when switching menus. Still, a big step forward on what used to be a sore spot.
Rotary knobs for temperature and fan speed provide physical controls where they matter most, making adjustments easy(ier) while driving. The suite of safety systems is very comprehensive, albeit a little overactive: the traffic sign recognition would constantly read an invisible 10kph limit sign that would put me in speeding territory, which is always followed by annoying gongs. Thankfully, it is easy to toggle this off and get back to work. The rear-view camera deserves special praise: it’s incredibly sharp, making reversing far easier, though a 360-degree camera would have been a welcome addition, as visibility is compromised by the thick pillar in the middle of the barn doors, along with the solid panels replacing the rear windows.
Driver assistance is overall “okay”, with an interesting novelty. Auto hold is excellent, and makes stop and go more comfortable. But its adaptive cruise control is the first ever I have seen to not accelerate when traffic clears up. Instead, it just releases the brakes, likely to prevent cargo from shifting unexpectedly. After around 40km/h, it picks up from you and handles driving until the next stop.
By the time I was finished with these pictures, a friend knew I had a van with me and asked for help moving a bed. As a good mate and even better van evaluator, I certainly obliged. And when it’s time to get moving, the Deliver 7 does the job well. My test vehicle had the 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine producing 123kW and 390Nm, all sent to the front wheels. Being FWD, it saves cost and optimises packaging, and unless you are really maximising that weight rating, traction should not be an issue.
Fuel efficiency is another strong point. With a sizeable fuel tank and reasonable consumption figures of 8.5L/100km during my mostly empty cargo driving regimen, the Deliver 7 has the potential to cover up to 900km on a single tank. Yeah, in the real world this is hardly ever possible, but impressive for a van of this size nonetheless. Ah, and no diesel additive system to worry about here, simplifying maintenance.
Driving dynamics are as expected for a van designed to carry weight. When unladen, the suspension feels stiff and bouncy over big bumps, but that’s the trade-off for a chassis that can handle heavier loads with ease. Inputs are watered down to keep everything in check, and even if you stomp the gas, the engine will take its time and build very progressive power all the way from idle until the great upshifts. The ZF 8 speed gearbox is, same as in the T60 I had recently, buttery smooth and a pleasure to use, both in Drive or through the paddle shifters available.
When it was time to load the bed frame and mattress inside, things couldn’t have been easier. The barn doors have a 90-degree lock helpful for when you are by the kerb side (as we were), and the low load floor makes it easy to get inside while carrying stuff. It was barely fazed by the added weight, with still all the power and no changes to stability or traction. Despite my efforts I couldn’t even scratch the 7’s rating capacity, so I’ll remain curious as to how more load would change its road manners.
The LDV Deliver 7 is a capable, well-designed van that sticks to the essentials while offering some thoughtful touches. It’s got solid tech, a practical cargo area, and a workhorse diesel engine with great range. While it lacks certain refinements like a telescoping steering wheel, overhead storage, it delivers where it truly counts.
Be it for tradies, couriers or business owners looking for a versatile van that won’t break the bank, I bet most of them would be more than covered with a few of these in their fleet. The Deliver 7 makes a compelling case, especially at the starting price of NZD $53,990 and the 7 year, 200,000km warranty. Thanks, LDV, for the opportunity, and thank you for reading!
