Ford Transit Custom – the light vantastic

IF the test of time is a reliable gauge then buyers of new light commercial vehicles need make just one important decision – which version of the Ford Transit do they opt for.

Ford, and specifically its flagship van the Transit, has been contesting the top of the CV best-seller list for almost 60 years.

It comes in various types and sizes, from the Courier with its 600kg capacity, the slightly larger Connect to the full blown Transit L4H3.

But it’s the Transit Custom that has really engaged with British tradesmen, to the point that in early autumn it was the most popular vehicle in the UK, outselling the likes of the Ford Puma, Kia Sportage and VW Golf.

There are lots of ways you can configure a light commercial these days, turning it into the ultimate adventure vehicle if so inclined, but our tested variant was every inch your archetypal van featuring a warehouse-like area of carrying space, a fixed bulkhead and single pair of seats (though two rows are available).

In what’s called Limited trim grade, it came with a sliding door to the side, hinged rear doors and, thankfully, huge wing mirrors sticking out like a giant’s ears. Nonetheless, it would make sense from a safety perspective to at least make electronic blind spot monitoring an option.

Its loading bay, known as L1H1, has a length of 2,602mm, a height of 1,433mm and gross payload of 908kg, so you could near enough play a game of table tennis in there.

Canvassing numerous van drivers who have owned a Transit variant at some point in the last decade as to what they like about the Ford drew the conclusion that while they respect the reliability of the Japanese rivals they really love the way the Transit drives.

The latest, second generation, Transit Custom is offered with a 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine with a choice of 107bhp, 134bhp, 148bhp or 168bhp power outputs. There’s also now a plug-in hybrid as well as an electric version.

Our tested model developed 134bhp, had front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission and while it tended to sound quite agricultural at start-up and in its slower paces it was a strong and economical performer when up to speed.

As for economy the official average fuel return is 40.4 miles per gallon, a figure we were comfortably able to match over 200 miles of mixed urban and motorway driving.

Like all Fords the gearbox was slick and easy to use and while you could certainly feel the bumps on uneven surfaces the Transit’s dynamics remain first class, very car-like and with a nice light feel from the steering.

Up front the pair of individual seats rather than a three in a row set-up frees up lots of space on the flat rubber/plastic coated floor and the seats themselves have the hard-wearing, durable feel so necessary in a van. There’s also an electronic parking brake rather than the previous physical lever.

Cabin storage options like door bins, bottle/cup holders, plus a separate cup holder at the far right of the dash, a glovebox and wide flip-top container above it ensure that sandwiches, invoices and coffees can all be accommodated too.

And when it comes to tech the latest Transit Custom is a far cry from that offered by commercial vehicles of old, featuring all the gadgetry and comforts you would expect from a premium car.

So the dashboard is dominated by a 13-inch infotainment touchscreen at its centre plus an eight-inch digital driver’s display, also showing assistance functions and trip info, directly ahead of the driver.

Ford’s SYNC 4 infotainment system now includes Amazon Alexa voice assistance and all models also come with a new 5G modem for connectivity.

Otherwise standard features include safety initiatives like pre-collision assist, traffic-sign recognition, lane keeping aid, intelligent speed assist, auto high beam, a rear-view camera and front and rear parking sensors.

There’s also cross-traffic alert, intelligent adaptive cruise control, reverse brake assist, active park assist and exit warning, though if you want to include the standout Artisan Red paint it adds  £650 + VAT to the tab.

It’s easy to understand why the Transit – and Transit Custom in particular – has proved the go-to van for millions of business operators. It comes in various guises, is right up to date and is pretty much the perfect all-rounder.