
I don't know if it is the new front that has given the car more character - or if it sells better than before. In any case, I think that there have been more of them on the way. Last year, it was number seven on the sales lists for vans in Norway.
The car
Today's Ford Transit is number 8 in the model series that started a full 53 years ago. Today, the cars are produced at Ford Otosan in Turkey and shipped all over the world, even to the USA and Australia. Transit includes 4 different models, Courier, Connect, Custom and "full-size" Transit - or just "Transit".
I chose the Transit Custom for the job. The variant which in van language is called L2H1 – long length and normal height. Equipment level Trend with side doors on both sides, one side window on the right side and windows in the rear doors. The drivetrain consists of Ford's well-known 2,0 TDCi 130HK EcoBlue with Powershift automatic.

The mission
Pick up some leftover parquet at Maxbo Sinsen and wardrobes at IKEA Furuset. Unload the car at Skillebekk and load old parquet and old wardrobes there. Continue to Bærum to take the remains after a garage clean-up. The next morning, everything must be delivered to the recycling station at ISI in Bærum.
The warehouse
6,8 cubic meters – on paper. The length is 2,92 metres, but it is possible to extend it to 3,4 for long objects by opening the hatch to a separate compartment under the passenger seat. The loading height is 1,41 metres. The width is 1,77 meters and 1,39 between the wheel arches. The floor is covered by an elaborate plastic "floor liner" that was curved up along the sides. Good solution for keeping the warehouse clean and tidy.

Space in the compartment
I don't know who decided where the dividing wall should be. It was probably in between cargo volume og comfort? You don't have to be much above medium height to notice that there is a lack of legroom - also in the Transit Custom. The solution is a high sitting position with a straight back - much like sitting in the pew. I appreciated that it was possible to jack up the seat a little in the front as well. The passenger seat is locked in one position - as is usual on such cars. Depending on the conditions, the passenger in the middle has good legroom as the gear lever solution does not steal too much space.

look and feel
After the facelift in 2018, the Transit Custom received an upgrade to the instrument panel. The infotainment system is controlled via a touch screen. Comfortable leather-covered steering wheel and clear instruments. There are cup holders "everywhere" for coffee and Coke. By folding down the middle passenger seat, you get a table surface with extra cup holders. There are several USB ports available for portable devices.
Vibrates a lot at idle
It might not have been a good idea to go across Oslo just after working hours. Almost continuous queue from Skillebekk to Alexander Kiellands Plass. People are clearly starting to come out of their Corona hibernation. But what caused the whole car to vibrate when idling? It also created a lot of noise. I suspect it is the Powershift solution. When we stood still in Drive with the engine idling, the vibrations propagated throughout the car, but gradually disappeared as we drove. The idle speed was normal.
On the road
After loading the car with parquet and other building materials, the trip continued outward towards Furuset. On the country road, the drive functioned well. The gearbox left the engine revs comfortably low. The torque is absolutely superb and made it easy for us to take the climbs. At speeds between 80 and 100, we also noticed very little of the speed. Once you get up to speed, the interior noise level is very pleasant. - And for being a van, the steering feels good on the road. Someone had probably had a small accident with "our" car, such that it was on one winter tire and one summer tire at the front.

With the car to work
It was quite difficult to back in from the street where the cars were all over the place. Good mirrors, front and rear parking sensors, as well as a reversing camera are good aids when you have to pry the car around other cars with centimeter precision on all sides. Sliding doors on each side allow quick loading and unloading when parked illegally. Three parcels that were too long for the lift had to be carried all the way up to the 4th floor. Why aren't the stairwells made more suitable for carrying large objects?
Pass the height!
One of the most important characteristics of a van is to arrive hero forward - also into car parks and garages. Most facilities have a maximum height of 2,10 - some only 2,05. The Transit Custom is perhaps one of the tallest in its class. "Our" Transit had integrated load bars on the roof that did not build in height. Brilliant. The only thing to watch out for is the antenna whip on the roof. I had to tape it to the roof when I was driving into my own garage to load some heavy bags. The antenna can withstand hitting the roof when we drive in the direction of travel, - but not when we back up...

Security
It is not as easy to determine the safety in vans as in passenger cars. In the event of a collision with a passenger car, the van gives you an advantage because you are sitting in a higher and heavier vehicle. But if you hit a brick wall, the sense of security can be false. I also have a feeling that a short person sits more securely than a tall, long-legged fellow. Transit Custom was tested by Euro NCAP in 2012. The report says that there is a lot of hard plastic that can cause damage, - depending on where - and how one sits. This is where I'm afraid we long-legged people can come off badly. However, the greatest damage was caused in a side-post collision and whiplash when hit from behind (station wagon/minibus). Fortunately, there is little to worry about in vans with a partition wall.
Total score in 2012 was 5 stars and 84% for protection of adults. Toyota Proace got 91% then the material moisture meter shows you the was tested in 2015. The Opel Vivaro was also tested in 2015 and scored only 52%. Like the Transit, both cars were also pulled for side pillar impacts and whiplash for rear seat occupants.
Conclusion
Vans like the Ford Transit Custom are made for business - not pleasure. These are not cars you get overly excited about, but "our" Transit was perfect for the job! The EcoBlue engine is an example of how good diesel has become. Adequate torque and low consumption. The automatic solution is not recommended unconditionally, as far too much noise and vibrations propagated into the cabin while we stampeded in line. During normal driving, we found that the gear changes were well adapted to the engine and kept the rpm comfortably low.

Facts about the Ford Transit Custom L2H1
Weights and Measures
Length, width, height: 534 / 208 / 202 cm
Wheelbase: 330 cm
Own weight: 2111 kg
Payload: 1014 kg
Total weight: 3200 kg
Cargo volume: 6,8 m3
Cargo space length: 292 cm
– loading hatch: 340 cm
Cargo space width: 177 cm
– between the wheel arches: 139 cm
Cargo space height: 141 cm
Max trailer weight with brakes: 1900 kg
– without brakes: 750 kg
Max trailer weight: 4200 kg
Max roof load: 150 kg
Engines
2,0 TDCi EcoBlue
Horsepower: 130 at 3500 rpm
Torque: 385 Nm between 1500-2000 revolutions
6-speed automatic Powershift (dual clutch system)
Front wheel drive
Tires
Summer tires: Continental Vanco 2
Dimension: 215/65R16 C
One wheel (vf) replaced with a studless v. tire.
Performances
Top speed: 160 km/h
consumption
Stated consumption combined: 0,64 l/mile
Stated consumption highway: 0,58 l/mile
Stated consumption city: 0,73 l/mile
Not without own measurements.
Prices 2020
Ford Transit Custom 340 L2H1 130 HP Aut.
Total price: NOK 467
Includes the following equipment:
NOK 7 Integrated roof rack (expensive but nice)
NOK 6 Alloy wheels
NOK 3 Park assistant (recommended)
NOK 2 Reversing camera (recommended)
NOK 5 Bi Xenon (recommended)
NOK 1 Tire pressure indicator
NOK 8 SYNC/infotainment/radio
NOK 2 Airbag passenger seat
NOK 500 Window in sliding door h.side (recommended)
NOK 1 Central locking
NOK 1 Rear windows (recommended)
NOK 1 Dressing in goods room
NOK 4 Sliding door v. side
Other additions:
NOK 6 Trailer hitch
About the car
Country of manufacture: Turkey
Registered: September 2019
Mileage: 6834
Km driven: 81
Sources: Vegvesen.no, ford.no , Ford Europe
Euro NCAP: Report 2012 Ford Transit Custom
Owner: Hyre.no
You can also rent a Transit Custom for an hour, day or weekend by downloading the mobile app from Hyre.
Ford Transit Custom photos
You can click on all images to see them on a larger scale.


Today, the red building houses City Self Storage on Skøyen. Here you can rent a van if you need to. The building was once grey-blue - and was my workplace for 17 years. The office building has today been converted into a self-service warehouse. Wondering what items are stored in my old office?

See




I can't find any information about one rather crucial thing in the list of facts; where does the car pull? Is it front wheel drive or rear wheel drive? I think it would have been mentioned if it was 4×4. But again here, a lot of information is far less decisive than this, at least if I'm going to choose a car. Not that I'm going to buy a van, but there is a reason why you read such reviews.
Totally agree. It was in my notes, but forgot to enter that it is front wheel drive. I guess I got a little too hung up on the equipment list.