Ford Transit Custom – the fruit of 50 years of heritage.

Background

Langley, England, August 9, 1965 and the very first Transit van rolls off the production line. 50 years and 8 million vans later Ford had produced enough Transit vans to circumnavigate the earth and on average one van had been sold every three minutes. Cologne, July 2012 and Ford officially launch the Transit Custom. In their words ‘offering businesses unmatched combination of style, driver appeal and class-leading functionality’ the Custom eventually replaced the ‘1 tonne’ range of Transit vans which had become such a familiar sight on our roads. The term ‘all new’ is often overused by vehicle manufacturers when launching a facelifted product but it was clear from the outset that the Custom really was fresh from the wheels up. With an unmistakable corporate identity inherited from the passenger car ranges the exterior design was ground breaking and it quickly became apparent that Ford had a worthy competitor in the ‘premium’ medium van sector, up until then occupied by the Mercedes-Benz Vito and the Volkswagen Transporter.

The van is available in two wheelbases, two roof heights, five GVW’s and in addition double cab in van, Kombi and passenger carrying variants are on offer. Four trim levels can be specified, and the 2.2 litre engine comes in 100, 125 and 155PS Euro 5 versions. These are currently in the process of being replaced by the brand new Euro 6 2.0 litre ‘EcoBlue’ units offered in 105, 130 and 170PS guises.

Specification and features

The test van supplied was a short wheelbase high roof (L1H2) model in Limited trim (this is the highest trim level of the core range, only eclipsed by the Sport derivative). Unfortunately at the time of writing the Euro 6 versions were unavailable for test so this van had the 155PS Euro 5 unit under the bonnet. Standard equipment is not at all lacking. 16” Alloy wheels, metallic paint, heated windscreen, heated front seats, air conditioning and a Thatcham alarm are all included, as is an upgraded ‘SYNC’ audio unit with DAB, audio streaming, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, voice control, Ford’s ‘AppLink’ system and  a 4” multi function display. Front and rear parking sensors make light work of awkward manoeuvres and cruise control completes a very comprehensive equipment level.

Safety features abound and standard throughout the range is side wind stabilisation, traction control, emergency brake assist, roll stability control, electronic stability control and hill start assist. The test van was also fitted with a lane departure warning system.

The cab environment

Access to the cab is very easy for driver and passengers. The immediate environment is very welcoming with a light and ‘airy’ feel . Anyone familiar with the dash layout of the current range of Ford passenger cars will immediately feel at home with the centrally mounted audio / SYNC unit which is shared across platforms. The multi function steering wheel enables control of audio, trip computer and telephone without the hands leaving the wheel. The trip computer itself is prominent immediately in front of the driver with a very clear display. The cab is perhaps a little light on storage space although the door ‘bins’ are quite substantial. Otherwise the cab occupants are limited to a cubby hole and drinks holder on either side of the cab, a small aperture which could potentially hold a phone and a central overhead ‘slot’. On the top of the dash is a lidded compartment which, whilst not deep could hold paperwork and contains a 12v socket  and USB / media inputs. An additional 12v facility is located on the passenger side of the dash. Ford claim that the glovebox will take an A4 sized file or pad.

Loadspace

Other manufacturers have tried and failed to design a medium or high roof version of their van which gives the additional loadspace flexibility whilst also retaining the aesthetics of the low roof vehicle. There really are some horrors out there but the Transit Custom H2 isn’t one of them. The vehicle looks like it was designed from scratch with this roof height in mind and looks just as good as its low roof sibling. Access to the load area is via a side loading door which is capable of taking a europallet and twin rear doors which are lockable at either 90 or 180 degrees. Wheelarch intrusion is very modest and as a result the loadspace floor is of very respectable dimensions. With the high roof someone six foot tall can just about stand at full height without too much difficulty but it is marginal. The floor is covered with an easily cleanable surface but many users will elect to replace this with a more durable plywood offering. A full height steel bulkhead is standard throughout the range and this includes a very handy opening flap at the bottom which allows long lengths of pipe / ladders etc. to fit underneath the passenger seat.

On the road

It proved easy to adjust the drivers seat until I was comfortable giving adequate support throughout. With a minor adjustment to the steering column rake the driving position was absolutely perfect and a journey of a couple of hours resulted in no little aches or any sort of discomfort whatsoever. Visibility is excellent and large mirrors with an integral wide angle section ensure nothing is missed.

It’s when you actually start to drive the vehicle you realise that Ford have come up with something special. Although the refined and quiet 155PS engine, as you would expect is more than capable of anything thrown at it the real breakthrough is elsewhere. Road noise is minimal and the suspension copes with irregularities in the road surface magnificently with almost no transmission into the van. Even unladen the ride is very comfortable. The gearchange is extremely slick, smooth and effortless. The steering is weighted perfectly, is very positive and the turning circle adequate for those tight spots. The overall feel is of refinement and quality.

Conclusion

If you could close your eyes whilst driving (not recommended) you would find it difficult not to believe that you were driving a quality car. It’s that good. Despite having driven almost all of its competitors at the time of writing I have yet to drive a van that comes close to this level of refinement. Ford have just ‘got it right’ and the Custom excels in almost every regard. It looks good, it’s capable of hard work, the equipment level is very competitive within its sector and at ‘Limited’ trim the specification is excellent. Above all the driving experience is outstanding.

Price as tested £25281 + VAT OTR