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The What Van? Road Test: Ford Transit Courier Sport
Date: Friday, December 13, 2019 | Author: Steve Banner
Engine and gearbox
The Courier Sport’s four-cylinder eight-valve diesel hits peak power at 3,750rpm.
Top torque of 215Nm bites across a 1,750rpm to 2,500rpm plateau. Turbocharged and intercooled, it comes with an aluminium cylinder head and high-pressure common-rail direct fuel injection and is equipped with electronic exhaust gas recirculation.
A diesel particulate filter is fitted, but there is no requirement to pour in AdBlue for Euro6 compliance.
The six-speed gearbox is standard across the Transit Courier range.
Driving
The Courier Sport has one of the slickest, sweetest gear-changes we have ever stumbled across on a van. Going from one gear to the next is just like flicking a switch, with no notchiness whatsoever.
While we wouldn’t for one minute advocate throwing a light commercial vehicle around twisting country roads, with the Courier Sport it is really tempting to do so.
It handles for all the world like a go-kart with a box on the back, clinging to the highway even when pushed hard, and the aforementioned comfy seats hold you firmly in place.
Unfortunately it rides a little bit like a go-kart too. The ride could certainly stand to be better damped, but that might, of course, affect the handling – and we would rather retain the fun element of the latter.
In-cab noise levels could be better-controlled – something we find with most light commercials, it has to be said – and we were a little concerned about the intermittent vibration we felt through the pedals. Now with a sixth gear, the Courier Sport can be deployed on intercity motorway runs, but it is probably happier on short-haul local and regional work.
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