Mobile Office pack, which we didn’t, it can be tilted up to hold a laptop or pushed flat to transform into a lunch table with a clip-on plastic cover when in Park mode. Happily, when used for its primary purpose (pointing the van in the direction you want to go) the steering is excellent, light and easy around town and offering plenty of feedback when taking corners out on the open road. Tanks to the 230hp petrol engine, which Ford also uses in the Kuga passenger car, there is no shortage of power on tap when the opportunity arises to put the PHEV through its paces. Aside from its impressive performance


and road manners, we can attest that the Custom PHEV is also a practical load lugger, having relied upon it to undertake a house clearance mission.


5.8m3


Te L1H1 van we tested combines a load box (plump for L2 and you get


an extra cubic metre) with a hefty 1,350kg payload. Te load area is accessed via twin rear doors opening to 90º through to 180º and also via a nearside sliding door with a step to ease entry. Half a dozen tie-down loops in the load bay help to secure loads and a full-height steel bulkhead protects the cabin from items that may come loose in the load bed. In the cabin the dashboard features


Ford’s 13in Sync 4 infotainment touchscreen plus an 8in digital information screen, which sits within the driver’s eyeline. An electric handbrake is found between the two central air vents below the hazard lights switch and the gear selector is located on the right-hand steering wheel stalk. Tis arrangement allows for easy cross-cab access and means the middle passenger in the three- seat cab has plenty of legroom, which is a comfort Ford takes more care over than most of its competitors. Te cab also provides two USB ports and a 12v socket as well as three cup holders. Tere are two open storage spaces on the


dash top and practical storage provision in the doors. We did find the interior lacked oddment storage spaces though, for small items like keys or coins. Te PHEV starts off with Trend specification, steps up to Limited, then Sport and culminates with the motorsport- inspired MS-RT trim, which adds visual extras such as an aerodynamic front bumper, lowered side skirts, rear spoiler and leather steering wheel. Tis version is clearly aimed at owner drivers but all derivatives are well equipped. Our Sport van came with front and rear


parking aids and a rearview camera as standard but this was upgraded with the Navigation Plus pack (£1,675 ex-VAT), which includes a 360º camera. Pairing a smartphone with Bluetooth is a simple procedure and we preferred to use the Apple Maps satnav this enables rather than the in-built navigation. Our van also got the impressive Smart Digital Rear View, which is available as a £900 ex-VAT option. It effectively functions as a rearview mirror, something a van with a full bulkhead and solid rear doors would usually have to do without. Te Transit Custom line-up is laden


with safety kit - Euro Ncap has given it the top Platinum rating – features include the Collision Mitigation System, intelligent speed limiter, lane keeping aid, speed sign recognition and wrong way alert to name but a few. Te driver’s seat in the Sport is


electronically-adjustable with six settings and both driver and passengers can banish winter chills with heated seats.


Ford Transit Custom PHEV Sport 320 panel van L1H1


Price (ex VAT) £43,684


Price range (ex VAT) £39,985 – £54,435 Insurance group xxxx Warranty 3yrs/100,000mls Service intervals 2yrs/25,000mls Load length 2,602mm


Load width (min/max) 1,392mm /1,777mm Load bay height 1,427mm Gross payload 1,350kg Load volume 5.8m3 Engine size/power 2,488cc/230hp Combined fuel economy 39.2mpg CO2


65g/km


VERDICT    BEV.


Overall rating:


The PHEV is quieter than the diesel Custom but a bit noisier than the E-Transit Custom, although this never becomes intrusive


35


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