Introduced in 2012, the Custom effectively split Ford's traditional Transit van range in two with the Custom taking on the medium or 'one-tonne' van segment, leaving the full-size Transit to concentrate on the large van or 'two-tonne' market. Major medium van rivals for the Transit Custom include the Volkswagen Transporter, Vauxhall Vivaro, Renault Trafic and Mercedes-Benz Vito.The 2018 facelift resolved issues with small, fiddly buttons and limited storage space with a full interior redesign. It brought about class-leading amounts of in-cab storage and updated infotainment options.On top of this, the 2018 refresh brought a new front-end design with a high-mounted three-bar grille and slim headlights with distinctive LED daytime-running lights on most models.There's a school of thought that suggests it shouldn't really matter what a van is like to drive since carrying stuff in the back with as little fuss as possible is the primary purpose of any LCV. But ask Transit Custom owners and operators, and they'll all tell you that one of the things they like the most about Ford's medium van is how good it feels from behind the wheel.There was nothing particularly wrong with the performance of the older 2.2-litre units, so if you're considering one of those don't be concerned. But the newer 2.0-litre motors develop more torque much earlier, so feel more energetic and smoother while also being quieter. Most buyers go for the middle power output so the 125hp 2.2-litre or the 130hp 2.0-litre but if you can afford a punchier model with either 155hp (2.2-litre), 170hp or 185hp (2.0-litre) you won't regret it. The less potent 100hp and 105hp models will cope with their stated weights ok, but expect them to be slow and thirstier for fuel when fully laden. Alongside the addition of the 185hp engine, late 2019 also saw the introduction of mild hybrid (mHEV) technology. This EcoBlue Hybrid system is available as an option on select models as means of further improving fuel economy.The manual gearbox Ford fits as standard on all Transit Customs works just fine for a van. In fact, the most recent examples we've driven have been almost car-like in their precision. Earlier ones have felt vaguer, but not so much so that you need a compass to find the next ratio.