Crew cab vans sit in the middle ground between carrying people and carrying kit. They’re built for work that needs both, without stepping up to a larger vehicle. We look at how crew cab vans are set up, how the space is used, and what to think about before choosing one.
A crew cab van is a work van with a full second row of seats behind the driver and a separated rear load area. It’s designed for trades that regularly move 3–6 people while still keeping tools and equipment secure. The trade‑off is shorter load length and often lower payload versus a panel van built on the same platform.
What Is a Crew Cab Van?
A crew cab van is exactly what it sounds like: a van that lets you carry crew in the cab and kit in the back at the same time.
Unlike a standard panel van, which is all load space, a crew cab has a second row of seats built into the cab area, usually behind the driver and passenger. That means you can take a small team with you while still keeping a dedicated load area at the back for tools, equipment or materials.
People often refer to the crew being in the cabin of the van, but in the van world this setup is properly known as a crew cab van. It’s designed for work, not passengers for the sake of it, and the layout reflects that. You’re trading some load space for extra seating, not turning the van into a people carrier.
Crew cab vans tend to make sense when:
● you regularly travel with one or two others
● you still need secure space for tools or equipment
● running two vehicles just isn’t practical
They sit neatly between a full panel van and a minibus-style setup, which is why they’re popular across trades, construction, utilities and site-based work.
How Crew Cab Vans Differ from Standard Panel Vans
The difference between a crew cab van and a standard panel van comes down to seating layout and how the internal space is used.
A standard panel van is built with two or three seats in the front and a full, uninterrupted load area behind a fixed bulkhead. The entire rear section is designed for carrying goods, tools, or materials, which means maximum load length and volume for the size of the van.
A crew cab van uses the same base vehicle but replaces part of the load area with a second row of seats. This is a factory-approved setup designed to carry additional passengers safely, usually increasing seating to five or six depending on the model. Because of this, the load area is shorter than in a panel van, although it remains fully enclosed and separate from the passenger area.
Both vehicle types are classified as light commercial vehicles and are built to the same safety and construction standards. The engines, drivetrains, and overall external dimensions are often identical between panel and crew versions of the same model. The difference is not how the van drives, but how the internal space is divided between people and cargo.
Crew Cab Seating Explained: How Many People Can You Carry – Does it Differ?
Yes, seating does differ, and it depends on the model and body type rather than the idea of a crew cab itself.
A crew cab van is designed to carry more people than a standard panel van, but fewer than a minibus. In most cases, seating increases from the usual two or three seats in the front to five or six seats in total, with a second row added behind the driver and passenger.
On smaller crew cab vans like the Citroen Berlingo Crew, seating is typically five seats. You get the front row plus a second row behind it, while still keeping an enclosed load area at the rear.
Move up to a medium crew cab such as the Citroen Dispatch Crew, and the setup is similar, but with more room overall. Seating is again usually five, but the extra body size means a more generous balance between passenger space and load space.
With larger crew cab setups based on the Citroen Relay, seating can vary depending on the conversion and body type. Relay crew variants like dropside, tipper or enterprise models are designed to carry a working crew to site, typically six seats, while the rear section is configured for tools, materials or equipment rather than an enclosed load bay.
What stays consistent across all crew cab vans is the trade-off: more seats means less load space compared to a panel van of the same size. The right choice comes down to how many people you need to move and how much kit still needs to come with you.
Buying tip: confirm whether the vehicle is 5-seat or 6-seat (front bench vs two individual seats), and check how much load space remains behind the bulkhead. Two crew cabs can look similar but feel very different once you add racking, toolboxes, and longer items.
Load Space vs Seating: What You Lose
Obviously, adding a second row of seats without increasing the overall size of the van has a direct impact on load space. In a crew cab van, part of the rear load area is used to create space for passengers, which means shorter load length and reduced load volume compared with a standard panel van of the same model.
The amount of space you lose depends on the van itself. On smaller crew cab vans, the reduction is more noticeable because there is less space to begin with. On larger models, the extra seating still takes up room, but there is usually enough load area left to carry tools, equipment or materials without issue.
What does not change is the external size of the van. Parking, access, and general drivability remain the same as the panel van version. The trade-off is entirely internal: more people carried, less space available for kit.
Citroen Crew Cab Vans Available at Citroen Van Sales
As already discussed, Citroen offer crew cab versions across their core van range. At Citroen Van Sales, this includes three main models available as crew cab vans. In addition, the Citroen Relay crew cab range extends further, with multiple derivatives designed for heavier-duty and site-based work.
The key difference across the range is how seating and load space are balanced, which becomes more varied as you move up through the models. We’ll break those options down next so it’s clear what each crew cab setup is designed to handle.
Citroen Berlingo Crew Van
The Citroen Berlingo Crew Van is based on the standard Berlingo platform but with a second row of seats added behind the front seats. This increases seating to five, while keeping a separated load area at the rear.
The Berlingo Crew is typically available in the XL body length, which helps offset the reduction in load space caused by the extra seating. Load volume is lower than a panel van Berlingo, but there is still enough space behind the second row for tools and equipment used day to day.
The crew van layout is a factory-approved configuration, not a conversion. The rear seats are properly mounted and seatbelted, and the load area remains enclosed and separate from the cabin. In this setup, the Berlingo Crew Van XL has a maximum indicative payload of 843kg, which reflects the added weight of the second row of seats. There is still usable space behind the seats, with an internal load floor length of 1,450mm and a maximum load height of 1,243mm.
This model uses a 100ps diesel engine with a manual gearbox. Overall length is 4,753mm, width 2,107mm, and height 1,849mm, keeping it compact enough for everyday work and site access.
Citroen Dispatch Crew Van
The Citroen Dispatch Crew Van sits between the Berlingo and the Relay in Citroen’s range. In XL form, the Dispatch Crew offers seating for up to five people while retaining a usable load area of around 4m³ behind the second row. That makes it suitable for carrying a working crew along with tools, equipment, or materials in one vehicle.
Power comes from a 2.0-litre BlueHDi diesel engine producing 145hp, paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox. This setup is commonly used across the Dispatch range and is suited to mixed driving, including motorway work and regular site travel. The XL body provides extra rear load length compared with shorter versions.
Inside, the layout is straightforward and work-focused. Standard equipment includes air conditioning, cruise control and rear parking sensors, along with a 10-inch touchscreen with smartphone connectivity. The rear seating is fixed, with storage underneath, and is separated from the load area by a full bulkhead, helping keep passengers protected from noise and loose items.
Access to the load area is through twin sliding side doors and rear doors opening to 180 degrees, which helps when loading on site or in tight spaces. Mechanically and externally, the Dispatch Crew is the same as the panel van version.
Citroen Relay Crew: Dropside, Tipper, Enterprise
The Citroen Relay Crew Dropside pairs a crew cab with a robust dropside body, making it a practical choice where you need to carry both a small team and bulky items that are easier to load from the side. Seating is for up to six people, with the crew area up front separated from the load deck. The dropside deck itself provides an open platform for materials, pallets, plant equipment or loose items that don’t need to be enclosed, and the sides fold down for easier loading and unloading on site. In dropside crew form, maximum indicative payload is 1,321kg. Power comes from a 140ps diesel engine paired with a manual gearbox. Overall length is 5,645mm, width 2,087mm, and height 2,370mm.
The dropside body measures 3,059mm in length and 2,026mm in width, giving a wide, open load area suited to carrying materials, pallets or equipment that benefit from side access rather than a fully enclosed body.
The Citroen Relay Crew Tipper adds a tipping body behind the crew cab, which is useful for trades and site work where unloading loose materials quickly is part of the job. Like the dropside version, the crew cab provides seating for up to six, with a fixed separation to the load area. The tipper body lets you raise the load bed to dump aggregates, soil, rubble or similar materials without manual handling, making this configuration more suited to construction, groundwork and landscaping tasks. In tipper crew form, maximum indicative payload is 989kg. Power comes from a 140ps diesel engine with a manual gearbox. Overall length is 6,100mm, width 2,087mm, and height 2,370mm, giving it a solid on-site footprint without moving into HGV territory.
The tipping body measures 2,670mm in length and 2,026mm in width, providing a practical platform for moving and unloading loose materials such as soil, rubble or aggregates quickly and safely.
The Citroen Relay Crew Enterprise combines a full crew cab with a covered load area and additional practical features aimed at everyday working use. It seats up to six people in the cab, and behind them is a secure, enclosed load bay for tools, materials or equipment that need protection from the elements and theft. In Enterprise crew form, maximum indicative payload is 1,315kg. Power comes from a 140ps diesel engine paired with a manual gearbox. Overall length is 5,998mm, width 2,050mm, and height 2,522mm, placing it firmly in the large van category.
Inside the load area, internal load floor length measures 3,075mm, reducing to 2,335mm at mid-height with the bulkhead in place. Internal load height is 1,932mm, giving a tall, enclosed space suitable for tools, equipment, or materials that need to stay secure and dry.
Can Crew Cab Vans Be Modified or Converted?
Crew cab vans can be modified, but it’s important to understand the limits. Because a crew cab is already set up to carry passengers safely, changes to seating or bulkheads usually need to meet approval standards and, in some cases, be declared to insurers.
Most modifications tend to focus on the load area rather than the cabin. That might include racking, tool storage, ply lining, or specialist bodies such as dropsides and tippers, which are already factory-approved on models like the Relay Crew. Electrical upgrades, lighting, and security additions are also common.
Anything that affects seating, seatbelts or structural elements should always be checked carefully. What’s possible depends on the base vehicle and how it’s already configured.
Modification rule: keep passenger safety features untouched. Most upgrades should be in the load area (lining, racking, tool vaults, lighting, tie‑downs, security locks). Any change involving seats, belts, or the bulkhead should be certified and declared to insurers to avoid invalid cover.
Buying a Crew Cab Van: What to Check Before You Decide
Checklist in 20 seconds: (1) seats you truly need weekly, (2) remaining load length behind bulkhead, (3) plated payload after seats/conversion, (4) door access (twin sliders/180° rears), (5) security plan for tools, (6) proof it’s factory crew or a certified conversion.
Before committing to a crew cab van, it’s worth being clear on a few practical points. How many people do you actually need to carry on a regular basis? How much load space do you still need behind the seats? And does the van need to be enclosed, open, or tipped for the work you do?
It’s also worth checking payload figures, internal load dimensions, and whether the model you’re looking at is a factory crew cab or a conversion. Small differences here can make a big difference day to day.
If there’s anything else you’d like to understand about crew cab vans before you buy, whether that’s layouts, specifications, finance, or what’s currently available, it’s always easier to talk it through. Getting in touch with Citroen Van Sales will give you clear answers based on the vans you can actually buy, not just what looks good on paper.
FAQ
Q: What is a crew cab van?
A: A commercial van with a full second row of seats and an enclosed rear load area separated by a bulkhead, designed to move a small team and secure tools in one vehicle.
Q: How many seats do crew cab vans have?
A: Most UK crew cab vans seat 5 or 6 depending on front seat layout (two individual seats or a front bench).
Q: How does a crew cab van compare to a panel van?
A: Externally they are often the same size and drive similarly, but a crew cab sacrifices load length/volume (and sometimes payload) to add a second row of seats.
Q: Is a crew cab van secure for tools?
A: Generally yes because tools sit in an enclosed load bay, but security still depends on locks, bulkhead integrity, and any added tool vaults.
Q: Can I modify a crew cab van?
A: Yes, most common modifications are in the load area (lining, racking, lighting, security). Any changes affecting seats, belts, or structural bulkheads should be certified and declared to insurers.
Q: What should I measure before buying a crew cab van?
A: Measure remaining load length behind the bulkhead, check the vehicle’s plated payload, and confirm whether it’s a factory crew cab or a certified conversion.
Q: Who should choose a crew cab van?
A: Trades that regularly move 3–6 people to site and still need secure space for tools or equipment, where running two vehicles is inefficient.