Ford Transit Custom Reviews

The HiAce dominates one-tonne commercial van sales in Australia, with almost one in every two buyers opting for the trusty Toyota. Long-time rival Ford has just released its new-generation Transit Custom, but does it have what it takes to topple the local king of mid-sized vans?

The Ford Transit Custom has long been the world leader in mid-sized vans. Now there's an all-new version (barring the carryover diesel), with a fresh design inside and out, improved packaging, advanced safety, updated multimedia and a huge step forward in dynamic abilities, courtesy of a more-rigid platform and independent rear suspension. The results should keep Ford at the top of the segment.

The current version of Ford's Transit Custom may be coming to the end of its life, with a new generation model due late this year, but the Blue Oval hasn't been sitting on its hands. The Sport version has been on the receiving end of ongoing upgrades to safety and standard specification. So, how does it stack up against the light commercial van competition?

Work vans are renowned on-board load-carriers - because that's what they're designed for - but how does one of their ilk perform when towing a near-capacity load?The Ford Transit Custom Sport 320L double cab in van (DCiV) is a versatile example of the Custom Sport range because it can carry people and products.But towing an almost 1800kg cherry picker puts it under plenty of pressure.

The Ford Transit Custom Sport 320S is part of a line-up of light commercial vehicles that have a rock-solid reputation as work vans.This short-wheelbase van is designed and engineered to perform effectively as a mobile office, carry a load onboard, and still offer enhanced drivability.So, does it succeed?

Light commercial vans are designed to carry a load during multiple trips as part of busy work days that include plenty of kilometres.The Ford Transit Custom Sport 320L double cab in van (DCiV) has a load space, but also a total of five seats inside (two upfront and three in the second row), so it has cargo- and passenger-carrying capability.How does it actually perform with a decent load onboard?

The Ford Transit light commercial range is well-known and -regarded for its work-day functionality - and the Custom Sport variant adds to that rep. In 320S panel van guise this van may be engineered to carry loads onboard sans stress, but is it any good at towing a load? A 1765kg cherry picker should be enough of a burden to test this popular van's performance under pressure.

The commercial van market is a hotly contested one and any point of difference is crucial. The Ford Transit Custom DCiV is purpose-built for long work days and for clocking up lots of kilometres with a load onboard.But, as well as a large load space, this double cab in van has six seats, so it has cargo- and passenger-carrying capability.So, is it worth your attention?

The growing popularity of mid-sized (2.5-3.5 tonne GVM) commercial vans that can carry up to six people, generically known as crew vans, has seen an increasing number of rivals from mainstream manufacturers with a second row of seats. These include Toyota, Ford, Hyundai, Renault, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz.There’s no argument that 4x4 dual cab utes are by far Australia’s most popular and versatile light commercial vehicles. However, not everyone needs high-riding off-road ability and some would happily trade that for more spacious rear seating and a huge fully-enclosed cargo bay to carry their crew and all their gear – be it for work or play.It's those two key attributes which present a compelling argument for crew vans – but which one would you choose? We’ve combined our most recent road test activity of three of Australia’s best examples from Toyota, Ford and Renault to see how they measure up in a side-by-side comparison.

The top three contenders in the local medium-sized (2.5 to 3.5 tonne GVM) commercial van class are the Toyota HiAce followed by the Hyundai iLoad and Ford's Transit Custom.