2024 Ford Transit Custom launch review: Why you should buy this instead of a ute

What is it:

This is the first new Ford Transit Custom in more than a decade, since 2012. It has been on sale in Europe for a year but has just arrived here.

Ford has refreshed the design – inside and out – and the 2.0-litre turbo diesel four-cylinder engine has been revamped to require AdBlue additive to clean up its tailpipe emissions.

Although utes are hugely popular in Australia, vans have more storage space, a tighter turning circle, can fit into shorter parking spaces bumper-to-bumper, and provide a taller driving position with a better view of the road ahead.

Price:

There are two basic models – in short wheelbase or long wheelbase – plus a long-wheelbase crew van with seating for rear passengers.

This test is of the 2024 Ford Transit Custom Trend SWB, the cheapest model in the new line-up.

• Ford Transit Custom Trend SWB – $55,990 (up $5600 from before)
• Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB – $56,990 (up $4600 from before)

The prices listed above exclude additional on-road costs such as registration and stamp duty.

Both models come standard with ‘barn’ doors at the rear (which swing outwards so you can get a forklift pallet into the cargo area).

A windowless passenger-side sliding door is standard. If you want a windowless sliding door on the driver’s side as well (for two sliding doors in total) the extra cost is $1000.

As with the Hyundai Staria Load there is not a factory option of a window for the sliding doors. The Toyota Hiace has the option of a window on the passenger-side sliding door.

Unlike the Hyundai Staria Load and Toyota Hiace (both of which are two-seaters and have centre airbags to prevent head clash between occupants in a severe side impact), the Ford Transit Custom is a three-seater with no centre airbag (but with a massive storage space under the two passenger seats).

ANCAP safety rating:

There is currently no crash test rating for this van however Euro NCAP gave it a Platinum rating for its long list of standard safety equipment and crash-avoidance technology.

Standard safety technology includes:

• Six airbags
• Autonomous emergency braking with junction assistance
• Radar cruise control
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Blind-spot warning
• Lane keeping assistance
• Door exit warning
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Tyre pressure monitors
• Rear view camera
• Full-size spare wheel and tyre

Engine:

Under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder single-turbo diesel engine (125kW/390Nm). Although the outputs are the same as before it now requires AdBlue to clean up the exhaust emissions.

There is a 70-litre tank for diesel and a 20-litre tank for AdBlue.

Although not the most powerful van in its class, it has enough guts to keep up with traffic and haul a maximum payload of 1269kg (SWB) and 1223kg (LWB) – although this is less than the previous model’s 1353kg (SWB) and 1291kg (LWB) figures.

Towing capacity has increased to 2500kg for both variants (though Ford’s website says a tow bar is not available in Australia until October 2024).

Transmission:

An eight-speed (torque converter) automatic is standard and sends power to the front wheels. (The Hyundai Staria Load is also front-wheel-drive while the Toyota Hiace is rear-wheel-drive).

0 to 100km/h (as tested):

It’s not a race car of course, but we are always curious to see how vehicles compare to their peers.

The new Ford Transit Custom (when unladen) did 0 to 100kmh in 10.9 to 11.1 seconds using our precision VBox timing equipment.

This performance is average for a van and slightly slower than most diesel double-cab utes.

As a guide, the Toyota Hyundai Staria Load (when unladen) is almost one second quicker (0 to 100kmh in a repeatable 10.2 seconds) and more powerful than the Ford Transit Custom (130kW/430Nm from a 2.2-litre turbo diesel four-cylinder driving the front wheels via an eight-speed auto).

Emergency braking from 100km/h (as tested):

The Ford Transit Custom pulled up in 45.9 metres which is below average for a van and worse than most diesel double cab utes (including those with nobbly all-terrain rubber).

We repeated the test long after the brakes had cooled to make sure it wasn’t an outlier or a VBox equipment error but we got even poorer results. So the poor 45.9 metre figure stands.

The Goodyear commercial vehicle tyres fitted to the Ford Transit Custom could definitely do with more grip.

The Hyundai Staria Load Premium tested earlier this year (with Kumho tyres) pulled up on the same test surface in 42.6 metres, which is good for a van.

Good points:

Sharp design inside and out. Sensor key with push-button start.

Roomy and practical cabin with plenty of storage in the dash and doors and under the two passenger seats (though I do miss the Hyundai Staria Load’s overhead storage compartment).

Intelligent cruise control matches speed zone changes by detecting roadside speed signs.

Metal cargo barrier is standard (optional on most rivals) with a small pocket for longer loads of material.

Widescreen digital displays for the instrument cluster and infotainment screen.

Really nice instrument illumination at night, makes it easy on the eyes on dark roads.

Suspension is a bit firm over bumps (normal for a van) but not bone-jarring.

Good bi-LED headlight beam on dark country roads. And good (very responsive) auto-dipping high beam.

Okay performance and reasonable fuel economy (7.4 to 8.0L/100km on test, unladen).

Tight turning circle (10.9 metres is as good as or better than most mid-size SUVs and hatchbacks).

Squared off steering wheel feels nice to hold (though the tilt flat option – to use as a laptop bench when parked – is not available in Australia just yet).

Height and tilt adjustable steering column.

Electric park brake is convenient to use when in a hurry (lock in the seatbelt and select Drive and it releases automatically).

Dual, extra-wide-view side mirrors (most rivals have single convex mirror lenses).

Bad points:

The passenger sun visor doesn’t swing to block side glare.

I put my thumb in the plastic bracket and broke it trying to move the visor (see below).

But the driver’s sun visor does swing around to block side glare and is long enough to not need an extender to cover the top of the driver’s door window.

The rear camera view is fuzzy (the screen is high resolution, it needs a much better quality camera).

There is torque steer on take-off (that is, the power going to the front wheels suddenly can cause the steering wheel to move off course).

The indicator stalk is on the left (no big deal, this is common with European vans).

But the Drive selector stalk is on the right, and I grabbed neutral a few times because I mistook it for an indicator stalk. So pay attention to that one and don’t panic, just be ready to gently put it back in Drive.

What the haters say:

It’s a van, why does it need all these fancy features?

What the haters don’t understand:

Van drivers spend more time on the road than family and fleet drivers, so they also deserve the best safety, comfort and convenience systems.

Should you buy one?

If you’re a Ford fan and/or prefer the convenience of the Ford dealer network for servicing – and the Ford service loan-car program – the new Transit Custom is a good option.

However, I am also a massive fan of the Toyota Hiace and Hyundai Staria Load which, in my experience, have better longterm reliability.

Also consider:

Toyota Hiace, Hyundai Staria Load.

More specs:

Ford Transit Custom brochure link here.