Ford Tourneo Custom: MVP among MPVs

By Ghaith Madadha - Apr 03,2023 - Last updated at Apr 03,2023

Photos courtesy of Ford

An antidote to now ubiquitous but compromised 3-row crossovers and car-based MPVs offering seven or eight passenger capacity, the Ford Tourneo Custom is instead a more dedicated and eminently more spacious and comfortable alternative.

First launched in 2012, updated in 2017 and still available in some regional markets even as a further face-lift is being rolled out, the Tourneo Custom offers eight or nine passenger capability with plenty of room for luggage. Functional, flexible and frugal, it also proved to be an unexpectedly fun and eager drive.

Unpretentiously utilitarian

The well-equipped and comfortable passenger sister model to Ford’s Transit van light commercial vehicle, the Tourneo’s van-derived body is practical and well-packaged, with a uniform rectangular shape aft of the A-pillars, to maximise cabin capacity.

Featuring a muscular front bumper with deep intakes and foglight surrounds, and large horizontally-slatted grille, the Tourneo’s styling flourishes also include a gradually rising waistline, bulbous wheel-arches and slim vertical rear lights that combined, create a sense of darting urgency to how its sits on the road.

Utilitarian and unpretentious, the Tourneo’s low floor, tall roof and regular shape provide significantly better cabin and cargo room than more fashionable SUVs and crossovers, or car-derived people carriers. With highly configurable rear seating allowing conference-style seating for six, it can accommodate up to nine people with 2,000-litres of cargo behind the rear row or 2,800-litre cargo with rear rows folded. Removing rear rows entirely, however, yields far more space, well accessed through a vast 1,400mm wide, 1,340mm high rear liftgate, and over a low 589mm lift-over height.

Pulling with conviction

Positioned transversely behind its signature big, bold and hexagonal signature Ford grille and swept back headlights, the Tourneo Custom is powered by a turbocharged 2.2-litre common-rail diesel 4-cylinder engine. Available in 99BHP guise for the short wheelbase variant, the driven long wheelbase Tourneo Custom, however, receives a more powerful version developing 123BHP at 3,500rpm and 258lb/ft torque at 1,450rpm. Driving its front wheels through a slick shifting 6-speed manual gearbox, the LWB version is capable of a 157km/h maximum, and returns low 6.5l/100km combined fuel efficiency.

Confident and capable if not outright fast, the Tourneo accelerates at good pace and overtakes with versatile response on highway. Pulling with convincing vigour through its somewhat narrow diesel mid-range band between peak torque and power, it is nevertheless rewarding and engaging when working through is quick gear shifts and light but intuitive clutch biting point to maintain revs percolating at its maximum thrust sweet spot.

With slight turbo lag from idling speed as to be expected, the Tourneo, however, revs more freely than many other turbo diesels.

Unexpectedly nimble

Surprisingly eager through corners, the Tourneo is happy to be hustled along snaking and sweeping fast corners, where it seems nimble, alert and agile by van standards, and even so in long wheelbase specification.

Almost hatchback-like in its instincts, the Tourneo turns in with good bite, with its moderately-sized 215/65R16 tyres providing a good compromise between grip and slip.

Instilling confidence in its handling abilities, grip limits and progressive at the limit understeer, the Tourneo’s steering is light, quick and well-weighted electric-assisted steering feels alert and communicative for its class.

Manoeuvrable and agile for a large MPV, the Tourneo’s long wheelbase provides reassuring road-holding, but precludes more playful mid-corner adjustability at the rear. Sportier and more engaging than typical, the Tourneo’s body lean is also better contained than expected.

On motorway, the Tourneo is, meanwhile, refined and reassuring, with less diesel clatter and better sound insulation than lesser diesel vehicles. Stable, settled and smooth at speed, the tall, upright Tourneo is, however, susceptible to slight wind buffeting when driven unladen on open desert roads.

Spacious seating

Nimble for a 2-tonne, 5.3-metre long mini-van, the Tourneo Custom LWB is also comfortable and forgiving with its absorbent tall tyres. That said, it should be even more settled and smooth when its tough leaf spring suspension is loaded with passengers or cargo. User-friendly and manoeuvrable in town, the Tourneo benefits from a tight 12.8-metre turning circle and terrific front road views with its comfortable, high driving position, and short, low bonnet. Rear views are meanwhile helped by large side mirrors and a reversing camera.

A comfortable, welcoming and well-equipped affair with safety, convenience, comfort and assistance systems, the Tourneo features easy to use controls and layouts, and has good in-class cabin quality and design.

Enormously accommodating and versatile, its cabin is accessed through dual 1,320mm tall and 1,030mm wide sliding side doors for tight parking spaces, and wide conventional front doors. Available with two captain’s front seats or independent driver’s and twin passenger front seats, its rear 3-pasenger rows can recline, fold, tilt or be altogether removed.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS