T he Convoy Hi-Loader is still a popular choice, especially for
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those working to a strict budget, while LDV's "bespoke" vehicle operation allows buyers to specify more or less any relevant feature—at a price. The Convoy finds its way into plenty of fleets and also has the option of LPG power.
At 3.5 tonnes GVW the Convoy is only available with a couple of roof heights, with a short-wheelbase version built to special order only. There's a choice of two Ford-built 2.5-litre DI diesels; one blown and one not. Twin rear wheels are standard on the 3.5-tonne examples while, unusually, air suspension is offered as an option.
Volume for the loadbay is an excellent 11.4m3 on a 3.2m wheelbase with a payload of 1,535kg.
In the cab, the Convoy betrays the age of its basic design: the windscreen is unusually shallow and the dashboard seems poorly integrated, with poorly sited air vents. The dash and upholstery materials seem flimsy and are not pleasant to the touch. Still, a useful rubber oddments tray sits in the centre of the dash with a pair of cup holders on the driver's side over the glove box.
The controls are pretty well laid out and dials are clear and easy to read. Visibility is not so good with that low door height and windscreen line, and the front quarterlight restricts the view into the mirrors (which have no blind-spot section).
The driver is lucky enough to get a (fairly basic but widely adjustable) Isringhausen seat, but the centre passenger will have to make do with a two point seatbeft: the only one in this test group.
The rear loadspace doors are full height but— and this is another sign of the design's age—the side doors are not.
Power options are 75hp and 99hp with maximum torque of 168 and 226Nm, so the drive was always going to feel quite different from the more torquey, more modern engines tested here.
Overall the Convoy is acceptable on the road, but It does suffer from pretty dramatic understeer when rapid manoeuvres are called for (the twinrear-wheel set-up is probably a factor here).
The LDV changes gear reliably, but one tester complained of a lot of vibration through the stick.
In-cab noise levels at tickover are quite high but, surprisingly, the cab is not excessively noisy at speed.
With the oldest engine design and least slippery profile on test it's not surprising that the Convoy brought home the worst fuel consumption figure of 24.9mpg. Its acceleration figures are also down on the rest.