August 30, 2021
The Ford Transit is a light commercial vehicle that has always had a good reputation as a work van.
The Custom Sport 320S* is a nice looking variant in the Transit line-up that builds on the range’s rep. (* In this case, the ‘320’ stands for 3200kg gross vehicle mass (GVM) – even though this vehicle’s GVM is actually listed as 3100kg. The ‘S’ stands for short-wheelbase.)
This van is engineered to carry a load onboard, perform as a mobile office, and still offer enhanced drivability.
What features does it come with?
The Ford Transit Custom Sport 320S SWB (short wheelbase, low roof) has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder EcoBlue turbo-diesel engine, a six-speed automatic transmission, and is front-wheel drive.Standard features include an 8.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, partial leather seat trim, 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated driver and passenger seats, Sports interior trim (gloss black IP insert, chrome vent surrounds), telescopic and tilt adjustable steering column, four-speaker sound system and more.Driver-assist tech includes AEB (with pedestrian detection), blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, tyre pressure monitoring, side wind stabilisation, trailer sway control and more.
The exterior is frozen white paint (no additional cost), and it has 17-inch machined alloy wheels with a steel spare.
Is there anything interesting about its design?
In Sport guise the van has body-coloured bumper/rear bumper/bodyside moulding, body-coloured mirrors, sports body kit (front/rear), and its eye-catching body stripe/sport decals.This low-roof, short-wheelbase variant has a pleasingly streamlined appearance, especially when compared to some bulkier, long-wheelbase stablemates, and its low-key cool exterior helps it draw an admiring glance or two, especially from other van drivers.
What are the key stats for the engine and transmission?
The Ford Transit Custom Sport 320S has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder EcoBlue turbo-diesel engine (producing 136kW at 3500rpm and 405Nm at 1500-2000rpm), a six-speed automatic transmission and is front-wheel drive.It has Normal and Eco drive modes.This smaller-capacity engine and auto work well together, a proven combination, though the match-up is more efficient than exciting.
How practical is the space inside?
This variant is 4973mm long, 2272mm wide and 2000mm high. Kerb weight is listed as 2054kg.The interior for driver and passenger is designed for long work days: the partial leather trim seats are comfortable, the plastic dash and other surfaces are durable, storage spaces are numerous and easy to access, and the touchscreen unit is simple enough to operate while you’re on the move.There are two USB ports, three 12V Sockets (interior and rear cargo area), as well as glove box, dash-top storage shelves and recesses, two cupholders, a two-litre bottle holder in each door, door storage pockets, and under-seat stowage compartment on the passenger side.
The space dimensions are listed as 2554mm long (from the rear door to the bulkhead, at floor level), 3037mm long (that includes the load-through hatch in the bulkhead), 1775mm wide, 1392mm wide (between the wheel arches), and 1406mm high (from load floor to roof).
The Ford Transit Custom Sport 320S has a rock-solid reputation as a work vehicle, and in Sport guise it is even better. No wonder it won our TradieGuide Van of the Year.
As a light commercial vehicle, this van is such an impressive combination of ergonomics, functionality and convenience that it makes a damn good total package.
This article originally featured on carsguide.com.au and can be viewed here.
