The What Van? Road Test: Ford Transit Custom

Date: Monday, July 23, 2018   |   Author: Steve Banner

There’s no arguing with the registration figures. Now attached to four different light commercials of varying sizes, the Transit name continues to work its magic, ensuring that Ford remains the UK van market leader by a considerable margin.

The Transit Custom has been a runaway success since its launch and has just received a facelift.

Changes include a reworked front end with a three-bar grille and, more importantly, a completely redesigned cab interior with plenty of storage. New to the line-up is an Econetic variant said to offer better fuel efficiency and with CO2 emissions set at 148g/km, according to official figures.

New onboard technologies available include Intelligent Speed Assist designed to help drivers remain within the prevailing legal limit, and Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert. The latter is there to stop you colliding with oncoming vehicles when reversing onto a main road.

Worthy of mention too is Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection. A radar- and camera-based emergency braking system, it will now respond if the headlights illuminate pedestrians who have wandered into the Custom’s path at night, and is a potential life-saver.

A plug-in hybrid Custom will go into series production in 2019. Otherwise it is the same mixture as before, and none the worse for that.

Power comes courtesy of a 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel at 105hp, 130hp or 170hp, and the Transit Custom is offered with two overall lengths and two roof heights. Gross weights range from 2.6t to 3.4t while cargo space extends from 6.0m3 to 8.3m3.

The specification walk is Base, Trend, Limited and top-of-the-range Sport, and the Custom van is additionally available as a six-seater Double Cab-In-Van or a nine-seater Kombi.

We decided to sample a L1H1 short-wheelbase standard roof van in Limited trim with 130hp on tap and in gleaming white.



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