The Ford Transit Custom Sport on test is a curious thing. It’s a panel van that commands a whopping R938,000 price. Ford sells only two Transit panel van models, the other being a commercial-based long wheelbase (LWB) model that costs R761,000.
The cargo-carrying applications of the Custom Sport are identical to several other panel van alternatives. Though it’s 5,050mm long, it’s a short wheelbase model that’s 400mm shorter than the 5,450mm-long Ford Transit Custom LWB, which has a cargo area measuring 5,800l in capacity. The Custom Sport musters 5,200l of space.
The more athletic-looking Custom Sport has a bulkhead window for easy peering at the payload, a R4,015 option, and lots of tethering points for securing goods. The twin barn-style rear doors feature tinted windows.
To help it stand out, the Custom Sport comes in a range of vibrant colours, including the Blue metallic of the tester. The wilder front bumper with a mesh design grille, rear roof spoiler, body stripes and black alloy wheels are exclusive and standard fitments. The foldable roof racks cost R2,680 extra and increase functionality while adding to the A-Team van styling.
In the roomy cabin for two, fine combination leather and coloured cloth covers the six-way manually operated and heated seats. The dashboard is dominated by a 13-inch landscape touchscreen that blends a full digital driver’s instrument cluster, and also with Ford’s Sync 4 infotainment system that links to smartphones wirelessly or through four USB ports.
Amenities extend to leather cladding on the multifunction steering wheel and dual zone air-conditioner. To add to the plushness, the twin soft-close sliding doors are electrically operated from buttons in the cabin and from the key fob.
For a panel van the Custom Sport van drives very well. The steering is light, with good views outside and the 2.0l turbo diesel engine that punches out 125kW and 390Nm of torque and is mated to a smooth eight-speed enables you to punt the car down any road with intent, and also handles bends fairly well.
It promises 600km on a full tank, and from the start of the weeklong test we set out to match the claim. The transmission has sequential changes but it’s a flush button integrated within the main gear stalk, rendering manual upshifts awkward. This meant leaving the gearbox to its devices, and returning 8.5l/100km on average, which is not far off the 8.2l/100km rating. It covered 500km without a refill with plenty of fuel left.
The adaptive cruise control helped with the economy challenge, and the Custom Sport can throttle and brake autonomously in reply to a lead car, though not fully. The driver has to take over when coming to a stop. It will also steer itself inside lanes, while safety systems include airbags, lane departure and blind spot warning.
Foibles? Not many, but let’s not pretend it’s a luxury bus. It’s a well-appointed workhorse, and perhaps the question is: who is the intended buyer? It’s not the regular courier delivery driver.
It’s a cool-looking van aimed perhaps at entrepreneurs in the business of lifestyle accessories carting motorcycles or quads. The 2,500kg tow rating also speaks to this application as it is able to haul a racing car on a trailer.
The sporty panel van is a niche contender that has no real market rivals and comes standard with a four-year/120,000km warranty and a six-year/90,000km service plan.
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