Ford Transit Custom SWB Review 2024
The Ford Transit Custom SWB is a mid-sized van that's perfect for small to medium-sized businesses. With its innovative design and practical interior, the Transit Custom SWB puts forward a serious argument for being the best mid-sized van on the market.
Rivals to the Transit Custom SWB include the Renault Trafic, Vauxhall Vivaro, Mercedes-Benz Vito, and Nissan Primastar.
Our Ford Transit Custom SWB review covers:
- Sporty and aggressive exterior design
- Innovative interior packed full of technology
- Up to 5.8m3 of load volume and payload up to 1,407kg
- 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine
- Four trim levels available
Pros:
- Car-like performance
- Loads of technology
- Looks great
Cons:
- SWB isn't the most practical
- More expensive than rivals
- No overhead storage
Gone are the days of boring, boxy designs for mid-sized vans; the Transit Custom SWB is one of the best-looking vans around. With a sporty and aggressive exterior design, eyes will be drawn to its horizontal front grille, sleek headlights, and creased bonnet.
Climb inside the Transit Custom SWB, and space is what you'd expect for a mid-sized van. There's enough room for three people, with the driver getting their own seat and the two passengers sharing a bench.
There's also a generous amount of storage, including large door pockets, a big compartment above the glovebox, and various cubbies dotted around the dashboard. The only downside is that there's no overhead storage.
The Transit Custom SWB is the smallest Custom available, with a load space length of 2,602mm and a height of 1,433mm. This equates to a load volume of up to 5.8m3 and a payload of up to 1,407kg (depending on the engine).
The cabin of the Transit Custom SWB is pretty smart. The dashboard features a good range of materials and is easy to navigate. The standout feature for us is the oval-shaped steering wheel that can double as a folding table.
Standard across the Transit Custom range is a 13-inch touchscreen infotainment system that uses Ford's Sync 4. It comes with a DAB radio, smartphone mirroring, applink, and advanced over-the-air updates. It also comes with a 5G modem as standard to ensure you're always available to your customers.
Four trim levels are available for the Transit Custom SWB: Trend, Limited, Trail, and Sport.
Trend kicks off with 16-inch steel wheels, electronic automatic air conditioning, a four-way adjustable driver's seat, partial body-colour front and rear bumpers, a 13-inch touchscreen, a 12-inch digital instrument cluster, and a parking pack with front parking aid and a rearview camera.
Limited adds LED headlights, keyless entry/start, a load-through bulkhead, heated seats, and ultra-bright LED load-space lighting.
Trail has optional 17-inch black alloys, a striking yellow exterior decal, mechanical limited-slip differential, and all-wheel drive.
Sport has 17-inch sport alloy wheels, exterior racing stripes and decal, a rear spoiler, a heated driver's seat with powered six-way adjust and power lumbar, dual-zone automatic temperature control, and LED tail lights.
A 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine is available for the Transit Custom SWB. It's available in a range of power outputs, such as 110ps, 136ps, 150ps, and 170ps.
If you want a manual transmission, you'll need to go for the 110ps, 136ps, or 150ps units. All return decent performance, are good to drive and work well with the six-speed gearbox. We'd recommend the 150ps unit if you plan on using the Transit Custom SWB for hauling cargo.
Available with the eight-speed automatic transmission are the 136ps and 170ps units. The engine and gearbox combine beautifully to return car-like performance. If you want some fun, we'd recommend paying the extra money for the automatic.
For fuel economy, you'll be looking between 33 to 40mpg.
The Transit Custom SWB really is a great van to drive. Its handling is light and responsive, which is great for around-town driving, and the engines provide the required power for motorway and country lane driving. As expected, Ford has done a good job.
If you operate in a city, you'll have no qualms about the Transit Custom SWB. The steering is light, which makes it feel car-like and, thus, easy to navigate around town. You'll find that you don't need to make huge movements when aiming the van, which is always ideal for reducing those stress levels.
Increase the speed, and the steering remains light, making changing lanes a breeze. The ride is also excellent and deals with bumps and cracks in the road with no issues whatsoever. It can be a little bumpy with no cargo in the rear, but as a business, you'll likely always have something back there.
Prices for the new Ford Transit Custom SWB start from £40,020.00 OTR* or to lease from £245.99 per month.
Looking to get behind the wheel of the Ford Transit Custom SWB? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's largest van leasing brokers and offers a range of leasing deals to suit your every need.
Leasing may be cheaper than an outright purchase, thanks to a low initial deposit and fixed monthly rentals.
*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change; always check with your nearest retailer.
