FORD'S success with commercial vehicles is remarkable.
The Transit van has been a winner since the original model, pictured, was introduced in 1965 and the all-wheel drive Ranger has topped the UK pick-up charts since 2016.
I have just been driving the Transit Custom which is the UK’s favourite light commercial.
In 2021 and 2022 the Custom was the best-selling vehicle overall and the third most popular last year after Ford’s Puma and the Nissan Qashqai.
Pictured is the Transit Custom Limited. Any van driver retired for a while would be amazed by the Limited’s specification which includes heated seats and air conditioning.
Furthermore, the 2.0 EcoBlue 134bhp diesel engine of the short wheelbase Limited I tried out was mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission which makes life easier for the multi-drop driver.
Costing £39,485 on the road excluding VAT, I found the Limited a pleasure to drive.
On a round trip of about 115 miles, largely on motorways, it felt as comfortable as a car. Admittedly tested unladen, the Transit Custom Limited’s computer suggested 36.7mpg overall.
In recent times I have also been having another go in Ford’s Ranger pick-up, which has been Europe’s most popular vehicle of its type for the past seven years.
The model shown is the Ranger Tremor with features including heavy duty suspension, 17inch black alloy wheels and all-terrain tyres.
My example had the 2.0 EcoBlue diesel engine in 202bhp guise, a 10-speed automatic gearbox and a price tag of £36,881 on the road excluding VAT.
In addition to being a capable workhorse with a maximum towing capability of 3,500kg, the Tremor is lively, with Ford claiming 0-62mph in 10.5 seconds. I don’t know where you could prove it but the top speed is said to be 111mph.
While obviously not as car-like as the Transit Custom van mentioned earlier, the Tremor drives agreeably. I returned an indicated 29.7mpg.
All Ranger variants have the double cab as standard bar the entry model XL which comes as a single chassis cab, single cab and double cab.
I have driven an XL double cab with the 168bhp version of the 2.0 EcoBlue diesel engine and six-speed manual gearbox.
It struck me as a sound proposition if you don’t want or need the standard features of more expensive models.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here