The Transit Custom has now spent more than a decade at the heart of the van market in the UK. Launched in 2012, it had its sights firmly set on the class-best VW Transporter and, if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then VW should be very pleased – but somehow we doubt that is the case.
The enduring quality of both the Custom and the Transporter can be seen by the
fact the pair have monopolised What Van?’s Used Van of the Year award for the past seven years, with the VW van claiming the prize four times and the Ford hoovering up the other three.
The continuing excellence of the Custom is evidenced by it winning the What Van? Medium Van of the Year prize in 2023 and repeating the feat for 2024 when it also captured the overall What Van? Van of the Year award.
Its impact on the market a dozen years ago was instant: the model was met with a chorus of critical acclaim as it rapidly became the best-selling van in the UK, racking up 10,000 sales within its first 12 months when its predecessor was still on runout. It has remained the UK’s best-selling van (and often the nation’s best-selling vehicle overall) ever since, with sales often hovering around 50,000 units a year.
With the Custom, Ford didn’t set out to offer the myriad variations of the full-size Transit. The manufacturer judged the market well – or maybe carefully analysed the Transporter and Renault Trafic’s sales figures – but either way, it hit the spot.
Using the now accepted practice for the class it offers two wheelbases of 2.9m or 3.3m; its L1 and L2 guises giving overall lengths of 4,975mm and 5,340mm. Easy to park on a domestic driveway.
External width stands at 2.1m or 2.25m, with mirrors in or out, and overall heights are 1.92m to 2.36m with the H1 and H2 roof options. The load bay measures from 2.55m to 2.92m in L1 and L2 variants, with internal widths of 1.77m at maximum, reducing to 1.35m for the wheel arches. The H1 and H2 models offer headroom of 1.4m to 1.77m. These dimensions combine to offer load volumes from 6.0 to 8.3m3. The Custom’s gross vehicle mass ranges from 2.5-tonnes to 3.4-tonnes in turn allowing for payloads of between 700kgs to 1490kgs, depending upon options.
The Custom was deliberately designed with a more car-like interior than the full-fat Transit, partly to differentiate where the two crossover for potential buyers, but it was also Ford acknowledging the Custom’s market sector when the owner-operator needs their vehicle to cover the role of work van and family car too.
The essentials are all good – driving position, seat comfort and visibility are class-leading. The Fiesta-sized steering wheel is a bit small and the heater controls are a bit of a reach away, but standard kit and amount of in-cab storage are both excellent. All the models listed below will have the Ford SYNC 3 (from the 2018 facelift) offering a 8in screen, voice control, Ford Pass connectivity, a good satnav (with safety camera alerts for peace of mind on unfamiliar roads) and decent sound system. Leader, Trend and Limited are the three main trim levels with Trail and Sport being intermediate and top-end mainly cosmetic editions. Trend and all models above get the 8in full SYNC 3, which is well worth going for.
Pulling all this along is one of the best diesel engines in the LCV sector. Once the LCV world moves to electrification, van drivers will be talking about Ford’s humble 2.0-litre for a good while to come.
The most popular is the mid-range 130hp, more than enough for most but there’s 170hp up for grabs too. The entry-level 105hp unit is a bit weak, whilst 2019 saw the introduction of the mild hybrid 185hp unit. Its 48-volt electrical assistance adding excellent low-range punch – it feels more like a 3.0-litre TD below 2,500 rpm. It is good fun to drive too, refined on the motorway and easy in city traffic. Add the wide Ford dealer network with a good used choice and the Custom leads again.
Plus: Great to drive, good level of kit,fair payload for the class.
Minus: Few body options, some trim quality issues, low bhp engine is thirsty.
| Version | Plate | Year | Mileage | Price (ex VAT) |
| L2H1 300 Limited | 19 | 2019 | 70,100 | £12,995 |
| L1H1 300 Limited | 20 | 2020 | 65,300 | £11,895 |
| L1H1 300 Trend | 21 | 2021 | 63,000 | £12,995 |
| L1H1 280 Limited | 22 | 2022 | 61,800 | £18,795 |
| L1H1 280 Limited | 23 | 2023 | 14,000 | £26,995 |
