Ford Tourneo Custom review

We’ll start up front, which is nicked pretty much wholesale from the Ford Transit Custom, from the tilting squircle steering wheel to the laptop-sized dashboard storage to the pop out cupholders, giving it quite a utilitarian feel.

Behind the wheel sits a 12in digital instrument cluster, which is as low rent and uninspiring as they come. It’s an upgrade on the full-size Transit’s analogue dials and tiny TFT unit, but lacking in style and limited in customisability. It’s a similar story with the central 13in infotainment display, which runs on Ford’s latest SYNC 4 operating system, but isn't the highest resolution and a little laggy for our liking.

Fortunately it gets adjustable shortcuts on the bottom row, but there’s a real absence of any proper physical switchgear, and adjusting the climate settings and turning off the driver assist means diving into the menus. Stuff of nightmares when you’re already distracted enough by the million screaming kids sat behind you.

While manuals gets a traditional stick shift, automatics get a column-mounted gear shifter to free up more space, as well as making entry and exit easier.

WHAT ABOUT FURTHER BACK?

Ah, this is where the Tourneo Custom really shines brightest. Now measuring 5.05m in short wheelbase or 5.45m in long wheelbase guise (we tested the latter), it is simply cavernous whether you’re sat in the middle or back row. Seriously, even Peter Crouch would be able to comfortably stretch out here.

The middle row can be positioned facing forwards, or rotated to face the rears. The chairs themselves are also now on sliding tracks, with the three in the second row able to move independently, and the third row offering a two seat/one seat split. Ford says all the seats are now lighter than before, but they’re still unwieldy and removing them a two person job, particularly the double jobby.

With all rear seats in place you’ve 1,152 litres of space in the L1 and 1,534 litres of space in the L2. We didn’t measure it, but when the back row in the latter is removed there’s seemingly enough to fit a blow up bed back there. Bin all the seats completely and you’re looking at 4,460 and 5,908 litres respectively. Just beware any parked cars behind when opening the top-hinged tailgate.

DOES IT JUST FEEL LIKE A VAN RETROFITTED WITH SEATS, THOUGH?

Yes and no. It’s not quite as well finished as say, a VW Multivan, Volvo XC90 or any of those other posh SUVs people love. It still feels too utilitarian for that: there’s too much hard plastic in the cabin and we’ve already touched on the rattling.

But there are options to help you here, and none more so than the £2,640 Luxe Pack. It brings interior lighting, a gigantic panoramic roof (with infrared tech to keep the cabin cool), heated outboard seats in the second row, a 14-speaker B&O sound system, and wireless charging. There’s plenty more to choose from on the configurator too, just be careful or it’ll quickly add up.

Oh, and the PHEV and e-Tourneo Custom also offer vehicle to load (V2L) bi-directional charging, meaning you can power your laptop, tools, camping equipment and suchlike when off-grid using the battery. Swiss Army Knife springs to mind…