REVIEW: Ford Tourneo Custom makes a good case for the mini bus
Forgive me if I’ve said this before, but a mini bus makes more sense than an SUV, especially if you’re looking to carry four or more people and their luggage comfortably.
Everyone is SUV mad so the mini bus seems hard done by locally but having driven a few over the years my advice would be to take a closer look at what there is on offer.
There’s the Hyundai Staria, Kia Carnival, Opel Zafira, Toyota Quantum, Mercedes-Benz Vito (and the luxury V-Class) and most recently the Ford Tourneo Custom.
For now only the Ford long wheelbase eight-seater Trend model is available with additional models set for launch at a later date.
It’s certainly one the bigger buses out there at just over 5.4 metres long that provides ample room for eight people to sit in comfort. That, also allows it to have oodles of space for luggage, something that not all seven or eight seaters can accommodate.
Ford has ensured that the seating arrangements are practical for various applications with a notched track-mounted system in the second and third rows that allows forward and back movement including independent movement of the three second row seats. The second row can be mounted backward to imitate a boardroom or lounge. They can also be removed completely providing a cavernous 6,800 litres in a panel van-type set up.
With two sliding doors and a low step, passengers can comfortably climb in and out.
Its size does however mean that parking becomes a bit of a mission especially at shopping malls despite the parking camera and sensors. I found it was easier to stop a good walk away where it’s less crowded and you didn’t have to do three-point turns. At least you get your daily step count up.
It’s powered by a 2.0-litre single turbo EcoBlue diesel engine producing 100kW and 360Nm driving the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.
AdBlue diesel exhaust fluid transforms nitrogen oxide into harmless nitrogen and water.
With 100kW it may not sound like a lot but the low down torque provided enough power even with five adults on board and I reckon with eight passengers and their luggage it should easily keep up.
The interior is put together solidly and the ergonomics on point including the column-mounted shifter that frees up significant room for the driver’s legs.
As we’ve become accustomed to from Ford, you're faced with a 12-inch digital instrument cluster with an eight-inch configurable digital display.
I had set mine up the way I liked it, with consumption, range, odometer, etc on the right of the screen but occasionally after I had switched the Tourneo off there’d be a blank on restarting. It required toggling with the settings on the steering wheel before it would return.
The 13-inch touchscreen infotainment system has Ford’s Sync4 that’s easy to use and features wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
You also get wireless charging, more than enough charging ports throughout and automatic climate control for the front and rear seats.
When you’re not maneuvering around in car parks the Tourneo is a pleasure to drive and relatively refined too..
The high driving seat provides a commanding position and despite its size, the large blind spot mirrors ensure that you’re constantly aware of your surroundings.
The steering column is height and reach adjustable with the flat-bottomed steering wheel making entry and exit easy.
Steering is light with decent feedback for a mini bus and there’s not much body roll as a result of it being lower than its predecessor.
I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly it would get off the mark and the little road and wind noise at the national speed limit considering its rather large bulk.
Ford has provided it with a completely new chassis and independent rear suspension and it shows.
It had little trouble making short work of some of the horrendous roads around North West with the occasional swerve to avoid the worst thrown in.
The driver alert monitor was a pain in the butt though. It would regularly warn me to “keep hands on steering wheel” despite both hands being exactly where they should be. You can’t switch it off so you have to briefly move the steering wheel to calm it down.
The rest of the safety features include lane keep assist, stability control, emergency brake assist, adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist, forward collision warning, ABS and EBD.
It proved to be relatively frugal, averaging 9.4l/100km in a combined cycle.
If you’re not keen on an SUV and looking for a large, comfortable people carrier in the R1-million mark (it’s priced at R1,070,000) there’s not much to beat the Ford Tourneo Custom.
Default stop start, screen that you have to reset after stopping