Ford Transit Custom becomes Van of the Year 2021 for Autoexpress

The legendary Ford Transit Custom needs almost no introduction. Since its first unveiling all the way back in 2012, it’s rapidly grown to become the UK’s best selling van, to the point that just the name has become widely synonymous with medium vans as a whole – it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the Custom is to commercial vans what Hoover is to vacuum cleaners, or Google is to search engines. It’s certainly a firm fixture of our best van deals here at Van Discount.

The Ford Transit Custom has consistently beaten out tough competition from other new vans in its class, such as the Renault Trafic and the Vauxhall Vivaro, and today it remains Ford’s best-selling model after the Fiesta and the Focus. (Ford actually sells more Transit Customs each year than Jaguar’s entire model range!)

With all that in mind, it’s probably no surprise to learn that it’s officially been crowned the Van of the Year 2021 by prestigious motoring magazine Autoexpress. In light of its latest accolade, we thought we’d take a quick look at some of the features that’s made it quite so popular, and why it remains the UK’s quintessential medium-sized van.

The variety and almost endless customisation available

The sheer breadth of the Transit Custom’s range is a major draw for buyers, owner-drivers and fleet managers alike. Today, it’s a name that encompasses a broad spectrum of medium commercial vans, and each of their individual qualities and capabilities.

You can choose between two body lengths (L1 and L2) and roof heights (H1 and H2), depending on what trim you’d prefer. The Ford Custom Transit has an impressive six trims in: Leader, Trend, Limited, Sport, Trail, and Active.

Leader is your entry-level model, though it’s still quite generously equipped, with Trend expanding further on those features and capabilities. Limited has been acclaimed as being exceptionally luxurious for a commercial van, while the Sport version lives up to its name with larger alloy wheels, body stripes, and exquisitely designed sports seats.

The Trail and Active models are slightly more rugged, incorporating more hardwearing off-road capabilities into their builds. The Active model is comparable to an SUV in terms of its design (both inside and under the bonnet), while Trail is the perfect choice if you’re ever planning on taking your Transit Custom along some of the rougher country roads.

And of course, if you ever find yourself needing to transport small teams between job sites, it’s worth taking a look at the five-seat Double Cab in Van version, or multi-seat Kombi. Meanwhile, the Tourneo Custom is a fond favourite of private drivers, as it makes for an excellent family transport.

In recent years, the Ford Transit Custom has undergone a facelift that’s seen its higher-spec trims incorporate the cutting-edge multimedia system from its car range, including clearer graphics, a reimagined layout, and an upgraded version of Ford’s Sync3 voice control system.

By all accounts, whatever trim you go for, the Ford Transit Custom is a comfortable van, and one that’s immeasurably fun to drive.

The impressive engine, practical loadspace, and reliable safety features

All versions of the Transit Custom are front-wheel drive, powered either by a 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine (introduced in 2016), or a petrol-electric version in the case of the Transit Custom PHEV, capable of offering 33 miles of range.

If you go for the diesel option, you’ll have a choice between four different outputs of that 2.0-litre engine:
• the powerful 182bhp version
• 167bhp
• 128bhp
• 104bhp

The diesel engines meet Euro 6 emissions standards, with official combined WLTP-best economy figures somewhere around the 47mpg mark. An automatic gearbox brings that down just slightly to 44.8mpg. (48v hybrid tech is also available to help lower the running costs.) All Transits come with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, and there’s also the option of a six-speed ‘SelectShift’ automatic for the two higher-end engines.

The L1 and L2 vehicle lengths provide between 6.0 and 6.8 metres of load volume respectively – quite sufficient to accommodate most medium-sized loads, thereby making the Ford Transit Custom a solid choice in the mid-size panel van class.

And of course, the van has indisputable safety credentials. Back at its first launch in 2012, the Transit Custom was awarded the five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, and each successive update has maintained that same stellar approach to safety, with features like an ESP electronic stability programme, Side Wind mitigation technology, and load adaptive control, to help the driver maintain complete control over the van even in exceptionally rough driving conditions. Another handy innovation is the emergency brake assist, which puts extra pressure on the brakes when it senses the driver performing an emergency brake manoeuvre.

This is just a sample of some of the key details, of course. If you have any further questions or more specific queries about certain variants of the Ford Transit Custom, we’re only too happy to answer them here at The Van Discount Company. We know our vans (literally) inside out, and drawing on our decades of expertise and network of personal contacts, we actually save our customers an average of 40% off the recommended retail price of a new van. That often translates to thousands of pounds!

So whether you’ve got your sights set on cheap van deals for a Ford Transit Custom, or you’re considering a few alternatives for a Medium Commercial Vehicle, rest assured that we’ve got exactly what you’re looking for. Give us a call on 01282 872 530, or take a look around our site, and see what you can find!