THE fleet operating credentials of the VW Golf, Ford Transit Connect, VW Caddy and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter have been rewarded at the 2009 ACFO Fleet Car and Vans of the Year Awards.

Julie Jenner, chairman of the Hampshire-based Associ-ation of Car Fleet Operators, presented the winning manufacturers with their trophies after members based their selection on the real world operating experience of vehicles on their fleets.

ACFO Ltd is a non-profit making organisation, and the largest UK body representing the interests of businesses which operate cars and vans as part of their normal commercial activities. There are some 800 members, collectively responsible for over 500,000 vehicles in the UK.

The VW Golf range won the ACFO Fleet Car of the Year Award making it a hat-trick of titles since 2007. Volkswagen UK’s head of fleet services Vincent Kinner said: “The Golf has enjoyed a very strong year in 2009 and, with record order banks, we’re expecting an even stronger performance in 2010.”

Meanwhile, Ford continued its dominance of the small van sector with the Transit Connect named Fleet Light Van of the Year for the seventh time in succession. However, this year, Britain’s largest van seller shared the title with the VW Caddy – the first time Volkswagen has captured an ACFO van award.

Finally, fleet operators voted the Sprinter into top spot in the Fleet Panel Van of the Year category for the first time.

Julie said: “The fact that a total of 40 cars and 35 vans all scored at least one vote underlines the breadth of models that are applicable for business use and the importance of the fleet sector to a wide range of motor manufacturers.”