What is it?
This MPV is basically a plush version of the Transit Connect van and surprisingly competes with the likes of the Volkswagen Golf SV and, dare I say it, the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer. The emphasis here is on space and hard-wearing surfaces, a true family mobile.
Under the hood
Powering the Tourneo is the tried and tested 1.0-litre EcoBoost motor with 74kW/170Nm mated with a six-speed manual transmission. It sounds like far too little to move a 1 544kg family van around however, with four up the car still pulled well and returned decent fuel figures. While I couldn’t replicate the 5.6 litres/100km claim, I did achieve around 7.2 litres/100km, which is similar to what I achieved in the Fiesta EcoBoost a few years back.
What’s it like to drive?
It is a very nice machine to pilot; there is a massive glass house, the visibility is great and the cabin feels airy. The motor pulls well, the gearbox is slick and there is a surprisingly impressive level of refinement and more than acceptable levels of wind noise, considering the size of the windscreen and the bulbous side mirrors.
Alternative to an SUV?
As South Africans we spend a disproportionate amount of our salaries on cars and transportation in general, therefore it’s easy to see why people want to buy something 'cool' or unique. While I can’t see the SUV-owner battalion queuing up for one of these, I do see someone who has a hatchback and is tired of struggling on family trips going for one of these. Think of this, other MPVs in the segment have between 450-500 litres of boot space. The Tourneo has 1 029 litres and 2 410 with the rear seats folded; I’ve been in flats less capacious.
No style icon
It would be difficult to call a car like this stylish, nor would it be fair to judge it on aesthetics; this is a functional machine. It’s designed to take on the school run with sliding rear doors, a truly massive rear tailgate (which is quite annoying), and what I’d describe as functional styling with a massive amount of head room complete with storage compartments throughout the cabin.
Verdict
I am a fan of the Tourneo. It offers a very car-like driving experience for a van-based machine and this is something that Ford seems to do very well indeed. It will not be everyone’s cup of tea but in terms of practicality, if you’re a family-orientated person, this is a very difficult vehicle to ignore. At R279 900 the Trend model that I drove is within budget for those C-segment hatchback or even crossover buyers.
