GRAND TOURNEO
Hybrid people mover is pricey but practical, writes Matt Allan
Ford is taking some spectacular steps to keep lots of people happy at the moment. At the same time as it is launching the all-electric Mustang Mach E in the UK it has also announced that the Mustang Mach 1 is heading to these shores in all its 5.0-litre, eight-cylinder petrol-powered glory.
It’s also got a range of hybrids – mild, regular and plug-in – across everything from the Fiesta supermini to the Kuga SUV and large Mondeo.
And if that’s not enough, it’s also adding electrification to its commercial vehicle offering, including this, the Tourneo Custom passenger van.
Like the Transit Custom I drove recently, the Tourneo Custom is an expensive option compared to a standard diesel version but comes into its own for customers who need zero-emissions operation combined with long-range capabilities.
Looking like any other Tourneo, the only clues to this van’s dual personality are the extra charge port cover in the front bumper and the three-pot thrum of the 1.0-litre engine instead of the traditional rumble from a 2.0 diesel.
As across the Transit range, that tiny turbo petrol engine isn’t connected directly to the wheels but is there as a rangeextender to charge batteries or power the motor, which then drives the wheels.
The hybrid arrangement offers an all-electric range of just under 35 miles. The idea is that it can offer decent emission-free transportation around urban areas and be fully recharged in under three hours but can also cover more than 300 miles on the open road if necessary.
What’s clever is that the Tourneo features geofencing which can detect when the van enters a low-emission zone and can switch to electriconly drive automatically. You can also set your own “green zones”.
Like any electric ally driven vehicle, pickup is instant from the electric motor and the driving experience around town is smooth, quiet and responsive, aided by nicely weighted steering. But on faster roads it feels underpowered and that’s before you load it up with eight folk and their luggage. You’ll bury your foot hoping for more power but it won’t come. All you’ll get is the engine/generator screaming as it tries to feed the electric motor.
But a van like this isn’t about performance, it’s about practicality and it has that in spades. This version has eight seats, although there is an option for nine, and in Titanium spec and above they are the fancier “versatile conference seating”. That means each full-sized seat is independent and can be tipped, folded, turned around or removed completely to offer a host of seating arrangements, all offering excellent space. Even with all the seats in place there’s 1,200 litres of shallow but tall luggage space. There are four USB ports for passengers to charge mobile devices, a 230V socket for more serious hardware such as a laptop and cupholders and storage trays.
For the driver, the cabin is like that of the standard van and features a multitude of storage cubbies, cupholders, door pockets and sockets – 12V and USB. There’s an eight-inch Sync 3 touchscreen but, surprisingly for a £64,000 vehicle, sat nav isn’t standard so you’ll have to rely on the system’s smartphone mirroring.
While you wouldn’t call the interior luxurious it is nicely finished. Our van had the £828 seat pack which added twotone leather upholstery which tied in nicely with the two-tone dash/door finish and elevated the Tourneo above “van with extra seats” status.
Like the Transit PHEV, the Tourneo hybrid’s appeal will be limited. It’s not pure electric so misses the tax benefits they bring and the list price is high. However, for businesses such as taxi firms that would benefit from the option of 35 miles of zero-emissions motoring but need to be able to venture further afield, it has that plus all the regular Tourneo’s qualities.