Ford Transit Custom 2025 review
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TechTranscript
00:00This is the new generation Ford Transit Custom and this time around it's available with diesel power or a fully electric model
00:07And in fact, this model range is about to get complicated and there's a heap of new derivatives coming soon
00:12So if you're interested in the Ford Transit Custom lineup
00:16Make sure you ring the bell to keep up to date with all of my reviews
00:19Because I will be bringing you heaps more content on this lineup and the different derivatives available
00:24My name's Matt. This channel is called The Right Car and is this the right van for you?
00:28Let's talk about that. Shall we?
00:34As I said
00:35I'm just covering off the diesel versions of the Ford Transit Custom in this review and I'm focusing on this one here
00:41Which is the trend entry-level model. It's available with short wheelbase or long wheelbase versions
00:47This one here is a long wheelbase and it costs an extra thousand dollars
00:50I'll show you the extra capability and
00:52Practicality that you get from choosing the long wheelbase shortly and also the considerations about
00:57Parking it because it is a fair bit bigger. Now look
01:00I want to tell you about some of the anomalies with this current or new generation version
01:05That maybe you need to keep in mind if you're planning to buy one of these from cars that are already in stock
01:11Or if you're planning to order one because if you order one
01:14You won't get the LED lights that are fitted to this base model trend
01:18This was just part of the initial batch that came to Australia
01:22They came with LED lights the new versions if you to order one now, it will come with halogen lights
01:27Which is not ideal
01:28But this version doesn't have the hidden roof racks that you get on the new versions if you order one
01:34So I guess it's swings and roundabouts. You're gonna have to figure out what's gonna be right for you and your business
01:38But hey personally I would choose the LED lights over roof racks any day of the week now also in this trend spec
01:44You are getting a curbside sliding door
01:47Which is not glazed and you're getting barn doors as standard
01:51Now if you want to add a driver's side sliding door you can and you can choose a tailgate as well
01:56If you prefer that over barn doors, it just adds extra cost to the equation
02:00There's a few other quirks that I want to tell you about when it comes to what else you can get in the back
02:04But hey, let's talk about standard specifications
02:07Yes, you are getting plastic wheel covers on steel wheels. If you're choosing this vehicle, you're also getting a spare wheel
02:13Thankfully you don't get keyless entry
02:15So you still have to press the button on the key to unlock the doors, which is a bit annoying
02:19But you do get push-button start. You also get a digital instrument display for the driver
02:23You also get a 13-inch touchscreen media system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto plus sat-nav
02:29Plus there's also Ford connected services
02:32So you can keep an eye on your apprentice with the FordPass system to see where they are and what they're up to
02:38If you are monitoring your business like that and look it is a pretty
02:43Sensible piece of technology that FordPass system in my opinion
02:46If you are considering one of these models
02:49For work, then this is probably the better spec to choose
02:52But there are a couple of models above it
02:54Which might be a bit more appealing if you're looking for something that might make a bit of a statement for your business
02:59There's a Ford Transit custom sport model which adds alloy wheels. It gets full LED lights as standard
03:05It gets keyless entry and driver's seat electric adjustment
03:08So it could be a better choice for you
03:10If you are going to spend a lot of time in the van and then there's also the dual cab or double cab model
03:16Which adds glazed rear doors on both sides of the van and also adds an extra row of seats in the back
03:22And you still get a pretty sizable cargo area as well with a bulkhead too
03:27So it could be a really good choice for you
03:28If you are looking for an alternative to a dual cab ute and speaking of alternatives
03:32I've actually got some really good ones that you might want to consider if you're looking at a van like this
03:40The Hyundai Staria load is one of them
03:42I reckon that it has plenty of appeal because it's super comfortable on the inside. It's easy to see out of it's got lots of
03:49standard safety spec
03:50It comes with a diesel engine and front-wheel drive and pretty good capability and capacity to its body as well
03:58So it could be a really good choice for you
03:59If that's what you're looking for and hey
04:01Remember my hack if you are looking for a dual cab version of that vehicle
04:06You could just buy the Hyundai Staria and then you'd get diesel with all-wheel drive
04:10And you could rip those seats out and you'd get glazing all around the back as well
04:14I mean, that's one of the cleverest things you could possibly do if you're considering a van like that now
04:19Alternatively, you might want to go and check out the stalwart Toyota Hiace. It is a fantastic van
04:25It is the go-to for a lot of customers out there who are looking for a diesel van
04:29It's available with rear-wheel drive
04:31It has a few different derivatives including a high roof and a super long wheelbase and a commuter version
04:37So if you need a bus
04:38Then it could be a really good choice for you and your business needs
04:41It's actually one of the more impressive things to drive and it does have pretty decent
04:46Usability in terms of the cabin space as well. And finally if you're thinking well
04:50I don't want to wait for the transit custom electric. I want to get into an electric van right now
04:55Well, there is one option available
04:57Which I think you should go and check out the LDV e-deliver 7
05:01now you can check out my review of it by hitting the link in the description below and
05:04See for yourself if you think you can make it work for your needs
05:07Now it actually stacks up pretty well in terms of value for money like it is pretty close to this on price
05:13But the total cost of ownership for an electric van is way way less and it might actually suit your needs
05:19Better than you think. Make sure you have a look at it
05:22And if you haven't already please hit subscribe to catch up with all reviews of all vans that I do in the future
05:30I reckon this new generation model looks fantastic
05:33And look the existing one was still a pretty sharp looking piece of equipment this one
05:38I reckon it's better
05:39But I don't like the fact that you're getting steel wheels with hubcaps and black handles on the doors
05:45It all just looks a little bit tradie spec and I'm not saying that that's bad
05:49I'm just saying that it could be better in my opinion
05:51But there's other models coming like I said that might address those concerns now
05:55This one is the long wheelbase version
05:58so it's got an extra 400 millimeters between the front and rear wheels compared to the standard or short wheelbase and
06:05Also, I just want to call out the fact that yes, you still have to open the passenger side door to refuel
06:12That is not ideal. And yes, there is no filler cap on the diesel
06:17It's one of those easy fill ones. You've also got your AdBlue filling point there as well
06:21I don't know whether it's just this particular example of this van, but the actual cover for this
06:27Filler point doesn't actually line up that nicely with the back door. Just have a look at that. That is not ideal
06:33Now, let's have a look in the cargo area
06:36See what we are dealing with
06:39Yes, it is a very sizable space in here
06:43Yes, you do have an extra 400 millimeters of load length if you choose the long wheelbase version
06:49And yes, you do have enough gap between those wheel arches to fit an Aussie pallet
06:55And in fact, Ford claims that you can fit four Euro pallets from the bulkhead to the back doors
07:01If you choose the long wheelbase model, there is this extra storage capacity
07:06underneath this
07:08bulkhead section you can
07:10Extend in under there and there's even more storage capability
07:14So you can load some really really long things into this van. Just close this
07:19Sorry about the noise now you get a standard bulkhead and you can get it as a full steel bulkhead
07:26So no glazing if you want that and if you want that you also get steel
07:31Rear doors, so no glazing at the back
07:34And if you choose that security option, you also get a digital rear vision camera instead of a mirror
07:41Which actually would be a welcome addition as standard
07:44That's not the case now when it comes to this sliding side door aperture dimensions
07:48you can see on your screen that that's not going to be wide enough to basically forklift in if you need to and
07:56Look the door width doesn't change whether you choose the long wheelbase or the short wheelbase. And yes, as I said, you can option a
08:04driver's side sliding door if you wish
08:06And that will obviously give you better access on that side of the van
08:10Otherwise, you're gonna have to come around this side every single time or you can use the back doors, which do offer a
08:17180 degree
08:19Opening and also they've got some pretty handy things to consider here
08:24So you just open them up like so and they will lock into place and instead of one of those levers
08:30Which you have to pull on some other vans
08:32Just press this button and that unlocks the other side and you can open it right up wide
08:38You can see for yourself there that that is going to certainly be a forklift friendly load access point and look at the length of this
08:45vehicle
08:46When we do that it is phenomenally long in terms of the load space now
08:52put some cargo volume numbers on your screen and also some dimensions for you to keep an eye on about the
08:58Short wheelbase versus long wheelbase decision making process that you might be going through in your head
09:03Now all versions do come with lining on the sides of the van area, which is great
09:09There's also a bunch of tie-down hook points on the side so you can see there
09:13There's also some further up on the floor or near the floor at least and on the bulkhead as well
09:19Which is great. It means that loading and
09:23Tying down items in this area should be fairly easy to do now
09:28Also, I want to call out the fact that you do get LED cargo bay lighting as standard
09:33And if you want you can option this van with air conditioning in the cargo area, which could actually be
09:40Fantastic for you if you're doing food delivery or something like that
09:43Or if you deliver green grocer goods
09:46It could be a really great option for you to consider and it doesn't cost that much more either now you get a standard
09:53Lined floor, it's one of those
09:56Slippery plastic ones so it might not be ideal for your business
10:00And in fact if you've got wet boots
10:02It might not be ideal when you're getting in and out because I've got dry boots and yeah, not great
10:08All right underneath this area here. You'll also find a spare wheel
10:13That's a full-size steel wheel underneath there and have a look at that rear suspension
10:17Looks like it's ready for the job, doesn't it?
10:22Right, so here is your point of view perspective for this new generation
10:26Transit custom interior and I reckon it looks fantastic. It's a big step up from the existing model
10:31It's still utilitarian and still smart in terms of the storage and the usability of this space. I'm not so sure about this
10:39squircular
10:40Steering wheel. It's a bit weird. But if you choose the EV model, there is a trick to it
10:44You can actually turn it into a table, which is kind of neat
10:48But wait, I'll show you that in my EV review coming later on now
10:53Vans like this are designed to be super practical and super thoughtful and there is a decent amount of storage usability here
11:00So I'm going to show you a couple of things up here on this
11:02Dashtop section you do have a heap of folder holders, which is handy to see there are no overhead
11:09Folder bins or anything like that and there's not even a sunglasses holder
11:13Which I know will piss off some people out there. And also what might not be ideal is the fact that you've got a manual
11:22Rear-vision mirror. It's not an auto dimming mirror and it's not one of those digital camera mirrors
11:26But you can get one if you need it. More storage over there in front of the passenger
11:31There's also a reasonably sized glove box. You've also got these tiered door pockets
11:38so you've got a couple of pockets there and a bottle holder down the bottom and
11:41In here in this passenger seat
11:44There's also another section where you could secure papers and maybe a couple of other items in there as well
11:51Underneath these seats. There's also additional storage. Let me just lift this out of the way so you can see for yourself now
11:57That's that load through port area. So if you are going to use that load through port, it might not be
12:04Ideal, but hey, if you are planning to keep things out of sight from
12:09Onlookers, it could be a really handy option for you to use that under seat storage
12:14Yes, it does have two seats in the side. There are no child seat anchor points in this vehicle though
12:19So if you are planning to take your kiddos
12:22Not ideal from that perspective, right? There is also a wireless phone charger down here
12:28You've got this flip out cup holder as well, which is actually pretty handy
12:31I reckon and in there, there's another little storage tray, which is actually quite good and
12:37Look, all the materials are pretty basic and plasticky. But hey, it's a work van, isn't it?
12:41There's also a cup holder up here on the driver's side where I've put the key
12:46Because I can't really think of anywhere else to put the key apart from in my pocket
12:49Now also, I want to call out the fact that if you like to show up to the work site looking good. Well
12:55You're gonna have to check out your phone camera instead of the mirrors because there are no mirrors in this vehicle
13:00To have a look at I guess you could look at yourself in this mirror here. Maybe that's the point of it, isn't it?
13:05Let's talk a little bit about the tech here. You've got this digital instrument cluster
13:09It does have a digital speedo as part of it
13:11There is a bit of usability stuff to this screen, which you will have to get used to
13:16But I think that it is a pretty practical pretty usable design
13:20And you just have to siphon through those menus using the steering wheel controls
13:24The controls on the steering wheel are actually pretty logical. In fact, there's also a lane keeping assistance button there
13:31So if you don't want lane keeping on or you do want it on you just have to press it twice to turn it off
13:36And once to turn it back on
13:38And I think that that is a really nice thing to have because it means you don't have to dive through this screen
13:44Which is a good segue to talk about this screen because it is a fairly well information rich display
13:50So it is a 13 inch display
13:54One thing that I like about it
13:55You do have a volume dial
13:57But you don't have some of the traditional controls that you might hope for
14:02That means that if you want to adjust the temperature
14:04You have to do it with the buttons on the screen or if you want to adjust the fan you have to do it
14:08With the buttons on the screen, so that's not ideal
14:11I guess you could ask the car to do it for you through voice control
14:15But hey who actually bloody does that right now?
14:18There's also a recirc button there your demister buttons are there as well
14:22And one other thing if you want to adjust where the fan direction is going
14:28You use this button in the middle and say you want it on your body or your face
14:33Then you can press that and it'll show up sort of like a Tesla
14:38Where the airflow is going
14:39But just remember you don't press that button to get back out of that screen because if you press that button it turns it off
14:46As I found out the first few times I did it you just have to press that button and it'll disappear again
14:52Yes
14:52It's got wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and you also get sat-nav built into this vehicle as standard
15:00now one thing that you might want to consider if you are the sort of person who likes to be able to
15:06Tune into AM radio. There is no AM radio for this vehicle. There is digital radio, which is great to see but
15:14I mean for those who out in the bush and
15:18Maybe can't get access to digital radio stations and want to listen to the AM radio band because it does offer
15:25Emergency updates in some situations. That's not ideal in my opinion. All right back to the home screen
15:31Let's go through some of the other elements of this display
15:34So there are heaps of other different considerations that you might want to dive into and have a look through
15:40There's heaps of driver assistance features as standard in this vehicle
15:44And if you are looking for other features like your drive modes, you have to do that through the screen as well
15:50Although there is a quick button for some of those elements down here below
15:55Nice display, isn't it? Looks pretty neat
15:58I reckon now you can quickly go through other things like your apps for your Apple CarPlay or whatever
16:04And it is a deep detailed screen. There's a lot a lot a
16:10Lot of menus available through this screen and you can also do software updates over the air
16:16Which is great to see if you are time poor and don't want to have to go into the dealership
16:20Oh, I just want to also call out that is where your park brake button is. Yes
16:25It's a electric park brake and you just pull it on or push it off and also your gear selector
16:31If you're wondering where that is, it is up here on the right side of the steering wheel
16:35And yes, that means that your left stalk is your everything stalk. It's your wipers and your blinkers
16:41So that might take a little bit of getting used to for those who prefer to have the blinkers on the right-hand side
16:48I know there are plenty of you out there and I'm one of you
16:53Under the monit of the new generation Ford Transit Custom is a familiar powertrain
16:58It's a 2.0 litre turbo diesel
17:01Four-cylinder engine you'll see the outputs for it on your screen now
17:04It comes as standard with an 8-speed automatic transmission and it's only available with front-wheel drive
17:12Now there are some things you might want to consider when you are looking at a Ford Transit Custom
17:16It has a maximum brake towing capacity of 2,500 kilos, which is good for the class and hey another consideration
17:23You've got a 70 litre diesel tank
17:25I'll tell you about the efficiency later on
17:28But also there's a 20 litre AdBlue tank as part of the equation here, too
17:37Honestly, I think the thing that's going to be the most difficult to get used to for some buyers of this van is
17:43Where the gear selector is it is over here as I said on the
17:48Steering column comes off the right side of the steering column where you might have been used to indicating
17:54But that's now where your shifter is
17:56So that'll take a little bit of getting used to but if you've driven a vehicle in the modern age
18:01It might not be that big of a deal for you
18:03You press the button on the end to put it in the park in case you're wondering
18:07All right. So what is the drive experience like in this van? It's bloody excellent
18:11I have to say it's very very likable, livable, comfortable and enjoyable
18:17Surprisingly, I don't have a load in the back and it is really quite amenable to city driving
18:24urban driving
18:25It deals well with lumps and bumps in the road surface and it's comfortable on the highway at open road speed as well
18:33Look, honestly
18:34there's not too much to fault in terms of the ride comfort the control and also the
18:41Capability of this vehicle when it comes to driving without a load
18:45And I have to say it's also quite a joyous thing to drive
18:50Like it's really easy to drive this van despite its size
18:55Remember, it's almost five and a half meters long
18:58It is a big van and it's not necessarily the easiest thing to see out of either
19:04Like you do have dual pane mirrors, which is handy because you get a couple of different perspectives on what's happening behind you
19:11But this mirror up here is basically bloody useless
19:14Because you can't actually see much through that window in the bulkhead and certainly can't see much
19:20through the rear windows because of the barn door layout and the big beams of steel that run down between
19:28The glass so look the visibility may be not ideal
19:32There is no surround-view camera as well, which lots of other vans or modern-day vehicles have
19:39So, I mean, maybe that's not ideal. Maybe it's something that will be added later on
19:43I hope it is because it would make this vehicle easier to live with
19:47from a day-to-day perspective
19:49But more general driving impressions. I really like it. I think that it's very easy to drive
19:55It is likable and fun and smooth and comfortable and it does have enough grunt
20:01There's no doubt about that. Like it's a 2-litre turbo diesel and it is grunty enough
20:07There's plenty of torque in reserve here. You put your foot down and like I know I don't have a load in the back
20:13but the transmission does a really good job of harnessing the grunt and
20:17Getting it down to the ground as well. Remember, it's front-wheel drive only
20:21So look for the most part, I think that it's really really good at the urban and slow speed driving stuff
20:28I mean, there's one or two times that I've driven it where I've noticed that the transmission can be just a little bit confused
20:36Especially when you're on and off the brake and accelerator
20:39so that might be something if you are doing a lot of stop-start driving that you might find to be a little bit tedious but
20:46It does have start-stop technology as well
20:49So it will actually switch the engine off to help you save fuel in theory when you're in traffic
20:56So that's good to see. Can't see a thing by the way
21:03Yes, it is a work van so it's not the quietest experience that you'll ever have behind the wheel
21:10You can hear a fair bit of the road surface below. It's not too bad
21:14And particularly happy that there is a bulkhead as standard because otherwise
21:19I reckon it would be a bit of an echo chamber in here as I've experienced in vans in the past
21:24But like really I think this is a very amenable and usable and urban friendly
21:32But also work friendly vehicle. So what about fuel consumption? Okay
21:36Well, the official combined cycle number is 8 litres per 100 kilometres
21:40And if you can achieve that on a daily basis, I think you're going to be pretty happy with it
21:44Especially if you're running around with a load
21:47Now I'll also put the CO2 emissions number on your screen now in case you need to keep that in mind
21:53It does have AdBlue
21:54It is Euro 6 and it does have start-stop technology as well and a DPF too
22:00So all of those things might play into your considerations, obviously
22:04But yes, it is a diesel van and if you're wondering what I've seen across my time testing this vehicle
22:11you'll see that on your screen now and
22:13Look, I reckon that's pretty good. It's respectable certainly
22:20This van has not been tested by ANCAP yet
22:22But it did achieve the maximum platinum rating under the Euro NCAP commercial vehicle testing regime
22:29And that means that it's basically as safe as you could possibly get for a van like this
22:33Things that come standard include autonomous emergency braking, forward collision alert
22:38And there's also a rear autonomous emergency braking system
22:42So it'll brake for anything it might think that you're going to run into which is good technology to have
22:47There's a reversing camera and parking sensors front and rear
22:50You also get blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and lane keeping assistance too
22:56And there's a speed sign recognition system with adaptive cruise control that can adjust to the speed signs if that's what you want
23:03now if you're choosing the
23:05Cargo van versions of this vehicle you get dual front, front side and curtain airbags
23:10And if you choose one of the vehicles that has two front seats rather than three which is standard on the more
23:16Work focused vehicles then you get a front center airbag as well
23:24Ford Australia offers a five-year unlimited kilometer warranty for its model range including the Transit Custom Van
23:30And if you're choosing one of these vehicles, and you know you're gonna do a lot of K's you'll be happy with these service intervals
23:35It's every 12 months or 30,000 kilometers for this diesel engine
23:40That is phenomenally long in terms of leaving it between services
23:44You might not be comfortable with that
23:46but the service pricing is actually not too bad if you are going to be one of those people who does lots and lots of
23:51K's at
23:52$499 per service and if you service with Ford you get up to seven years of roadside assistance included as well
24:00at no extra cost
24:01Thumbs up
24:05This new generation Ford Transit Custom Van should go straight to the top of your consideration list if you're looking for a work-ready vehicle
24:11Well, it is brilliant. The last one was good. This one is even better
24:15Sure, you have to pay a fair bit more to get into it and there are some spec anomalies here
24:19But it's way better to drive and more practical more livable with more safety technology
24:25And it actually seems like the best van in this segment straight off the bat now that might seem like a big claim
24:31But tell me what you think about it in the comments section below. Would you choose one of these?
24:34Would you go for something different?
24:35I'd love to hear from you
24:36If you haven't already please like and subscribe and ring the bell to keep up to date with all of my future Ford Transit Custom
24:42Review coverage because there's going to be quite a bit of it. So thanks for watching. I'll see you in the next one
24:55You