With manufacturers seemingly more eager to promote light commercials the size of Citroen’s Berlingo and Renault’s Kangoo, slightly smaller vans such as Fiat Professional’s Fiorino Cargo and Ford’s Transit Courier are rather thin on the ground these days.
And that’s a pity because their compact dimensions and ability to nip quickly through busy traffic make them ideal for city centre delivery work.
Nor should they be dismissed if you spend a lot of your time scooting down narrow country lanes – better to be in a small van that can squeeze into a field gateway than a big one if you meet a tractor hauling a trailer full of spuds coming the other way, as tractor drivers tend to take no prisoners.
The winner of this year’s What Van? Small Van of the Year Award, an updated version of the Transit Courier was presented at last year’s Hanover commercial vehicle show. It features a six-speed manual gearbox, instead of the previous five-speed offering, plus changes to the powertrain to keep it in line with updates to the Euro6 emission regulations.
Customers can pick from a 1.5-litre TDCi diesel at either 75hp or 100hp, or a 100hp 1.0-litre Ecoboost petrol. No electric version is on offer, although the little van would be an ideal candidate for battery technology if it is going to be deployed as a big-city runabout.
Ford is, of course, planning to offer its entire range with electrified options encompassing everything from mild hybrid to battery-electric over the next few years, and air-quality-conscious urban authorities will increasingly expect van owners to opt for electric solutions if they don’t want to be penalised financially.
Transit Courier diesels are now equipped with Active Grille Shutter technology. It controls airflow and reduces aerodynamic drag, thereby boosting fuel efficiency and shrinking the vehicle’s CO2 footprint.
The specification walk is Base, Trend, Limited and Sport. We opted to try the Sport, with the 100hp diesel sitting under its black-striped bonnet.
The Transit Courier is also marketed as a five-seater Kombi, with three rear seats. Fold them down and you can use it to shift cargo or tools.
Load bay
Access to the Courier Sport’s 2.3m3 cargo area, which boasts a 12V power point, is by means of a sliding door on the nearside or through twin, unglazed, asymmetric rear doors. The narrower of the two is on the offside. They can be swung through 90°, then through 180° if you release the user-friendly stays.
Six load tie-down points are provided and you can specify an LED light. A full-height steel bulkhead is fitted to protect the occupants of the cab from being hit by anything that is not lashed down if the driver has to brake heavily. The bulkhead is angled backwards into the load area and partially obstructs the side door aperture.
Opaque rear doors plus an opaque bulkhead mean that the Courier Sport should really be equipped with reversing sensors. But it isn’t. They are available as an option but are standard on Limited models, and it seems strange they are not standard on Sport derivatives too.
A tailored rubber mat protects the cargo bed, and the load area’s sides and doors are partially defended against minor scratches and scrapes by a mixture of plastic mouldings and hardboard panels. There is no protection for the wheelboxes however, which look vulnerable to being bashed. As a consequence, and depending on the nature of the cargo being carried, buyers may want to consider having the entire cargo bay timbered out. Extra carrying capacity was provided by our demonstrator’s optional black roof rails.
Interior and equipment
Ford should be praised for equipping the Courier Sport with such comfortable, supportive seats. The driver’s perch features height and lumbar adjustment plus an armrest on the passenger side. The steering wheel is both height- and reach-adjustable, and Sport specification means that its leather trim features distinctive and attractive red stitching. So do the leather-covered gear knob, the gear-lever gaiter and the seats themselves.
The wheel plays host to the remote controls for the DAB radio.
A 6in colour touchscreen is sat in the centre of our test van’s dashboard and forms part of the optional satellite navigation system. The package includes USB connectivity and iPod functionality and is Bluetooth-enabled.
Ford’s easy to comprehend and use Sync3 communications and entertainment system is installed, as is Emergency Assist. It means that help will be summoned promptly if there is an incident. Featuring AppLink, which enables smartphone apps to be accessed, Sync3 can be integrated with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Voice commands can be used to control certain functions.
Air-conditioning is standard, as is a 12V power point. Electric windows and electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors are standard too.
You have to pay extra for the optional Quickclear heated windscreen and heated washer jets, but you may feel that the extra expense is worth it if you do plenty of early starts on cold winter mornings.
In-cab stowage facilities include a full-width shelf above the windscreen, a lidded and lockable glovebox, and bins with mouldings that can grasp a can of energy drink in each of the doors. Another bin is positioned between the seats, along with a couple of cupholders, and there is a shelf on top of the dashboard on the passenger side. Look under the passenger seat and you will find a concealed drawer – somewhere to hide your tablet.
A driver’s airbag is fitted and our Courier Sport came with an extra-cost package that includes a passenger airbag and heated seats.
Front disc brakes help to provide stopping power, with drum brakes doing duty at the back. ABS and electronic stability control with roll stability control are present as are emergency brake assist, emergency brake warning and electronic brakeforce distribution. For your money you also get hill-start assist and trailer sway control. Traction control is installed and can be switched off.
Front fog lights are included in the deal too.
Independent suspension with offset coil springs helps to support the front while a torsion bar set-up helps support the rear.
The Courier Sport sits on stylish black alloy 16in wheels, shod in our case with ContiPremiumContact 2 195/55 R16 tyres. Electric power steering is installed and the turning circle is 10.9m wall to wall, shrinking to 10.5m kerb to kerb.
Engine and gearbox
The Courier Sport’s four-cylinder eight-valve diesel hits peak power at 3,750rpm.
Top torque of 215Nm bites across a 1,750rpm to 2,500rpm plateau. Turbocharged and intercooled, it comes with an aluminium cylinder head and high-pressure common-rail direct fuel injection and is equipped with electronic exhaust gas recirculation.
A diesel particulate filter is fitted, but there is no requirement to pour in AdBlue for Euro6 compliance.
The six-speed gearbox is standard across the Transit Courier range.
Driving
The Courier Sport has one of the slickest, sweetest gear-changes we have ever stumbled across on a van. Going from one gear to the next is just like flicking a switch, with no notchiness whatsoever.
While we wouldn’t for one minute advocate throwing a light commercial vehicle around twisting country roads, with the Courier Sport it is really tempting to do so.
It handles for all the world like a go-kart with a box on the back, clinging to the highway even when pushed hard, and the aforementioned comfy seats hold you firmly in place.
Unfortunately it rides a little bit like a go-kart too. The ride could certainly stand to be better damped, but that might, of course, affect the handling – and we would rather retain the fun element of the latter.
In-cab noise levels could be better-controlled – something we find with most light commercials, it has to be said – and we were a little concerned about the intermittent vibration we felt through the pedals. Now with a sixth gear, the Courier Sport can be deployed on intercity motorway runs, but it is probably happier on short-haul local and regional work.
Operating
The Transit Courier is protected by a three-year/100,000-mile warranty with service intervals set at one year/10,000 miles for our diesel.
Some operators may view that as too short a gap between workshop visits.
That is not the case, however, if a van is constantly submitted to the rigours of urban traffic, and bounced up over kerbs every day of the week.
Fuel economy? We averaged around 60mpg on a mixture of routes, lightly laden – slightly short of the official combined figure of 62.8mpg, but not so far adrift as to cause us concern.
Auto stop-start was not installed, but is available as an option. Regenerative braking is fitted to all models, however.
Ford’s Easy Fuel system means you don’t have to worry about losing the fuel filler cap and is designed to ensure you don’t fill up with the wrong fuel.
Rubbing strips are fitted to help protect the vehicle’s black-striped sides and are finished in the same colour as the body.
So are the door handles and front and rear bumpers, and both bumpers are accompanied by a skid plate.
It’s good to see a full-size spare wheel rather than an (at times frankly useless) inflator and sealer.
Ford Transit Courier Sport 1.5TDCi EcoBlue 100hp
Price (ex VAT) £16,120
Price range (ex VAT) £12,845-£16,120
Gross payload 556kg
Load volume 2.3m3
Load length 1,620mm
Load width (min/max) 1,012/1,488mm
Load bay height 1,244mm
Loading height 564mm
Rear door aperture 1,104×1,100mm
Side door aperture 453×1,044mm
Gross vehicle weight 1,810kg
Trailer towing weight 485kg
Residual value 20.9%*
Cost per mile 34.2p*
Engine size/power 1,499cc, 100hp @ 3,750rpm
Torque 215Nm @ 1750-2500rpm
Gearbox 6-spd
Fuel economy 62.8mpg
Fuel tank 47 litres
CO2 117g/km
Warranty 3yrs/100,000mls
Service intervals 1yr/10,000mls
Insurance group 28A
Price as tested £17,290
* after 4yrs/80,000mls; source: KwikCarcost
Options Fitted
LED load area light £40
Quickclear heated windscreen with heated washer jets £100
Black roof rails £150
Heated seats £350
Navigation pack £530
Rivals
Fiat Professional Fiorino Cargo
Price (ex VAT) £12,595-£16,275
Load volume 2.5m3
Gross payload 610-660kg
Engines 77hp 1.4 petrol, 80hp, 95hp 1.3 diesel
Verdict: A compact, frugal and highly manoeuvrable load-shifter, the Fiorino Cargo is tailor-made for Britain’s urban jungle. It is equally at home on rural roads, with the Adventure model capable of keeping you moving in slippery conditions thanks to features such as an electronic diff lock and raised suspension.
Ford Fiesta Van
Price (ex VAT) £13,245-£16,145
Load volume 0.96m3
Gross payload 508-530kg
Engines 85hp 1.1 petrol, 125hp 1.0 petrol, 85hp, 120hp 1.5 diesel
Verdict: Citing another Ford model as a rival to Transit Courier even though it’s smaller underlines the breadth of the brand’s range, and the lack of compacts from other makers. With a small load area and modest payload, the Fiesta Van isn’t hugely practical, but spend five minutes in the Sport Van model and you’ll forgive it any shortcomings.
Mercedes-Benz Citan 109CDI Compact
Price (ex VAT) £15,400
Load volume 2.4m3
Gross payload 370kg
Engines 90hp 1.5 diesel
Verdict: While the Citan is closely related to Renault’s Kangoo, the Kangoo range has not included a model as small as the Compact for several years. Renault dropped the Kangoo equivalent because it found there was insufficient demand. Payload capacity is woeful, although the load cube is respectable for a van of this size.
The Final Verdict
|
Design |
9/10 |
Clever package combines driveability, good looks and practicality. |
|
Cabin |
8/10 |
Comfortable seats and plenty of storage space. |
|
Ride |
6/10 |
Needs to be better-damped, but without harming the handling. |
|
Refinement |
6/10 |
In-cab noise needs turning down; pedal vibration was concerning. |
|
Load area |
8/10 |
Plenty of tie-down points, but needs to be better-protected. |
|
Handling/performance |
9/10 |
Former is exemplary; latter okay for short-/medium-haul work. |
|
Engine/transmission |
9/10 |
Well-matched, and the gearbox offers a smooth, quick change. |
|
Standard equipment |
8/10 |
Mostly all there, but reversing sensors need to be part of the deal. |
|
Operating costs |
8/10 |
Mpg is to be applauded and Ford badge spells strong residuals. |
|
What Van? subjective rating |
8/10 |
A sporty, fun package that remains a practical working tool. |
