The Ford Transit Custom PHEV Review Changes Everything for Delivery Drivers!
We’ve all seen those ratty old white delivery vans rattling through the traffic, blowing diesel smoke out of their hold exhausts. Well, now Ford’s putting a bit of a different spin on the delivery van with the Transit Custom plug-in hybrid. So, without further ado, here’s what you need to know about the new Ford. The Transit Custom is Ford’s Toyota Hyas fighter, and until now it’s been a diesel, but now it’s embracing electrification in a big way, adding not only plug-in hybrid, but pure battery electric to its lineup as well. We’re going to focus on the PHEV here because it’s the one with the most interest ahead of launch, and it’s also a fair bit cheaper than the EV and sort of within pricing side of the Diesel Transit Custom. Not close, but you can still vaguely see them down there somewhere. The new Ford Transit custom powertrain joins the diesel that arrived some months ago. This is a new platform, a new body, and a new set of features. Whether you buy diesel, PHEV, or EV, the trend is the long wheelbase, cheaper version of the custom transit and sport, which we’re testing here, is a short wheelbase and a bit more expensive. So, let’s start under the bonnet. And if you want a plug-in hybrid delivery van in Australia, then this is the one-stop shop. Only the Ford Transit Custom comes in this spec, which combines a 2.5 L petrol engine with an e- motor driving the front wheels along with an 11.8 kWh battery. Now, the EV range is claimed at 54 km, which isn’t that long, but the combined range is a lot longer than that, and certainly a lot longer than the 300 km claimed by the electric transit custom. So, that’s where this vehicle has a real advantage. Officially, the Transit Custom plug-in claims a 1.7 L per 100 km fuel consumption rate, which is very theoretical. Most likely, you’ll be using no fuel while there’s battery charge and then averaging somewhere around 5 L per 100 km once it starts running as a hybrid. Either way, it’s a solid fuel saver. We’ll conduct further testing when we’ve had more time with the custom transit and we’ll confirm real world fuel consumption down the track. Jump inside the Turkishbuilt Transit Custom Sport and there is a bit of luxury to it by van standards. We’re not talking outright luxury here. You still got hard surfaces in this glove box lid. Well, it drops down quicker than a soccer player drops to the ground really. But there are some comfort items here. Dual zone climate control power seats. We’ve got some USB ports and so on. And there’s so much storage space in here, you’ll never find enough crap to fill them all. In fact, look here. Three seats are standard. And fold this down and you’ve got yet more storage. The retention of permanent buttons for audio and aircon is appreciated as his shortcuts to driving modes and driver assistant switches. Speaking of which, the Transit Custom comes with a lot of safety gear whether you buy trend or sport. Okay, so let’s head to the allimportant box at the back. And as you can see, this one’s full. Now, whichever powertrain you choose in the Transit Custom lineup, you get the same amount of space. However, if you opt for the plug-in or the electric versions, you are going to lose some payload and you are going to lose some brake towing capacity compared to the diesel. Check this nifty feature out. This metal plate lifts and is secured by a magnet, so you can slide longer items in here. Alternatively, you can access it just by lifting the passenger seat. It becomes a handy hidey-hole. There are heaps of ways to personalize your Transit Custom as well. Single or dual sliding doors, a barn door at the rear or lifting tailgate, and a two seat setup up front. Soon, there’s going to be a mobile office with a folding steering wheel where you can set up a laptop. Okay, so time to hit the road in the new Ford Transit Custom PHEV. And you know what? Feels pretty tight in here. All pretty cohesive, mind you, how it copes with 300,000 hard kilometers. We’ll find out in a few years time. So, what’s to like about it? Well, the Transit Custom is based on a new platform and it includes a multi-link rear suspension and that helps smooth out the unladen ride, which is great news for passengers. But having said that, we’ve only tested it on this launch with 200 kilos added. And while it didn’t really impact the ride quality that you could notice or the performance for that matter, this vehicle can take over a ton. So, we’re well short of testing its maximum out. Right, let’s talk about the hybrid powertrain. As an electric vehicle, this thing’s great for round town. Got that instant step in acceleration. It’s great for traffic lights, roundabouts, gaps in the traffic that you need to dive for in congested situations. Speeds rides though, but the EV then tends to tail off. So, the hybrid then steps in to help out when you’re running on the highway at higher speeds. And of course, if you’ve got longer runs, then you’re going to need that petrol engine assistance. So EV for around town hybrid when the road opens up. One thing about the hybrid is its relationship with the ECVT transmission is not quite as smooth as when the vehicle’s a pure EV. Also, you’re going to notice a fair bit of tire roar. The tires on this thing seem to have an active dislike for coarse bummen. But sitting up here, you’re right over the front wheels. The maneuverability is great. Sub 11 m turning circle, big windows to see out. Like these big mirrors with the convex view. That all works well. Overall, it’s not bad fun playing postman Pat. Yep. There’s a lot to like here about Australia’s first midsize plug-in hybrid delivery van, but we do have some provisos. First off, you’ve got to keep charge up to the battery to maximize your fuel savings and therefore money saved. Secondly, a bigger battery would have been great to extend the EV range. Thirdly, DC fast charging would have been good cuz that would have minimized turnaround times and kept the van rolling more often and more money rolling into your business. And finally, the upfront price. Yep, it’s a lot more than diesel and something you just have to take into account. But as a step towards electrification and a step away from smoky, dirty, noisy diesel vans, this is definitely a step in the right direction. Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe for more videos. And don’t forget to tell us what you think of this video in the comments below.
Is the Ford PHEV Van the smart work car for your business, or should you stick with diesel or go full electric? In this Ford Transit Custom PHEV review, we test the Transit Custom plug in hybrid on Aussie roads and look at how it stacks up as a daily tool for tradies, couriers and small business owners.
We cover what the PHEV actually does differently from a regular Transit Custom diesel and the full electric E Transit Custom. That means real world fuel use, electric only range, charging time, payload, towing and how much space you really lose or gain in the back.
Is the Ford Transit Custom PHEV the smart work van for your business, or should you stick with diesel or go full electric? In this review we test the Transit Custom plug in hybrid on Aussie roads and look at how it stacks up as a daily tool for tradies, couriers and small business owners.
We cover what the PHEV actually does differently from a regular Transit Custom diesel and the full electric E Transit Custom. That means real world fuel use, electric only range, charging time, payload, towing and how much space you really lose or gain in the back.
👉 Full Review: https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/ford-transit-custom-sport-phev-2025-review-150798/
Fast Forward
00:00 Ford Transit from smoky diesel van to hybrid
00:21 Ford Transit Custom PHEV vs diesel and EV: powertrain, specs & range
02:17 Ford Transit Custom PHEV interior and safety
03:59 Ford Transit Custom PHEV driving review and verdict
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