Commercial Reviews

Ford's new Super Duty is born from the demands of its buyers, but can the brand capture that Raptor magic in creating an entirely new dual-cab niche?

Nissan tried but failed with its previous (and maybe last-ever) in-house-developed diesel one-tonne ute, the D23 Navara. For 2026, the "all-new" D27 Navara is a mildly-restyled Mitsubishi (MV) Triton, and might only be Australia/New Zealand-only, for now. But there is one massive difference, and that is the retuned suspension, courtesy of Melbourne's Premcar, that is behind the Warrior series.

Finally, a new HiLux! A vehicle Toyota has been plotting and planning for a decade. And I know what you must be thinking: what the hell were they doing with the other nine-and-a-half years?

The Ford Transit Custom Trail is priced at $61,990, putting it below the electrified Transit Customs but above most of the diesel-powered range. In target-market terms it’s also somewhere between the two camps, and broadens the Transit Custom’s appeal by offering a blank canvas for a camper or mobile-home conversion.To achieve that, it uses the long-wheelbase Transit Custom platform and teams that with the conventional turbo-diesel, front-wheel-drive layout. The major difference is that the Trail rides about 30mm higher on revised springs and All-Terrain tyres, features underbody protection and, crucially, offers all-wheel drive for more go-anywhere ability.The cabin reverts to a two-seat layout (rather than the optional three-position bench) and the vehicle’s delivery van’s roots mean it’s practical and logical with lots of storage areas, charge points and easy access.The rear section is the real opportunity for personalisation, and its pretty easy to see how the large, long space could be turned into rolling accommodation. The only real limits are the owner’s imagination and the sub-2.1 metre overall height that keeps the Transit Custom underground car-park-friendly.Six airbags including front, side and side curtain are standard and the Transit Custom Trail also boasts the latest driver aids including auto emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, a 180-degree rear camera system and on-board tyre pressure monitoring.Servicing is every 12 months or 30,000km and the Transit Custom is covered by Ford’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty as well as eight years/150,000 on the PHEV battery. Capped-price servicing is also offered.

Volkswagen has a long history of success in the commercial van market, but in recent years it has slipped well-behind the competition. A radically different new Transporter (built with the help of Ford) has now arrived to try and turn that around. We drive the new Volkswagen Transporter to find out if it has what it takes to beat the Toyota HiAce, Ford Transit Custom and the rest.

The starting point in the electrified Ford Transit Custom range, the Trend PHEV (plug-in hybrid) costs $67,590 and is available only in long-wheelbase form with a three-seater layout. Standard on the Trend is full wireless connectivity including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, embedded sat-nav, twin info screens and wireless phone charging. Steel 16-inch wheels are fitted.The PHEV driveline consists of a 2.5-litre petrol engine teamed with an electric motor and an 11.8kW battery that gives up to 54km of EV-only running. Selectable modes allow the driver to generate or save battery power, but the EV range is poor compared with the competition. Power is 171kW and torque is 400Nm, but the PHEV Transit can’t use commercial fast-chargers. The PHEV Transit Custom is front-wheel-drive.The pure EV version of the Trend costs $77,590 and includes the same equipment and dimensions, and uses a rear-drive layout with a single electric motor and a 64kW battery pack under the floor. Power is 160kW and torque is 415Nm and Ford claims a range of 301km. Charging should take the vehicle from 15 per cent to 80 per cent charged on a DC fast-charger at 125kW in 32 minutes, but the vehicle can also be charged at home from fully discharged to fully charged in 10.1 hours on a household socket.The cabin of the electrified Transit Custom is well thought out and designed as a workspace as well as a cockpit. It features five USB-C charge ports, plenty of bottle and phone cubbies and even space under the passengers seat for bulky items.The cargo area in both PHEV and EV forms is accessed by a single sliding door (with the option of double doors) and barn doors at the rear which open wide enough for fork-lift loading. The cargo bay walls are lined and a tough plastic mat covers the floor. There are tie-down points, LED lighting and an illuminated step and there’s also a space-save spare tyre.Six airbags including front, side and side curtain are standard and the Transit Custom PHEV also boasts the latest driver aids including auto emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, a 180-degree rear camera system and on-board tyre pressure monitoring.Servicing is every 12 months or 30,000km and the Transit Custom is covered by Ford’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty as well as eight years/150,000 on the PHEV battery. Capped-price servicing is also offered.

The Ford Transit Custom Sport variants include both plug-in hybrid and full electric drivelines. Compared with the lower-spec Trend specification of the same vehicle, the Sports adds 17-inch alloy wheels, a body kit including a rear spoiler, external stripes, a 10-way powered driver’s seat and dual-zone climate control. The Sport PHEV costs $69,990 and the EV variant costs $79,990.Mechanically, the Sport is identical to the Trend versions, apart from a shorter wheelbase for a 400mm shorter overall length.The PHEV variant of the electrified Transit Custom comes with a 2.5-litre petrol engine teamed with an electric motor and an 11.8kW battery that gives up to 54km of EV-only running. Selectable modes allow the driver to generate or save battery power, but the EV range is poor compared with the competition. Power is 171kW and torque is 400Nm, but the PHEV Transit can’t use commercial fast-chargers. The PHEV Transit Custom is front-wheel-drive.The EV version, meanwhile, switches to rear-wheel drive with a single electric motor between the rear wheels and a 64kW battery under the floor.The cargo area is accessed by a single sliding door (with the option of double doors) and barn doors at the rear which open wide enough for fork-lift loading. The cargo bay walls are lined and a tough plastic mat covers the floor. There are tie-down points, LED lighting and an illuminated step and there’s also a space-save spare tyre.Six airbags including front, side and side curtain are standard and the Transit Custom PHEV also boasts the latest driver aids including auto emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, a 180-degree rear camera system and onboard tyre pressure monitoring.Servicing is every 12 months or 30,000km and the Transit is covered by Ford’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty as well as eight years/150,000 on the PHEV battery. Capped-price servicing is also offered.

It was a matter of time, but Ford has now extended electrification to its popular Transit Custom range. But instead of a single model, there are two distinct drivelines; a pure EV and a plug-in hybrid. There's also a choice in specification and even wheelbase, and we reckon there are more variants to come. But for now, which of the sparked-up Transit Customs does the best job?

The single cab-chassis 4x2 is typically the lowest-priced utilitarian workhorse, with a standard equipment list that usually offers little more than steel wheels, unpainted plastic in high-wear areas, fabric seats and wipe-clean vinyl floors. And you pay extra for a tray.

Ford has come out swinging against Chinese rivals in Australia's growing plug-in hybrid ute segment, but does its Ranger-based PHEV have the right mix of price, power and performance to be the tradie's choice?