Ford Tourneo vs Toyota Quantum vs Mercedes-Benz Vito: which one is the best value for money?

While many do not consider people movers when thinking about exciting modes of transport, the reality is that many a South African gains personal mobility thanks to these practical machines. Today we’re concerned with the Ford Tourneo Custom, a people mover used more in a private capacity than for public transport.

We will be comparing the entry-level Ambiente model with the popular Toyota Quantum in 11-seater GL guise and the well-established Mercedes-Benz Vito Tourer Base in an attempt to determine which model offers the best value for money.

The competitors

	Ford Tourneo Custom 2.2TDCi LWB Ambiente	Toyota Quantum 2.8 LWB bus 11-seater GL	Mercedes-Benz Vito 111 CDI Tourer Base
Engine size	4-cyl, 2.2-litre turbodiesel	4-cyl, 2.8-litre turbodiesel	4-cyl, 1.6-litre turbodiesel
Power/Torque	74 kW/310 Nm	130 kW/420 Nm	84 kW/270 Nm
Kerb Weight	2 085 kg	2 445kg	1 900 kg
Gearbox	6-speed manual	6-speed manual	6-speed manual
Airbag count	6	2	2
Driven wheels	All	All	All
Seats	8	11	7
Price	R653 100	R686 900	R630 667
Fuel capacity	80-litres	65-litres	57-litres
Service plan	4 yr/90 000 km	9 services/90 000km	5 yr/120 000

 

Comparing the trio

Practicality

Being vans, practicality is high on the list of virtues associated with all three of these products. The Ford offers seating for eight occupants and 1 200-litres of boot volume with all of the seats in place, while the rear sliding doors make this an incredibly practical product. The Toyota, being more of a public transport-friendly product, offers the most seating in this trio, with eleven pews and an undisclosed boot volume mean that while this is a very practical product, it may require the removal of the final row of seats to make it more family-friendly. The Vito is also a spacious and practical product, with rear sliding doors, the fewest seats, at seven, and a smaller boot than the Toyota, at 990-litres, still enough for most families to find useful.

Power and performance

All three of our contenders feature turbodiesel engines paired with 6-speed manual gearboxes that send power to the front wheels, aside from the Toyota, which is rear-wheel driven.

On paper, the Quantum has a clear power advantage too, offering the largest capacity engine, displacing 2.8-litres and producing a healthy 130kW and 420Nm of torque, despite the Quantum weighing-in at nearly 2 500kg while consuming fuel at a rate of 8.7L/100km.  However, with a top speed restricted to 100km/h, the Quantum is better suited to the public transport or corporate transport industry targeted at versus private use.

The Ford features the well-aged but dependable 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine seen in many models over the years. In this guise it offers 74kW and 310Nm, allowing for a top speed of 157km/h and a reasonable amount of overtaking torque concerning its mass. It also offers a claimed fuel consumption figure of 6.5L/100km, which is impressive.

The Mercedes-Benz is the lightest car in the comparison, by quite a large margin, but it also has the smallest engine, at just 1.6-litres, however, it is a sophisticated unit that produces an impressive 84kW and 270Nm of torque. The Vito will go on to a top speed of 169km/h and sip diesel at a rate of 6.3L/100km.

Specification

The models that we have chosen for this comparison are all basic products in terms of specification but feature the essentials, with the Toyota and Mercedes-Benz benefitting from alloy wheels while the Ford gets steel wheels with hub caps. Aside from this, all three feature airconditioning, a multi-function steering wheel, an onboard information display, Bluetooth and USB functionality, remote central locking, electric front windows, cloth seats and fog lamps. Features unique to each model include a rear-view camera located in the rear-view mirror of the Quantum, front and rear Park Distance Control on the Ford while the Mercedes-Benz features heated exterior mirrors and comfort open/close functionality.

Safety

Since these people movers will have precious cargo aboard, safety is of the utmost importance. We are happy to report that all three contenders have performed well during crash test evaluations. The Ford was tested by the ANCAP crash test evaluation programme in 2012 where it achieved a 5-Star rating, including 84% for adult occupant safety, 90% for child occupant safety, 48% for pedestrian safety and 71% for its safety assistance systems.

The Toyota was also tested by ANCAP, but in 2019 as it is a far newer product. The Quantum achieved a 5-Star safety rating, with a 94% score for adult occupant safety, 88% for child safety, 84% for pedestrian safety and 77% for its safety assistance systems.

The Vito was also subjected to the ANCAP’s crash test programme, but in 2014, where it also achieved the maximum 5-Stars, including 93% for adult occupant safety, 87% for child safety, 67% for pedestrian safety and 85% for its safety assistance systems.

Warranty & maintenance plan

The trio assembled here all offer good standard service plans, with the Toyota offering 9 services with an interval of 10 000km while the Mercedes-Benz has a service level indicator between 20 000-40 000km between its services which are valid for 5-years or 120 000km while the Ford comes with a 15 000km interval for its 6-year/90 000km plan.

From a warranty perspective, the Tourneo Custom comes out on top with its 4-year/120 000km warranty which is superior to Quantum’s 3-year/100 000km warranty and the 2-year/unlimited mileage item on the Vito.

Verdict

Looking at the figures it becomes clear that while the Quantum 11-seater GL could be used by a family, it is more suited to corporate and public transport, where it is likely to be a compelling package.

That leaves the Tourneo Custom and the Vito, which trade blows. The Mercedes is slightly safer and offers better-claimed fuel consumption while being the cheapest product in the comparison. The Ford fights back, though, being more practical, offering superior fuel range, better torque figures and a superior warranty, handing it the victory, by a narrow margin.