Photo: Supplied
There are almost more vans than sedans on offer these days, a fact that shows their value as a popular alternative. Ford is now spoiling buyers with more options in the form of the Tourneo Custom Sport and Titanium X.
These two head the Blue Oval’s new van line-up in short wheelbase guise following the introduction of the long wheelbase Tourneo Custom Active and Trend in 2024.
The R1 121 800 Sport is finished with flashy trim, such as racing stripes, while the Titanium X, priced at R46 000 more, is the range’s classier flag bearer, akin to the top-of-the-range Ford Everest Titanium.
Styling and spec differences aside, they share similar hardware in the form of a 2ℓ diesel engine. The turbo-charged four-cylinder engine sends 125kW of power and 390Nm of torque to the front wheels via eight-speed automatic transmission.
We spent a week in each of the vans recently and, as the drive is obviously the same, we’ll start with the differences between the two.
Spotting the differences
The Ford Tourneo Custom Sport follows the same styling design as its Transit Sport sibling, which we drove through the former Transkei in February 2025. It comes standard with 17” darkened or silver alloy wheels, black honeycomb grille and LED headlights, model-specific bumpers and door sills, and a spoiler integrated into the tailgate.
Its standout feature is the pair of black racing stripes with blue edging across the bonnet, roof, tailgate, and base of the doors.
The Titanium X swaps out the black honeycomb grille for a chrome-studded grille along with chrome detailing. Matrix LED headlights come standard, as do machined 19” alloys.
Getting sporty
Like its Transit Custom sibling, the Sport features partial leather seats with blue stripes and piano-key black detailing. The Titanium X upgrades to full leather and adds an electrically adjustable passenger seat, in addition to the Sport’s driver-only configuration.
Both derivatives come with two electric sliding doors, a 13” SYNC 4A infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 8” instrument cluster, wireless charger, heated front seats, keyless entry and push-button start, 10-speaker sound system, and tri-zone climate control. The Ford Tourneo Custom Titanium X gets a 360-degree surround-view camera system in addition.
The third row of seats can be removed from both models, while the second row can be turned around to create a conference-style cabin.
Comfortable companion
Comfort in both models is top-notch, depending on your choice of seat finish, of course. A few areas up front could use less plasticky trim, but overall, it feels more premium than some ageing rivals.
There are plenty of vents, cup holders, and USB plugs to keep everyone happy in the rear.
Both products include standard advanced driver assistance systems, such as adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, collision mitigation braking, and reverse brake assist.
One thing we found annoying was the lack of an electric tailgate on both models. With room for up to eight people, it’s virtually impossible for the smallest family member to close the big, heavy tailgate, which isn’t very clever for a vehicle with a seven-digit price tag.
Needs a bit more oomph
We also felt a bit underwhelmed by the powertrain. Using the trek from Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape to Durban in KwaZulu-Natal in the Transit Custom Sport as reference, we were disappointed by how it performed at the Reef.
Both models weigh more than 400kg above the 1 971 kg Transit Custom Sport, but the Tourneo’s power sadly can’t match its swagger when carrying eight occupants and their luggage.
The Sport driving mode, offered alongside Normal, Eco, Slippery, and Tow/Haul, makes it more responsive but doesn’t solve the underlying problem.
Our fuel consumption in both models averaged around mid-10 ℓ/100 km in mostly city traffic, which is very acceptable.
What’s the verdict?
The Ford Tourneo Sport and Titanium X offer very attractive packages at prices that are par for the course these days. The Sport in particular offers a niche swag that rivals can’t match in standard trim, and it will rely on unique selling points like these to compensate for the shortfall in the powertrain.
Vehicle pricing
Tourneo Custom 2.0 SiT Sport SWB at: R1 218 000
Tourneo Custom 2.0 SiT Titanium X SWB at: R1 264 000
Pricing includes a four-year/120 000km warranty.
