IT'S the little van that will deliver on every front.

Based on Britain's top selling car, the new Fiesta Van is Ford's answer on the urban utility scene.

And with a claimed fuel economy of 85 to the gallon it is perfect for keeping running costs to a minimum.

At the moment this is the most economical van on the market and in mid range Trend trim with fuel saving ECOntetic technology it is priced from £14,016 including VAT.

The Fiesta Van has a load volume of one cubic metre and a payload of just over half a tonne which makes it ideal for inner city deliveries or for carrying the day to day equipment for everyone from mobile engineers to domestic cleaners.

It also comes with four tie down points in the luggage bay as standard fit.

Up front it is just the same as a Fiesta hatchback and in Trend trim comes with air conditioning, Bluetooth and a digital radio.

As well as these creature comforts there is also Ford's emergency assistance system and voice control.

The Fiesta Van is powered by a 1.6-litre diesel engine developing 95ps and the ECOnetic version comes with stop/start and a gear shift indicator.

Moving through the five speed box there is plenty of mid range pull and it is light to handle. Top speed is a claimed 111mph and 0 to 60 comes up in 13 seconds and it will easily hold its own at motorway cruising speeds.

Unladen we managed to achieve 68mpg over a 40 mile route - not quite what Ford claims but with only 800 miles on the clock then engine was still relatively tight.

Emissions are rated at 87g/km which adds to its appeal on the tax and congestion charge front.

The van on the Fiesta sees the rear side windows blanked out and the cargo bay separated from the cabin by a mesh topped bulkhead.

Visibility to the rear is good but reversing needs added care. The door mirrors are the same size as on the car and the view is limited with the lack of rear three quarter visibility.

Parking sensors and a rear view camera are a £540 option and probably worth every penny.

Inside the sound deadening is effective and there is no noticeable booming and a floor mat in the load bay adds further noise suppression.

With a tank capacity of almost 10 gallons the Fiesta Van should be good for more than 700 miles between fill ups and pound for pound it is setting new standards for small light commercials.

The only alternative for cheaper running costs would be to go electric but that would almost triple the purchase price and add the inconvenience of having to recharge every 60 or 70 miles.

Already it has proved a hit and is dominating the little van market outselling its nearest rival - Vauxhall's Corsa Van - by almost three to one.

The Fiesta Van is available in five versions with prices starting from £11,746 for a 1.25-litre petrol model.