REVIEW: Ford Tourneo Custom is practical if a little pricey

SA’s family minibus segment just got busier with the recent launch of the new Ford Tourneo Custom.

It competes against rivals such as the Hyundai Staria, Kia Carnival, Mercedes-Benz Vito, Opel Zafira and Volkswagen Kombi. These buses offer family-sized motoring with reasonable comfort levels at more affordable price points than the more luxury-focused Mercedes V-Class at R2.26m.

Additional models will join the line-up later but for now the eight-seater Tourneo Custom is available in a single long-wheelbase Trend model powered by a 2.0l turbo diesel engine with front-wheel drive, priced at R1,070,000 with a four-year/120,000km warranty and six-year/90,000km service plan.

The latest Tourneo Custom arrives as one of the most expensive options in its class but also the largest with a length of 5,450mm, the next-biggest competitor being the 5,306mm Zafira.

Behind the blue-oval badge is an enormous vehicle with a cavernous cabin that comfortably accommodates eight adults and a lot of luggage at the same time, unlike some three-row SUVs that have limited boot space when all seats are occupied.

The Ford’s modular interior has three seating rows in a 2+3+3 arrangement that can be adjusted in various ways to cater for varying passenger and loading requirements. The seats can be reclined and slid fore and aft on tracks, and the middle row can be faced forwards or backwards.

Getting aboard is easy through large manual sliding rear doors on both sides. The big tailgate opens and closes manually, which isn’t as convenient as a button-operated door but it isn’t particularly heavy and has a strap on the inner door for shorter people to reach.

The Tourneo Custom has copious boot space even with a full load of passengers, and can be transformed into a panelvan with 6,800l of loading space by removing the rear seats. Towing capacity is rated up to 2,500kg for a braked trailer.

Oddments space in the cabin is reasonable though there is no storage bin between the front seats; Ford has opted to keep this open for walk-through space to the rear.

In Trend guise the standard features include rain-sensing windscreen wipers, automatic LED headlights with high beam assist, heated front seats, adaptive cruise control and park distance control with a camera.

It also has Ford’s SYNC4 infotainment system which has a 13-inch central touchscreen and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, wireless smartphone charging, a 12-inch instrument cluster, several charging ports throughout the cabin, and automatic climate control for the front and rear seats.

It lacks high end features such as a sunroof or electrically adjustable seats, and makes do with cloth seats instead of leather.

Standard safety fare is comprehensive and includes a lane keeping aid, stability control, six airbags and emergency brake assist. There’s also a driver alertness monitor which frequently pops up a “keep hands on steering wheel” message even when you are doing so. There’s no way to disable the annoying feature except to wiggle the steering.

The huge Ford is relatively easy to drive thanks to light steering and good visibility. The steering column is height and reach adjustable and the bottom-flattened wheel makes it easier to get your legs under. The Tourneo Custom has an SUV-like driving position with an elevated view of the road, with large blind spot side mirrors providing great visibility.

The Ford handles about as well as you’d expect for a minibus without feeling too top heavy, and the steering doesn’t feel vague.

It is a hassle to park however, and I was thankful for the warning sensors and parking camera to help squeeze this heffalump into what always seemed like too-small parking bays. The new Tourneo is lower than its predecessor, though, which makes it easier to squeeze into garages and multistorey car parks, says Ford.

The heavy Ford never feels underendowed on the power front. The 2l single turbo diesel engine, feeding the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic, is more lively than the 100kW output suggests and this is because of  the generous 360Nm of torque available between 1,750 and 2,500rpm.

The lowdown grunt made for great pulling power with four people aboard the test vehicle and felt as if it could handle a full load of eight passengers and luggage without much sweat.

It is responsive off the line, perhaps too much so at times, as on a wet road the front wheels are prone to spinning when you pull off with anything but a gentle throttle. It didn’t make a difference whether Eco, Slippery or Normal mode was selected.

The engine uses AdBlue diesel exhaust fluid to transform nitrogen oxide into harmless nitrogen and water, reducing the impact of exhaust emissions. The big vehicle averaged a relatively frugal 9.5l/100km, without carrying heavy loads.

With a new chassis and independent rear suspension, the Tourneo Custom has an impressively smooth ride which augurs well for long-distance family trips. It’s admirably refined too, with the cabin well muted from exterior noises.

For size and practicality there is little to beat Ford’s new bus and it’s supported by good tech and comfort, though it is one of the most expensive vehicles in the segment.

Ford Tourneo Custom vs the competition

Ford Tourneo Custom 2.0 SiT Trend LWB, 100kW/360Nm — R1,070,000

Opel Zafira Life 2.0 TD Edition, 110kW/370Nm — R834,000

 Hyundai Staria 2.2D Executive 9 seater, 130kW/430Nm — R909,900

Volkswagen Transporter 2.0 TDI Kombi SWB Trendline, 110kW/340Nm — R935,500

Kia Carnival 2.2 CRDi EX, 148kW/440Nm — R938,995

Toyota Quantum 2.8 LWB bus 9-seater VX Premium, 115kW/420Nm — R1,210,900

Mercedes-Benz Vito 114 CDI Tourer, 100kW/330Nm — R1,122,270