2024 Ford Transit Custom MK8
The All New Next Generation Custom
The eighth generation 2024 Ford Transit Custom is now here and along with it a lot of interest, hype and opinion – as befits pretty much anything else with a loyal fanbase these days. A Ford has a fanbase? Yep! The Ford Transit has several decades in the bag as the UK’s best selling van, so of course anyone who drives a van is going to have views on the latest iteration. So, amongst the crowd of people queuing up to bestow the ‘gift’ of their own personal views on the unsuspecting world, what’s new with the 2024 Ford Transit Custom?
How New is ‘All New’?
… VERY New indeed! Completely re-done from the ground up and in anticipation of electric and hybrid powertrains, the MK8 Custom is a completely new platform co-developed with VW (and soon to be seen in the forthcoming next generation Transporter). While the original thinking behind the original Transit remains unchanged – a van that is good to drive, good value and capable of carrying two full size pallets, the latest iteration is a showpiece for modern automotive technology.
The MK7 Custom is/was no slouch. It’s amongst the most all-round best equipped and most car-like vans on the road and, as usual for a Transit, is the bench mark by which all other vans are judged. People typically don’t ask us for a medium van for hire, they ask for a ‘Transit sized’ van. In fact, the Transit name is almost interchangeable with the word ‘van’ itself. With this being the case, the new MK8 Custom needs to be utterly spectacular in order to continue to be a benchmark for commercial vehicles and maintain a 70 year streak as class leader.
So, first indications, and in our view, it looks spectacular. A little longer and lower than the outgoing model which should help it fit under car park barriers a little better, but the floor is also a bit lower to mitigate that loss of internal space somewhat. In fact the L1 is only a few cubic centimetres shy of the outgoing model and the L2 has the exact same cubic capacity. That lower roofline however also helps with the aerodynamics – essential for a van which will soon have the diesel powertrain currently available, joined by hybrid and full electric powered versions.
Inside the MK8 Transit Custom, the cab refinement has been dialled up significantly over the outgoing version. Even the base model variants have the kind of technology that your car might not yet have and we never stock the entry level versions, so the new Customs we have here are better still.
The 2024 Transit Custom Range available here at Westwood starts with the ‘Limited’ trim level, so, as usual, that means metallic paint, alloy wheels, all round sensors and a whole ton of tech’ over and above the entry level.
All versions of the Mk8 Custom get a large digital display as well as an equally large infotainment touchscreen powered by the very latest Ford ‘Sync 4’ system. It’s the slightly angular look and the way these screens are mounted that most hint at the VW Collaboration, looking more than a little ‘Golf-like’, but thankfully without all those ‘not really a button’ buttons the Mk8 Golf suffered from.
The handbrake is gone, in favour of an electronic version, which, like the start button is a bit weirdly placed on the dash. This eliminates the need for a traditional lever and the space it takes up, giving more room for the passengers and allowing the driver to slide across more easily.
The steering wheel in the 2024 Custom follows a current trend we’re seeing everywhere at the moment in eschewing a simple circle in favour of a rounded geometric shape. Mere flat bottomed steering wheels are SO last year! The Custom has a rounded square ‘wheel’ but elsewhere we’re seeing rounded rectangles, hexagons and ever octagons (we’re looking at you BMW iX!).
Securitywise, drivers and business owners are likely to wonder just how secure the new Customs are and how long they’ll last against a determined pilferer. In practice, it’s too early to tell, but initial indications are good. The ability to isolate load bay and cab on the central locking is an easy win and all the things Ford learned from the last Custom are improved upon in the new model. The rear doors in particular have an entirely electronic release, so no internal cabling to exploit. Keyless entry is present, but can be deactivated via the menu system however, for multidrop couriers, the ability to jump out and have the doors auto-lock, th ewindows wind up and te hazards activate, when the key isn’t present is likely to be a massive timesaver as well as removing the risk of opportunistic theft mid-delivery. Add to this, built in fleet telematics and a van that can be instantly tracked as standard is likely to make it less appealing as a target.
In fact, the Ford Pro Telematics system is probably so much of a selling point for fleet managers, we don’t need to say anything else about the new Custom!
When Is The Mk8 2024 Ford Transit Custom Available For Hire?
A great question… right now! We had our first batch o the the 2024 Customs arrive in December 2023 and we’ve had more arrive since, although at the time of typing, we’ve not seen any of the new Customs on the road that aren’t ours. Essentially, if you want one, the best place is right here. Especially given that we have them in stock right now and at the best prices you’ll find anywhere.
You don’t want to have to wait weeks or months for the van you need right now, so don’t miss out, get in touch today and you could be one of the first to drive away in the very latest, cutting edge Custom from Ford!
