TOYOTA is strengthening its position in the UK van market with a compact model called the Proace City.

Available in short and long wheelbase formats the Proace City has slide-opening side doors and twin side hinged rear doors which open to 180 degrees enabling all to carry two Europallets.

The Proace City will be on the road in May and priced from £18,386 in short-wheelbase and £21,636 for the longer version.

Both are powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine with the shorter wheelbase model offering a choice of power outputs - 75 and 100hp. The longer version uses the higher powered engine.

Maintenance schedules are up to 25,000 miles or two years and all are covered by a five-year/100,000-mile manufacturer's warranty along with five year's roadside assistance.

Two trim levels are available on the shorter model - which measures 4.4 metres - while the bigger van is 4.75 metres and available only in higher specification Icon grade.

Entry level Active grade includes air conditioning, automatic headlights, heated, power-adjustable door mirrors, one-touch power windows, twin sliding side doors, a DAB audio unit with USB port and Bluetooth, a full-size spare wheel, rubber floor covering in the cargo area and a full metal bulkhead.

Icon grade features include a multimedia system with eight-inch touchscreen, smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Smart Cargo system, three front seats, automatic wipers, electronic parking brake, reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control with speed limiter, front fog lights and cornering lights.

Load area is 3.3 cubic metres for the short body version and 3.9 cubic metres for the longer model and the payload is up to one tonne. The van has a towing limit of 1.5 tonnes.

As part of the Smart Cargo system load space can be increased by an extra 0.4 cubic metres and load length by 1.3 metres thanks to a folding front passenger seat.

Options for Active models include the Smart Cargo system in a package that also includes an electronic parking brake, driver's seat lumbar support and slide/recline adjustment of the passenger two-seat bench.

For Icon models, a Toyota Safety Sense package can be specified together with 3.5-inch colour multi-information display, immobiliser and alarm. Both grades can be specified with a tow bar.

The optional safety pack for the Proace City Icon models includes a Pre-Collision System, Road Sign Assist, Lane Departure Alert and a fatigue alert that recommends the driver take a break if they have spent a long time at the wheel.

Safety and ease of manoeuvring are supported by a reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors, fitted as standard to Icon grade models.

The Proace City joins Toyota's current line up of commercial vehicles which also includes the Proace medium duty van, the Hilux pick-up and the Land Cruiser Commercial.