LAUNCH | New Ford Transit is a savvy load-hauler

There is an inherent respect accorded to the genre of humble commercial vehicles.

These hardy machines – usually painted in a Defy tumble dryer shade of white – blend into the periphery of our roads, but bear serious responsibilities in the various supply chains of our economy.

From butchers to bakers, candlestick makers and more, nondescript panel vans and single-cabs keep the wheels of industry turning.

Last week Ford introduced its newest commercial offering, the latest Transit Custom van in base long wheelbase guise. Our usual launch drive of the model was punctuated with a delivery of supplies for underprivileged youngsters, allowing a chance to roll up our sleeves, loading and unloading the cavernous rear quarters of the vehicle.

Though the Transit is not as popular as certain rivals in the local market, it lays claim to being the best-selling one-ton van in Europe. It is also a five-time recipient of the International Van of the Year title.

A van is a van is a van, perhaps, but business owners will be pleased to know the new Transit is fresh from the ground up.

The platform is purportedly 100kg lighter than before, yet stiffer, with gains in wheelbase length.

The total load volume is 5.8m3, with a payload of 1,269kg. A special load-through feature allows transporting of items that are up to 3,050mm in length.

Of course, different operations require different configurations. This is where the Custom part of the Transit handle comes in, as buyers can specify various setups according to their needs. This includes dual sliding doors, moulded floors, a metal bulkhead separating the passenger cabin from the storage area and more. The test unit we sampled was equipped with this sealed partition.

Buyers can even specify enhancements like a long-distance fuel tank, giving you a 70l capacity versus the standard 55l.

In standard guise, the Transit has a single sliding door and swing-open rear barn doors. In the storage compartment you will find a rubberised floor, as many as eight tie-down loops and LED lighting.

Another benefit of the new platform is that the vehicle has a lower load floor, making it easier to pack and unload cargo.

Helping you tick those employee wellness boxes is a full suite of standard safety features: six airbags, a tyre pressure monitor, lane-keeping aid, driver alertness monitor, roll-over mitigation system and traffic sign recognition are among the highlights.

Clambering up and into the Transit, it is easy to settle into a comfortable position, empowered by that typically elevated view of surroundings.

Visibility can be a challenge with a panel van configuration, but Ford throws in a reversing camera, taking the guesswork out of things.

Setting off from our basement parking area, we have a chance to test the supposed enhanced manoeuvrability of the model. According to Ford, the sleeker design of the new Transit improves access in height-restricted areas such as multi-storey car parks, garages and underground loading bays.

The more streamlined nose also means a claimed decrease in drag, which should have benefits in fuel consumption and running costs.

The cabin is abound with seemingly endless nooks and crannies for storage. Somewhat odd is the rectangular-shaped steering wheel, but it takes little getting used to on the move.

An electric handbrake means traffic driving is a bit less labour intensive. The six-speed shifter is remarkably light. But you might be caught out by the low clutch uptake on the first few occasions behind the wheel.

Top marks to Ford on the infotainment front, with a 13-inch landscape touchscreen running the SYNC 4 operating system, complemented by an eight-inch display on instrument cluster duty.

It is frustrating that you have to navigate through menus to find simple things like the start-stop deactivation function, but the clarity of the system cannot be faulted.

You might need to host a training session to help your vehicle operators get the full benefit from the system.

That session should include an overview of the driving modes on offer, ranging from Normal to Eco and Slippery. Perhaps lock it into the middle setting for maximum cost benefits.

The Transit Custom is hustled along by a capable 2.0-litre, single-turbocharged-diesel, four-cylinder unit. Torque is a stout 360Nm and power is rated at 100kW.

Our consumption after the day of driving was 7.2l/100km but some colleagues managed to get into the lower 6l/100km region. The defense taken by my driving partner and I was that, time is money – and late deliveries are non-negotiable. Of course, we kept things within applicable speed limits.

The Transit makes use of AdBlue diesel additive to help it run cleaner, which means fleet managers will need to replenish the specific tank for this purpose, from time to time. The AdBlue tank has a 20l capacity and consumption depends on various factors.

Pricing for the model is R692,200. While you get a four-year/120,000km warranty as standard, service and maintenance plans cost extra.

There is no shortage of contenders in the panel van arena, including the Hyundai Staria (from R669,500); Volkswagen Transporter (from R649,000) and Toyota Quantum (from R708,800).

Also last week, Mercedes-Benz announced its new Vito range, which carries a base price of R874,000 – considerably more than rivals.

Obviously, your procurement head will need to crunch numbers, comparing vehicles' dimensions, running costs, dealership coverage, insurance quotations and more to arrive at a solution that serves the business most effectively.

The Transit Custom range will be expanded with other models during the course of the year.