Impressive five-star Euro NCAP crash rating is head and shoulders above the competition. The trio of the Citroen Dispatch, Fiat Scudo and Peugeot Expert were awarded three stars while the Renault Trafic (the same van as the Nissan Primastar and Vauxhall Vivaro) received just two stars.
Incredibly refined and quiet on the move - easily the most upmarket van on the market. The high quality interior echoes the Ford Focus with the a similar layout.
The only SWB van in the class that can carry three Euro pallets while the clever through-load hatch lets you carry longer items like pipes or ladders.
The Kombi minibus versions are a good - and cheaper - alternative to the Ford Tourneo Custom.
Slightly cramped legroom for passengers while middle seat is especially tight due to where the gear lever is situated.
The top of the dash isn't flat and there are no clips or places to put paperwork or clipboards which is frustrating if you're in and out of the van all day.
The Transit Custom is susceptible to rusting rear hinges, but it's easy to fix with regular checks and a spray-on rust inhibitor.
That 2.0-litre engine seems to be having some teething issues, there are reports of noisy idler pulleys, and adjustment needed to the belt tensioner. All this should be undertaken by Ford under warranty.
7-12-2013: Eight week old Transit destroyed by fire after repairs by dealer to a wiring fault. The dealer had panelled the interior of the van and had screwed through the wiring harness. So this was entirely the fault of the dealer, not a fault with the van.
22-6-2016: 2013-2016 Transit Custom LWB crew cab vans with fully enclosed load bays and top hinged hatchback rear doors have no interior handles for the rear doors, meaning people can be trapped inside the load area. (Side hinged barn doors do have handles.)
8-5-2018: Report of 2.2-litre diesel engine of 2013 Ford Ranger (same engine as Transit) seizing due to oil pump failure.
20-8-2018: Report of a cracked piston on a 2013 Transit Custom with the 2.2-litre diesel engine at 50,000 miles. Dealer and Ford Customer Services refuse to contrite to repairs.
10-1-2019: Hole in piston reported in 2.2 TDCI Ford engine in 2013 Land Rover Defender 110 at 40,750 miles. Land Rover initially refused any liability.
13-3-2019: Report of injector problems with 2.0 EcoBlue diesel engine, with reader's van losing power and going into limp mode.
05-4-2019: Report of injector problems with 2.2 TDCI engine. Despite new injectors and software update, owner reports inconsistent performance and increased fuel consumption.
23-9-2019: Ford EcoBlue Injector statement: "An issue has arisen with certain diesel fuel injectors supplied by a third party for the 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine. Ford has been working with its supplier to secure additional injectors and, when sufficient stocks are available, intend to work with dealers to update customers’ vehicles not yet exhibiting issues in such a way as will minimise operating downtime. Ford is increasing the size of its commercial vehicle courtesy fleet significantly to support customers affected by the diesel engine fuel injector issue. Ford realises that vehicle repairs are inconvenient to all customers, but especially for commercial vehicle operators where they can be disruptive to their business. While Ford will support all customers affected by this issue, Ford aims to assist our customers as soon as possible who experience issues in order to minimize downtime and impact on their business. Transit, Transit Custom and Ranger customers will be prioritised including providing suitable courtesy vehicles where possible."
April 2012
Ford Transit Custom Announced
Making its global debut at the Birmingham CV Show and according to Ford, bringing new levels of style, driver appeal and functionality to the one-tonne commercial vehicle market.
Low running costs start with the class-leading fuel economy, delivered by an improved version of Ford’s 2.2-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engine. Available in 100PS, 125PS and 155PS power ratings, the unit now features Auto-Start-Stop as standard on Stage V vehicles, delivering combined fuel consumption of 42.8mpg and 174g/km CO2emissions – a reduction of up to 8 per cent on the equivalent current Transit.
The driver-focused cockpit features a sculpted instrument panel which combines stylish looks with smart stowage solutions for bottles, phones and papers. Driver comfort is significantly enhanced through a highly adjustable driving position which features increased seat travel – including 30mm more rear travel for taller drivers – and the addition of a steering column adjustable for reach and rake.
Even before the vehicle goes on sale, it will have been driven the equivalent of three million miles, including at least 250,000 miles with Transit customers. Key components and systems are tested to the limit: for example, doors go through an intensive regime of 250,000 slam cycles, which is three times more punishing than Ford’s equivalent passenger car test.
September 2012
Named International Van Of The Year 2013
The Transit Custom was awarded 117 out of a possible 133 points, from the jury of 24 specialist journalists, more than the combined totals of the second-placed Dacia Dokker and third-placed Mercedes-Benz Citan.
October 2012
Residual values confirmed with a 10.5 per cent improvement in its three-year/60,000-mile residual value compared with its predecessor, a difference of £1,975. A new Ford Transit Custom 290S 100PS six-speed 310Nm model will be worth £6,800 at three years and £5,250 at four years.
November 2012
Ford unveiled the Transit Custom Econetic
With claimed best-in-class fuel consumption from 46.3mpg, a reduction of eight per cent against its predecessor, and CO2 emissions from 162 g/km. Powered by a 100PS version of Ford’s 2.2-litre Duratorq diesel engine, the Econetic model gets standard Auto-Start-Stop that can reduce fuel consumption and CO2emissions by up to 10 per cent in urban driving.
Additional fuel-saving features include a switchable 70mph speed limiter, a unique engine calibration, a coolant bypass valve for quicker warm-up, optimised gearing with a six per cent longer final drive ratio, low rolling resistance tyres and aerodynamic wheel trims. As an option, customers can also specify fixed speed limiters for speeds of 56mph, 62mph and 70mph to suit their own operating requirements.
December 2012
Ford revealed the Transit Custom Sport Van
It includes a bodykit and a fully colour-coded exterior, with body-colour bumpers, side mirrors, door handles and body-side mouldings. The appearance is finished off with18-inch alloy wheels on low profile 235/50 tyres, and the signature twin bonnet stripes in a contrasting colour.
Sport Vans are equipped with the most powerful version of the Transit Custom’s Dagenham-built 2.2-litre Duratorq diesel engine, delivering 155PS and 385Nm of torque. All vehicles also feature a short-wheelbase van bodystyle, with a 2.9-tonne gross vehicle weight. The Transit Custom Sport Van will be available to order in early 2013.
December 2012
Awarded five-star Euro NCAP crash rating
The Ford Transit Custom has broken new ground to earn a first-in-class five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. It scored 77 per cent overall after being subjected to Euro NCAP’s new heavy vehicle crash tests; achieving best–in-class marks for child protection (90 per cent), adult protection (84 per cent) and safety features (71 per cent).
Ford also received the first-ever Euro NCAP Advanced rewards for technology available on a commercial vehicle. Lane Keeping Alert brings Ford’s total of different Advanced rewards to seven – more than any other manufacturer. Ford also achieved a further Advanced reward for SYNC with Emergency Assistance.
The all-new Ford Transit Custom one-tonne van is engineered to deliver outstanding occupant and pedestrian protection in all accident situations. Its bodyshell features more than 40 per cent high strength and ultra-high strength steels and the vehicle was subjected to more than 4,500 virtual crash simulations and 30 physical crash tests during development.
July 2017
Mid-life updates for the Transit Custom
2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine replace the old 2.2-litre, with higher torque and improved economy. Econetic variant will return an advertised 148g/km of CO2 and 49.6mpg.
Driver assistance packages include Cross Traffic Alert system that will warn the driver of approaching vehicles when they're reversing out of a driveway or parking space. Buyers can also specify an intelligent speed limiter, which will enable the van to automatically adjust its speed to the required limit by using a traffic sign recognition system.
The cabin has been redesigned with more storage and new seat designs, which Ford says will provide better long distance comfort with improved foam back support for the driver. There will also be 25 more litres of in-cab storage, with additional open bins, cup holders and deeper door pockets.
The dashboard layout is mostly new, with a large touchscreen that will reduce the button count and provide easy access to DAB audio and navigation. Ford’s latest Sync 3 infotainment system will be available as a payable option and the driver can control navigation and audio by voice command. For example, to find a nearby fuel station, the driver would push a button and say “I need fuel”. The navigation would then automatically direct the driver to the nearest station.
As before, the Ford Transit Custom will be available in two load lengths and heights, with the largest providing a maximum payload of 1.4 tonnes. In addition to the standard panel van, the Transit Custom will also be offered as a kombi or crew cab. Maximum gross vehicle mass will range from 2.6 to 3.4 tonnes.
January 2019
Haynes manual now available for Ford Transit Custom 2013 to 2017, either printed or onlline, both at £16.99. Covers: Ford Transit Custom 2.0 litre (1996cc) EcoBlue November 2013 - 2017; Ford Transit Custom 2.2 litre (2198cc) Duratorq November 2013 - 2017. Also covers most mechanical features of Tourneo Custom. Does NOT cover automatic transmission, specialist bodywork/conversions, or technical changes made for 2018 model year (Dec 2017 onward). Does NOT cover Transit Courier or Connect ranges, or new Transit (full size) range introduced for 2014.
May 2019
Transit Custom wins Most Popular Medium Van at the Honest John Awards.
The Ford Transit Custom is the most popular medium van at HonestJohn.co.uk, taking this load-lugging accolade at the Honest John Awards 2019. An impressively refined drive and upmarket cabin, not to mention strong diesel engines mean it's a worthy winner.
June 2020
Report of leak from the power steering unit on a 2016 Transit Custom. On doing the work, the garage were unable to get one of the pipes out of the steering rack, saying it had rusted in place. The steering rack was damaged trying to free the pipe, and a new steering rack was needed. In the end, labour, a steering rack, power steering pipes, track rod ends, PS fluid, etc. all came to over £900.