What is the real mpg of the Ford Transit Custom?
Real-world mpg for the Ford Transit Custom varies by engine and use, but most drivers report roughly 30–45 mpg in mixed driving.
In this article, we break down how to interpret the Transit Custom’s mpg figures, what factors push real-world numbers up or down, and what you can expect from the main engine options in typical daily use.
Official figures vs real‑world experience
The Transit Custom’s official fuel economy is published under WLTP testing, which provides standardized numbers for new-vehicle labeling across Europe. Real-world consumption often differs due to payload, routing, climate-control use, driving style, and road conditions. Heavier loads and stop-and-go urban driving typically reduce mpg, while steady highway cruising can push figures higher.
Before we dive into specifics, here are the main factors that create the gap between lab figures and real trips:
- Payload and roof racks or gear that add aerodynamic drag or weight
- Driving style, average speed, and traffic conditions
- Tyre choice, pressure, and rolling resistance
- Route type: city streets vs. long-distance highway
- Maintenance: air filters, oil quality, and engine health
- Climate control use, including air conditioning and heating
In practice, real-world mpg tends to align with the lower end of WLTP numbers in city or heavy-traffic use, while on long highway runs with light payload, the Transit Custom can approach the upper end of its range.
What real‑world mpg looks like across common Transit Custom configurations
Fuel economy varies by engine and configuration; here are typical ranges reported by owners and independent tests for the most common setups.
- 2.0 EcoBlue 130 PS, manual: Real-world mixed driving commonly around 32–40 mpg; highway runs with light payload can approach 45–50 mpg.
- 2.0 EcoBlue 170 PS, manual: Real-world mixed driving roughly 30–38 mpg; with automatic transmission or heavier payloads, figures can drop to the 28–34 mpg range.
- 2.0 EcoBlue 170 PS, automatic: Real-world mixed driving about 28–36 mpg; highway cruising often in the 40–44 mpg range under favorable conditions.
Notes: numbers vary with payload, gearing, route profile, and climate-control use. For your exact spec, check independent tests (What Car?, Parkers, Honest John) and Ford’s official WLTP figures for your chosen configuration.
Tips to maximize mpg
If you’re aiming to maximize fuel economy, consider these practical steps you can take with a Transit Custom.
- Limit payload to the necessary minimum and remove nonessential roof gear when not needed to reduce drag and weight.
- Keep tyres inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended pressures for your load and speed rating.
- Plan efficient routes and use cruise control on motorways to maintain steady speeds and reduce unnecessary acceleration.
- Keep up with scheduled servicing, use the recommended oil, and replace air filters as needed to maintain engine efficiency.
- Minimize use of air conditioning on shorter urban trips and consider eco modes if available; ventilate when practical rather than cooling or heating excessively.
By applying these practices, you can typically improve real-world mpg by several percent, depending on how you drive and how the van is configured.
Summary
The Ford Transit Custom’s real-world fuel economy depends heavily on engine choice, payload, and driving conditions. Official WLTP figures provide a baseline, but drivers often see mpg in the roughly 30–45 mpg range for mixed use, with highway runs sometimes yielding higher numbers and urban use pulling results lower. For planning, consider typical ranges for your specific configuration and consult independent road tests or owner reviews alongside Ford’s official figures to set realistic expectations.
