Ford Tourneo Custom (2026 - ) review

For a big car (van), the Tourneo Custom is about as efficient as you’d expect it to be. The diesel engine fuel economy is up to 41.5 mpg, the electrics offer up to 200 miles of range on a single charge, and the hybrid powertrain can provide anywhere up to 177 mpg if you charge the battery regularly. The diesel model we tested returned around 37 mpg on our 30-mile test loop of country roads and motorways carrying three passengers… which is pretty good. Plus, while the £58-70K starting prices are higher than some competing MPVs, a good finance or lease deal will help break that down. Ultimately, the Tourneo Custom is less about being a bargain and more about providing the space and reassurance afforded by its base van.

Covered by Ford’s standard three-year / 60,000-mile warranty, the Ford Tourneo Custom is generally considered to be a reliable vehicle, regardless of powertrain. The well-known issues with wet belts on the diesel vehicles aside, the Custom vans (cars) continue to sell incredibly well and Ford’s aftersales coverage in the UK is a hugely reassuring benefit that comes with choosing to drive one. We also like that the interior feels durable at the expense of being ridiculously premium, because reliability is about more than just the mechanical hardiness of a vehicle. If you’ve got a big family trailing in and out of the vehicle, the last thing you want to be worrying about is the odd footprint or bag scuffing some piano-black shiny plastic surface. Keep family vehicles durable, is what we say!

Adding the vehicle’s optional safety pack makes the Tourneo Custom a four-star Euro NCAP safety rated vehicle, so it’s worth having. The back seats feature Isofix points, comfortable seat belts and sensors to enable reminders if someone hasn’t buckled in. The usual range of emergency braking, lane assistance and distraction detection systems are all present and correct, just make sure to check the spec list of whichever trim / length combination you choose has the features you need.

We’ve already compared the Tourneo Custom to the V-Class, and it’s a valid comparison to make when it comes to comfort. In a nutshell, the V-Class feels more premium while the Tourneo Custom feels like a quality family driving environment. Whichever length you choose, there’s bags of room inside for legs and heads, and lots of storage compartments and cubbies. The driving position is commanding, being high and providing excellent visibility through the big windscreen, made even better by the comfortable and fully-adjustable driver’s seat. Seats can be moved around and the interior configured as desired, you can even remove every single seat in the main passenger compartment and turn it back into a van! The largest models can seat three up front, three in the middle and three at the back, with the back two rows accessible through wide side sliding doors. We like the versatility of a well-executed van-derived car, and the Tourneo Custom provides it in spades. You might get more premium comfort from the V-Class, but we like that Ford leans into the van qualities of the Transit Custom to make the best use of available space.

The Tourneo Custom is a well-equipped van-derived car, featuring enough tech and spec inside its multiple trim levels to satisfy anyone. The infotainment system’s 13-inch screen is big and bright and runs the latest SYNC4 system, although most people will take advantage of the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Voice control is available, and we took note of owners commenting on forums that it was useful being able to ask the vehicle to adjust the temperature rather than trying to use the digital controls. The steering wheel is covered in controls, with nice physical buttons with good response rather than the VERY awkward touch-sensitive slider controls you’ll find in the V-Class. The driver’s information display is another bright and clear eight-inch screen that does a good job of keeping information nicely spaced so it doesn’t get confusing. The Tourneo Custom also features an excellent tailgate to access whatever cargo space you choose to provide yourself with, and it doubles up very nicely as shelter from the rain if required.

Starting with the diesel engines, you get a choice of three power outputs all available with a choice of front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, automatic and manual transmission. The hybrid and electric versions both benefit from a nice torque-filled punch at lower speeds, with the hybrid setup in particular feeling very smooth even as you switch between electric and petrol power. The automatic diesel model we tested was very easy to drive on all road surfaces, with light steering and good power. We should mention that our test pilot for this review was our commercial vehicle reviewer whose only word of caution for people eyeing the Tourneo Custom is that you must be aware of the vehicle’s size... especially if you’ve never driven a van before. That said, the Ford Transit Custom panel van is already well-known for being a van that drives like a car… so the transition to being a car comes quite naturally.