Ford Transit Custom News

If you spend any time on the road you’ll see plenty of utes being used for work – but you also see just as many, if not more, vans being used as the conveyance of choice for couriers, tradies and the like.So which is actually better as a work vehicle: a ute or a van? It’s an age-old debate likely to generate more than a few raised voices.I’m ute-biased because I own a ute and use it for my other job(s), but I know plenty of people who are quite happy with their van.So, let’s tackle this touchy subject, shall we?Is the popularity of utes simply a result of hype? Are ute owners actually using entirely the wrong vehicle for work? Not at all.Vans and utes are close in terms of engine and transmission, power and torque outputs, the efficacy of driver-assist technology and even day-to-day useability.But the load space area – the business end of any work vehicle – is where the major difference lies.A ute’s tub or tray, as standard, is not closed-in so the extent of your packing is not limited by your vehicle’s roof-line as it is in a van. You can load beyond the top edge of a ute’s tub, and tall or awkwardly shaped loads aren’t a problem so long as they are safely secured.A ute also offers superior and more flexible load-carrying capabilities than a van.However, if a ute has no cover on its tub/tray, security from thieves and protection from the elements remain a serious issue. The good news is that there are OEM or aftermarket tub coverings available (hard or soft tonneau covers, roller shutters, aluminium lids etc) for utes, so that’s a potentially easily resolved issue.Or you can purchase an aftermarket canopy to be fixed to your ute tub, and some of those options are lockable. The problems is a canopy is not an engineered-at-vehicle-origin solution, so while it offers much better security, water- and dust-proofing than having no cover at all, it’s no match for a van’s factory built-in load space.And, besides, installing a cover on a ute’s tub – whether it’s a tonneau, roller shutter, canopy, or a bit of tarp over the top – defeats the purpose of owning an open-topped ute, because by doing so you’re robbing the ute tub of its load-carrying versatility.On the others side of the fence, vans have plenty of positives in their favour, even as standard.Take, for instance, the Ford Transit Custom Trail which I recently road-tested. Firstly, focusing on the cabin, the Trail can be optioned as a two-seater with hard-wearing plastic everywhere – ready for the messiness of work and life – as well as charge points (USB-A and -C) and storage (including a van-favourite dash-top slot for logbooks etc, outboard moulded cupholders and a nifty pop-out cupholder).Secondly, the load space includes access via a barn door at the rear and the Trail can be optioned up to have a sliding door on both sides.The cargo area is substantial – 3002mm long (to the bulkhead; 3450mm long if load-through hatch is used), 1392mm wide (between wheel arches) and 1425mm high (floor to roof). Easily big enough for work equipment or recreational gear. It can cope with four Euro pallets (1200mm x 800mm each) and it has a listed maximum load volume (with the bulkhead) of 6.8 cubic metres.Load height through the rear barn doors is 531-585mm, depending on how much weight (driver, passenger etc) is already onboard.The load space has a metal bulkhead (with window and load-through hatch), load area protection kit (full height walls and moulded floor), LED lights and eight tie-down loops.It has plenty of potential as a work and/or recreational vehicle with ample scope for modifications inside and out.Back to vans and utes in general, payloads in vans can range upwards of 1000kg, while payloads in utes (e.g. a single-cab) can be upwards of about 1000kg. (US pick-ups can manage more – with listed payloads of 1759kg and up – but in this yarn we’re focussing on mainstream utes.)But a van’s rear load space could be considered a distinct advantage – or at least a major point of difference – over a ute.A van can be big, for example the cargo space in a 2021 long-wheelbase Mercedes-Benz Vito 116 is 3061mm long, 1709mm wide, and 1391mm high; with 1265mm between the rear wheel-arches, so a 1165mm standard Australian pallet will slot in, no worries. Official cargo volume in the Vito is 6.6 square metres.Vans are built to carry loads and as such there is plenty of space in the rear, and amenities back there include tie-down points (with which to secure your load), lighting systems (halogen or LED), wood panelling on the interior walls and rear door, rubber or vinyl matting, or other grippy protective surface on the floor of the cargo area, and even power points.The load spaces in vans are ripe for customisation: maybe shelves for a tradie, or bedding and extra storage for an adventurous person or couple.And the rear load space may provide open access to the driver and front passengers(s), or it may be separated from the cabin of the van by a bulkhead with a built-in cargo barrier.Access to that fully secure load space may be via sliding doors on either side of the van or by using the rear door, which might be 180°-opening rear twin barn doors (with window), or a single lift-up tailgate, and either of those can be fully locked open so, importantly, a forklift can be used to place a heavier load in the cargo area.So while there’s no problem with permitted access, the load space is fully lockable, so theoretically secure, and the contents may be concealed.The cabins of utes and vans are similar in that they can be set up as mobile offices, with an immediate ease of use and comfort as priorities: think cloth seats, durable plastic surfaces and storage spaces aplenty including a lockable glovebox, dash-top slots (for log books, general paperwork etc) as well as door pockets and bottle-holder, a cup-holder at each end of the dash, and a centre console bin.But each type of vehicle has its own particular advantages, as well as exhibiting characteristics that may count against it when it comes to their potential as work vehicles.As mentioned, I’m well and truly in the ute camp but I know lots of people who wouldn’t swap their van for a ute as a work vehicle.To each their own… but to me utes still have the edge.

Ford Australia said the brand was confident it would maintain its position as the second best selling brand in the nation thanks to the “never seen before” response to the new Ranger Super Duty.The Blue Oval's Australian Marketing Director Ambrose Henderson said the brand was “really confident” in its plans for next year, despite renewed pressure from both established and upcoming rivals.Ford depends heavily on its best-selling Ranger ute for its impressive sales of nearly 100,000 units in 2026. It now faces a renewed push from Kia with its long-awaited Tasman and BYD shaking up the ute space with its smash-hit Shark 6 PHEV, and that’s not to mention Toyota and its recently-refreshed HiLux range.Henderson said continued updates for the Ranger and Everest line-up, including wider availability of the V6 now the 2.0-litre bi-turbo has been axed, as well as new variants and incremental content upgrades would see the ute continue to fend off the competition.But the biggest source of new sales will be the Ranger Super Duty, Henderson said.“We’re still in the launch phase for Super Duty” Henderson explained. ‘We expect to have a really successful year on that in 2026 — our expectation is that it is going into white space and will be an incremental opportunity for us.”By this, he means the Super Duty was unlikely to cannibalise existing Ranger Sales, and instead will enter a new category where fewer rivals are able to compete.The Super Duty is a unique offering in the Australian market. Much more than simply another Ranger variant, the Super Duty is almost entirely new underneath, with an up-gauged frame, new suspension, heavy duty axles and even a new transfer case. These allow it up to 8000kg of GCM and push it into a category above most dual-cabs.“The initial response has been incredible," said Henderson. “Right back from when we first announced the nameplate - we were flooded with a response we’ve never seen before.”While he wouldn’t yet share numbers - these should become available around this time next month when the first round of VFACTs figures drop for 2026, he said the models available now were just the beginning of what the true volume the new ute has to offer.“The more retail pick-up and XLT are launching later this year, and we’ve got really strong order banks for those as well. The response has been really overwhelming,” he said.While the true scope of Super Duty is yet to be seen, Ford can chalk up a handful of other segment wins despite being slightly down for the year, by 5.8 per cent. The Ranger-based Everest off-roader is number one in the Large SUV segment, while Mustang leads the sports car pack. Plus, the brand had a record year for its Transit van range.There are storm clouds on the horizon for Ford. Rivals are circling with new options and the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which places heavy fines on high-emitting engines such as Ford’s diesel V6, poses a threat as Ford is not selling enough electric cars to help alleviate its fleet average.The critically well-received Mustang Mach-e for example, only found 483 homes over the course of 2025.“We’re in the most competitive automotive market in the world — within that, everyone is fighting really hard,” Henderson said.“We’re happy with the performance we have in that EV area, but we’ll have more transitional technologies over time.”“If you think about where Ford does really well in providing that capability to travel around Australia and be able to do those kinds of 4x4 activities - there still needs to be more of an investment from an infrastructure point of view to make those things more viable,” he said.

Ford Australia has issued a recall for its Transit Custom and Tourneo vans due to a risk of toxic gases potentially leaking into the cabin under certain driving conditions.

History’s most influential van ever turns 60. With a global impact that includes Australia, the Ford Transit changed the way vans were designed, engineered and marketed from the very moment it hit the streets – initially in the UK and Europe – in October, 1965. Today the Transit is to Europeans what the Holden and Ford utes meant to Australians and what the F-Series pick-up is to Americans.

Australia’s van segment finally has its first plug-in hybrid: the 2025 Ford Transit Custom PHEV.

Ford has detailed pricing and specifications for the incoming Transit Custom Trail, a more lifestyle-oriented, all-wheel-drive variant of its popular work van.Slotting into the now four-variant strong line-up alongside the Trend, Sport and Double Cab at $61,990 before on-road costs, the 2025 Ford Transit Custom Trail is destined to go head-to-head with the new Volkswagen Multivan, which it undercuts by $14,000.Arriving in a single long-wheelbase specification, the Transit Custom Trail will carry the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and eight-speed automatic gearbox as its siblings. It produces 125kW/290Nm.Ford says where Transit Custom Trail differs, however, is its active all-wheel-drive system, which can anticipate and respond to wheel slip between the front and rear axles.It says the electronically controlled clutch in the rear axle, meanwhile, can provide traction like a locked 4x4 system without binding in turns.In terms of design, the Transit Custom Trail also carries its own unique flair.That includes a Trail-specific front grille and skid plates, black wheel arch mouldings and side strips, silver painted rocker trim, standard LED headlights and daytime running lights, unique 16-inch matte black alloy wheels, underbody protection and yellow exterior decals.Inside, it carries synthetic leather seat trim with unique Trail embossing on the driver’s seat and yellow stitching that extends to all three seats. Dual passenger seats come standard, but you can opt for a single passenger seat as a $150 option.As with the rest of the Transit Custom line-up, the Trail gets a 13.0-inch multimedia display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, as well as a 12.0-inch digital driver’s display.It also maintains key safety features such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, reverse brake assist, front and rear parking sensors and reversing camera.First deliveries of the Transit Custom are expected by the fourth quarter of this year, with a full list of detailed specifications expected closer to then.Ford has sold 755 Transit Customs as of March this year, an increase of 37.3 per cent on the same period last year.

Ford is looking to move some serious metal and is putting its money where its mouth is. The Blue Oval is offering cold hard cash — in the form of Mastercard gift cards — as incentives to buyers of Ranger, F-150, Transit, Transit Custom and Mach-E.

Ford has rolled out massive discounts across its vehicle range, including on Australia’s best-selling vehicle.  Variants of everything from the low-volume E-Transit to market-leading Ford Ranger ute are on special, with the family-favourite Everest SUV also on offer. 

Ford has announced it will add a plug-in hybrid variant to its Transit Custom lineup as it officially scraps plans to introduce the Puma Gen-E.Poised to arrive in Australia in Q3 2025, Ford Australia said the introduction of an additional plug-in hybrid variant is a part of its broader plans to further electrify its commercial lineup.“Ford Australia remains fully committed to offering low- or zero-emissions vehicles to Australians, particularly in the commercial sector,” said Marketing Director of Ford Australia, Ambrose Henderson.“While much focus has been put on electrifying vehicles favoured by private buyers, it’s also vital that Australia’s businesses are not left behind in the electric transition.”Set to line up alongside the electric E-Transit Custom, E-Transit and future plug-in hybrid Ranger PHEV, the E-Transit PHEV will carry a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, paired to a 11.6kWh battery pack.Exact range figures are yet to be confirmed, however, Ford said it is targeting a WLTP-rated pure electric range of 40km, which it believes will be sufficient enough for most urban journeys.“The addition of the PHEV to our local Transit Custom line-up means customers are able to conduct their shorter, inner urban, style trips on electric only power, with the freedom to make longer rural trips quickly and easily when required,” said Myles Hartley, General Manager of Electric Vehicles at Ford Australia.As with the current 2.0-litre diesel variant, the Transit Custom PHEV will be offered in both the short-wheelbase Sport and long-wheelbase Trend variants, though it won't be offered as a dual-cab.It will also be built on the same platform as the second-generation Transit Custom, which Ford released locally earlier this year. It delivered a suite of interior and exterior design and technology upgrades, as well as independent link suspension, which Ford said improved ergonomics and ride performance.Full pricing and specifications of the Transit Custom PHEV are expected closer to its launch date next year.

Ford has issued a recall notice affecting 38,423 vehicles sold between 2022 and 2024 across its Everest and Transit Custom ranges.