Ford Tourneo Custom review

On the road you’re looking at a starting price of £59,710 for the diesels, £60,795 for the plug-in hybrid, and £61,265 for the fully electric powertrain (the long wheelbase version asks for an extra £1,200 whatever you go for).

Which positions it pretty firmly in the middle. All of its Stellantis rivals can be had for cheaper. The near identical Volkswagen Transporter Shuttle and car-based Multivan too (£48-£50k). But the retro ID.Buzz (£59k) and posher Mercedes V-Class and electric EQV will set you back considerably more (£70-90k).

Strong competition there. A Multivan is better to drive due to its car-based underpinnings, an ID.Buzz arguably more desirable, but otherwise this is very much as good as either. And certainly offers more cabin flexibility than the latter.

WHAT ARE THE KIT OPTIONS?

Right, there are four to choose from: Trend, Titanium, Active and Titanium X.

Trend might be the entry spec but it’s not actually very base level at all. It includes 16in alloy wheels, LED headlights, electric heated door mirrors, 13in SYNC 4 infotainment system with Ford's navigation pack, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 10-speaker audio system, 1x front USB socket and 3x rear USB ports, electronic climate control, sun blinds, and keyless entry and start.

One up Titanium is more business focused, and as a result offers slightly more style and comfort, including 17in alloy wheels, full body colour front and rear bumpers, rear privacy glass, and manual rear aircon. Plus… a locking glove box. Essential.

Above that is Active, which is exactly what it says on the tin. So, you get a front skid plate, gloss black mirrors plus black plastic wheel arch mouldings and rear bumper, LED rear lights, roof rails, power side doors with close assist, synthetic leather driver’s seat with power lumbar support, large centre console, wireless charging, picnic light, and tri-zone electronic climate control.

Top of the tree is Titanium X which is very similar to Active trim but loses the rugged outdoorsy look and adds synthetic leather driver and passenger seat with power lumbar support, navigation plus pack with 360-degree camera parking, and individual seats in the rear row. A slightly classier option, in other words.

As previously mentioned the options list is as long as your arm, but the £2,640 Luxe Pack – ambient lighting, panoramic roof, heated seats etc – is well worth ticking.

GOTCHA. WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

If it was our money we reckon Titanium trim is probably the pick of the bunch, which adds a more sophisticated look and a couple of creature comforts too, and we’d likely spec the long wheelbase option for the added convenience.

Powertrain? Really depends on your use case. The hybrid offers the convenience of electric only operation for daily use, and provides a welcome extra boost of electric power before the engine kicks in. But the diesel is the obvious option if you’re regularly making longer trips, and offers the lower down torque for fuller loads.