Ford’s Tourneo is modern-looking, if a touch unusual, but it brings some solid values to the bus party. How does it shape up against the Hyundai H1 and the Volkswagen Kombi?
Ford’s Tourneo Custom is a rather unusual-looking bus that was comprehensively refreshed with detail updates just over a year ago. Ford says the Tourneo is targeted at the executive shuttle end of the bus market, but also doubles as a lifestyle vehicle.
In this regard it is available in three configurations here, all using versions of Ford’s 2,2-litre Duratorq TDCI LWB four-cylinder diesel engine. At the base end of the range is the 2.2 TDCI Ambiente 74 kW model, which sells for R603 100. The midline model is the 92 kW 2.2 TDCI LWB Trend 92 kW model at R626 900, and the range topper is the 2.2 TDCI SWB Limited, with a 114 kW power output and a price of R675 100.
FWD, 6 speeds, 8 seats
All three models feature front-wheel-drive and a 6-speed manual transmission, and all are 8-seaters, with two seats up front and two rows of three seats each at the rear.
The Tourneo Custom has modern front end styling in the latest Ford idiom, and this is dominated by a chrome highlighted five-bar trapezoidal grille, with stylised slim-line headlights that feature LED running lights.
Although the more stylish 114 kW Short Wheel Base Limited model is tempting, we reckon the best overall value is the 92 kW LWB Trend. This is especially true if you are using the Tourneo as an airport or business shuttle, where the extra space provided by the longer wheelbase is always going to be appreciated.
What will be appreciated by the passengers is the extra attention that Ford paid to sound-deadening in the latest Tourneo model. The post-December 2018 Tourneos also feature completely re-designed seats with denser foam and more sculpted ergonomics to provide extra comfort over longer journeys.
For Tourneo owners who want to use the vehicle as a life-style vehicle rather than a shuttle, it is handy that the rear rows of seats can by folded or tumbled, or removed completely, to make the Ford into a load-carrier that can accept fun items like a couple of bicycles or camping equipment.
Dynamically, the Tourneo LWB Trend is well equipped for both people carrying and holiday trips. It comes with ABS and EBD braking, as well as stability control and hill start assist.
However, one trick that we feel Ford is missing in this market is to offer an automatic version of the Tourneo. An automatic gearbox in a large vehicle like this makes driving it a much smoother operation. With a heavy vehicle, especially when laden with all seats occupied, manual gear changes can very easily be felt as disconcerting by the passengers, unless the driver concentrates hard on matching power delivery to the right ratios and makes a concerted effort to be smooth on throttle and clutch pedals.
All in all, though, the attention paid by Ford to introducing a more upmarket feel to the cabin has paid off, and the Tourneo Custom provides a very pleasant environment for travellers on long or short journeys.
Competitors
Hyundai H1
The Hyundai H1 has been around since 2009 and has racked up impressive sales in the 8/9-seater bus market since then. In fact, the Hyundai is a 9-seater as it offers accommodation for three up front, with the second and third rows of seats each offering three spaces.
The H1 bus is available with a petrol engine and manual transmission, but we feel the model to go for, even though it is quite a bit more expensive, is the H1 2.5 CRDi Elite. The 2,5-litre turbodiesel engine produces 125 kW and 440 Nm of torque. It is mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission that is beautifully matched to the power characteristics of the engine. The H1 also differs from a lot of buses in this league as it features rear-wheel-drive. We feel that rear-wheel-drive is far more suited to a vehicle of this type where it is likely to be loaded at the rear, as stability is better under changing throttle openings.
Fuel consumption wise, the H1 has a heavier rating than the Tourneo. The Ford’s claimed average is 6,5 litres/100 km, while the H1’s claimed average is 9,8 litres/100 km. We feel the real-world difference between the two is likely to be less than three litres/100 km, but nevertheless the automatic H1 is going to use a fair bit more fuel. The price of the H1 2.5 CRDi is R690 500.
Volkswagen Kombi
The Volkswagen Kombi continues a tradition that began back in the 1950s when the Kombi was the first MPV or minibus on the market. The latest Kombi is an extremely stylish vehicle, and is available in a number of power outputs.. The model we would go for, as a balance between performance and price, would be the 2.0TDi SWB Trendline Plus. This model costs R656 300 which makes it the mid-line model, price-wise, in the Kombi range.
The Trendline Plus offers a significant amount of upmarket features, but with fairly modest power. The 2.0 TDI motor in this one develops 103 kW and 340 NM of torque. It comes with a 7-speed DSG (automatic) gearbox, and front-wheel-drive.
There is some confusion here about model naming. The Trendline Plus is also available in a version using the bi-turbo 2,0-litre VW diesel, and this engine is good for 132 kW and 400 Nm or troque. The minor difference is denoted in the model name; the Trendline Plus 2.0 BiTDI is the more powerful and expensive model, costing R698 000. At the top of the range is the BiTDI Comfortline, with a big price jump to R778 000.
Like the Tourneo, the Kombi is an 8-seater. It probably offers the most refined ride of all three of these vehicles, and fuel consumption is claimed to be 8,0 litres/100 km, which puts it halfway between the Ford and the H1 in the economy stakes.
Verdict?
Which would we go for? Price-wise, the Ford Tourneo probably offers the best value for money if you are using the vehicle as a business shuttle. However, we feel that it will be far less pleasant t drive in traffic with that manual transmission, and looks-wise it won’t be to everyone’s taste. With a 4-year/120 000 km warranty and a 6-year/90 000 service plan, it should be economical to run, while it has the lowest claimed fuel consumption figure here.
The Volkswagen Kombi is the one to go for if high-style is your thing. Nobody does a bus of this configuration better than Volkswagen, in terms of overall ride ambience and quality of materials used in the interior. The warranty of 3 years/120 000 km and a 5-year/60 000 km service plan, though, is a bit mean in comparison to its competitors. While we value the operation of the Kombi’s 7-speed DSG gearbox, we have heard too many stories of these gearboxes needing replacement at around the 120 000 km mark, so this would be a concern.
The winner
The winner in our book is the Hyundai H1. Yes it is expensive at R690 000, but these vehicles have built up huge confidence here in the last decade as people movers. The combination of 125 kW, which is the most power on tap amongst these three, 400 Nm of low-rev pulling power, and rear wheel-drive, make it a vehicle that is going to keep on delivering effortless service year after year. And A combination of a 7-year/200 000 km mechanical warranty, together with a 5-year/90 000 km service plan, is hard to beat.
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